FACING Covid
2020 Annual Report

2020 Annual Report

A LETTER FROM LEADERSHIP

Last year when the threat of COVID-19 was first emerging, we faced some tough decisions. Keeping people safe was our absolute priority, but we knew we were going to turn people’s lives upside down. The first days were frightening and the following months were uncertain in so many ways, but we faced them together. 

The people we support showed fortitude, from those who suddenly needed to stay at home to those continuing their work in essential jobs throughout Baltimore. Our frontline direct support professionals stepped up big time. Many shifted from their roles in day programs to people’s homes that now required daytime support. Others shifted to keep contracts and other services going. “Our leadership team was challenged beyond belief. This year demonstrated the strength of The Arc Baltimore through our commitment to one of our core values – Unity.  From our entire team of professionals to our Board of Directors we supported each other so that our mission continued without interruption.”

The year has not been without loss. We have mourned; and we yearn for a return to our normal human contacts. A step toward that came through the clinics we held this winter and the 1600 vaccinations administered. It was a gift to see relief and hope in the eyes of the people we support and our team.

Our annual report this year is dedicated to all of our staff and the people we support who faced the challenge of the pandemic and who continue to do so. The theme of “Facing COVID” is represented in their images and their words in the following pages. Whether masked or not, their eyes show resolve. We will see our way through this and will face the future together.

Kathleen McNally Durkin

Chief Executive Officer

Thomas Sand

President
2020 BY THE Numbers
2160
Virtual Courses
OFFERED
to 183 participants
120
people with
developmental
disabilities
WORKED
in essential positions
50
people
earned
NEW JOBS
with support from The Arc
$125k
of
PPE
&
CLEANING
SUPPLIED
purchased
77%
of families maintained
HOME
SUPPORT
either in-person or virtually
1560
COVID
VACCINES
administered to people
we support and staff
at nine clinics

OUR STORIES

FACING
a State of Emergency
Kim Becker already had a full plate overseeing daily operations at The Arc Baltimore, but on March 16, 2020, everything came to a hard stop. Since then, Kim has sourced over $100,000 in highly sought after PPE and cleaning supplies, implemented new cleaning and safety protocols, and started from ground zero at expanding The Arc’s emergency readiness plan that previously only included a few sentences on pandemic response. Not to mention executing nine vaccine clinics that vaccinated nearly 800 people with disabilities and staff.
 
A lot of our current practices, such as contact tracing, were nonexistent before the pandemic. In the blink of an eye, one hundred percent of my job changed.
 
Kim Becker

Kim Becker,

Chief Operations Officer

FACING Uncertainty
 
The biggest obstacle COVID provided was the ‘fear factor.’ There was so much unknown, and we were trying to provide as much guidance as we could and we have people who did not understand why their living situation changed.
 
Jamie Stoner

Jamie Stoner,

Vice President of Quality Enhancement

TJ Gordon,

Day Services and Family Living

FACING Grief
Along with contracting COVID, TJ Gordon and his mother Ureka Taylor have experienced devastating loss in their family over the last year. However, with consistent support at home from TJ’s staff, Quashi, TJ has maintained contact with friends and family and even expanded his interests online after receiving an IPad through a grant from The Arc.
 
During the pandemic we had to stay at home, so we shifted to technology and got TJ signed up for Facebook and email to stay connected with friends. On his new tablet, he enjoys sermons and gospel music, and all of the virtual classes offered by The Arc where he can see his friends from Dundalk, and he loves the musical theater and art each day.
 
Quashi Mensah, Direct Support Professional, Family Living

Kelly Bell,

Director of Family and Independent Living

FACING Challenges
 
Our staff had to rethink how they do their jobs but they have all come together during this time to provide the best care possible, as essential workers, for essential people in our community.
 
Kelly Bell

Ashley Willis,

Foster Care Clinical Supervisor

FACING Separation
At any given time Ashley Willis and the team of social workers at The Arc provide training and ongoing supports for approximately 24 foster parents and 24 children. Regular face-to-face contact with the families is now all virtual. Ashley is concerned for the extra demands on the parents who are now teachers on top of the normal demands of fostering. Her team of social workers works tirelessly to navigate their way through the unknown terrain and uncharted waters of virtual work, and they rose to the occasion.
 
The absolute worst part of working during these difficult times is the fact that we cannot see our kids face to face which normally happened pretty regularly. The kids and their foster parents rely on us to be there when they need us. It has taken a toll on everyone.
 
Ashley Willis
FACING Motivation
When COVID hit, Antonio was volunteering five days a week at Brightview Senior Living, in the mail room, housekeeping and general store. As a “people person,” he was disappointed when he could no longer work, and, according to his mom, he became a “couch potato.” Not volunteering and being around others motivated Antonio to broaden his job search, and with support from The Arc’s Business Services, he landed his first paying job at Weis Markets where he maintains the parking lot. His parents have seen growing maturity and confidence now that Antonio is a valued essential employee. As a result, Antonio has set ambitious goals to become a manager and oversee the cart team. He sees a bright future at Weis.
 
I love my new job at Weis. I keep the carts clean and organized with the electric cart machine. I enjoy helping the customers and they even give me tips.
 
Antonio Cipolla

Antonio Cipolla,

Career Catalyst Graduate,
Weis Markets Lot Attendant

FACING Recognition
Danielle provides job coaching for those working at jobs in the community. While many were laid off during COVID, many continued working in essential positions but needed assistance with transitions and new protocols. That is where Danielle stepped in.
 
Often people don’t see the essential work that people with disabilities do in our community for others, but now they are starting to get noticed as they go above and beyond during the pandemic.
 
Danielle Gipson

Danielle Gipson,

Employment Support Specialist,
Project SEARCH

Ramie Mays,

Senior Director of Day Services

FACING Innovation
When the decision was made to close our day centers out of an abundance of caution, Ramie was tasked with the challenge of staying connected to hundreds of people who typically attend the center but were now at home. He and his team quickly pivoted to Zoom to provide virtual services like classes, conversations, open chat rooms, and even a weekly dance party with a live DJ.
 
The pandemic allowed us to think outside the box when strategizing how to achieve the same interaction for people while at home. These programs started small with only 10% of the regular participants, but have grown to 80% attendance.
 
Ramie Mays

Rose Greenwood,

Day Services

FACING Growth
Rose Greenwood is affectionately referred to as the “Zoom Queen.” When day services shifted to virtual offerings, Rose didn’t miss a beat. She is on every day and she knows the schedule by heart. She is open to any class and has an endless curiosity for learning. She keeps tabs on who attends the classes, and, if someone is missing, she calls them to see if they are okay and if they need any help with their technology. Even though Rose is thriving online, she misses being in person with her friends and volunteering with Meals on Wheels.
 
Normally Rose can be shy, but she has taken on a leadership role in the Zoom classes and her confidence and maturity level have skyrocketed. It has helped our relationship. Because she is taking classes on Spanish, travel, sign language, and computers, we have much more to discuss at dinner.
 
- Tina Jackson, Rose’s mother

Zelda “Peaches” Guster,

Direct Support Professional,
Day Services

FACING Creativity
Every weekday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Peaches visits individuals with developmental disabilities. In this new era of COVID, Peaches has had to get creative, planning outdoor activities from making popcorn and smoothies to art projects such as “pour and paint.” Even on holidays, Peaches plans events like painting turkeys and making Christmas wreaths to bring a smile to the face of each person knowing they needed a bright spot to their days, like anyone living through the pandemic.
 
Many of the people keep asking, ‘When are we going back to work? When can we see our friends again?’ Over a year later, and they’re still asking! It has been tough for them.
 
Peaches Guster
FACING Fear
Arista and her staff in Community Living had risen to the challenges of the pandemic with grace and determination to deal with the new normal. Whether connecting people in the homes with family and friends through Zoom or giving guidance on wearing masks and sanitizing, but then came managing actual COVID cases. Upon finding out that the first positive COVID case at a home Arista supported was Hartley, she pulled her car over to the side of the road and cried. However, she didn’t mourn for long. Arista and her team quickly learned what they had to do to properly care for the man. Some of her staff sent their children to stay with grandparents and they moved in with him to provide care until he was brought to the hospital.
 
Many staff put their own lives on hold to care for someone we support, a common practice in this job. My staff made me stronger in that situation.
 
Arista Williams

Arista Williams,

Director of Community Living

FACING Recovery
Early in the pandemic, Hartley Gray’s health had worsened, and he described himself as “bad off.” He could hardly eat or drink, and was promptly hospitalized. Staff were very concerned when they learned he had COVID because of his age and chronic respiratory issues, but they knew he was a fighter. After a few rough days, his oxygen levels began to rise and his appetite returned. He was discharged to a rehab facility where he exercised daily for two months to get his strength back so he could return home. Hartley said seeing his friends again, whom he missed dearly, and the thought of gambling in Vegas motivated him to beat this virus.
 
Don’t worry girls, I’ll be back.
 
Hartley Gray, to his roommates and house manager as he was on a gurney leaving his home

Hartley Gray,

Community Living

Tracy Voelker,

Self-advocate,
Board of Directors

FACING Hope
Despite her effervescent personality, Tracy is sad about how dramatically her life has changed over the last year. She lost her job at Burger King due to COVID and has mostly stayed home to be safe. She especially missed seeing her sister and was happy to reunite with her just recently. Tracy was first in line at The Arc’s initial vaccine clinic in January, and her excitement and relief permeated the room.
 
The vaccine didn’t hurt. I was fine with it. I was happy because I don’t want to get sick. I was relieved. I was the first person to get it at The Arc.
 
Tracy Voelker

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Officers

President Thomas Sand Ernst & Young LLP

Vice President Erik P. Daly BDO USA, LLP

Treasurer Gregory J. Hogan SC&H Group

Secretary Jill M. Vocci, O.D. Pediatric Eye Care of Maryland

Immediate Past President Joseph P. Ward, Esq. Miles & Stockbridge, P.C.

Directors

Marianne Bishoff Carter Machinery Company, Inc.

Larry Burley, Jr. BGE

Melissa Dabrowski Exelon

Gail Garland Heart of Life Services

Donald Himelfarb Retired Executive

J. Patrick Miles T. Rowe Price

Alicia Morgan-Cooper, M.D. Village Pediatrics

Paris Price Self-Advocate

Crystal Stephens The Arc Baltimore / Self-advocate

William Stocker Student at Stevenson University / Self-advocate

Alyssa Thorn, Esq. Project HEAL, Kennedy Krieger Institute

Rodney Toulson Restorative Counseling Services / Parent Advocate

Tracy Voelker Self-advocate

Tiana D. Wynn SB & Company, LLC

Matthew Yancisin Carefirst Community Health Partners

2020 FINANCIALS

Statement of financial positionJUNE 30, 2020
(In thousands)
Assets
2020

Financial Positions

Free
  • Cash / Receivables: $15,124.0
  • Property and equipment (net): 8,957.2
  • Other assets: 4,897.8
Comparison Table Includes
  • Cash / Receivables:
  • Property and equipment (net):
  • Other assets:
  • Cash / Receivables:$15,124.0
  • Property and equipment (net):8,957.2
  • Other assets:4,897.8

Financial Positions

Free
Total assets
$28,979.0
LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS
Liabilities
Total liabilities
$15,010.3
Net Assets

Net Assets

Free
  • Without Donor Restrictions: $13,367.7
  • With Donor Restrictions: 601.0
Comparison Table Includes
  • Without Donor Restrictions:
  • With Donor Restrictions:
  • Without Donor Restrictions:$13,367.7
  • With Donor Restrictions:601.0

Net Assets

Free
Total net assets
$13,968.7
Total liabilities and net assets
$28,979.0
Our Donors
Major Gift ($10,000 and above)

The Baltimore Community Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Chris Brandenburg

The Civitan Club of Baltimore

Michael Conelius

The Ellen W.P. Wasserman Foundation

The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Fdn.

Mr. and Mrs. Donald Himelfarb

Mr. and Mrs. Earle P. Hurley

Maryland Emergency Management Agency

Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Moag

Phillips Charitable Foundation

Safeway Foundation

Scientific Plant Service, Inc.

United Way of Central Maryland

William E. Karlson Charitable Fund

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this list. If you feel there is an error, please contact our Development Office at 410.296.2272 x5220

Special thanks to Dr. Andrea Leary and her Argumentation writing class at Loyola University Maryland who assisted with interviewing many of our staff and telling their stories.

OUR MISSION

The Arc Baltimore supports people with developmental disabilities to lead fulfilling lives with a sense of belonging, purpose and relationships.

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Administrative Headquarters & Towson Day Services
7215 York Road
Baltimore, MD 21212
410-296-2272
Email

Dundalk Day Services
1401 North Point Road
Baltimore, MD 21222
410-282-3876

Homeland Day Services
4800 York Road
Baltimore, MD 21212
410-323-9139

Contract Services & Seton Day Services
6151 Metro Drive
Baltimore, MD 21215
410-653-3252

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