30 Years of Seeing Life Differently
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2012 / 2013 Annual Report 30 Years of Seeing Life Differently © 2013 Bruce Kelley PAGE 1 Anchor Center for Blind Children is a not-for profit organization dedicated to providing early intervention/education to blind and visually impaired children throughout the state of Colorado. Our staff of highly trained vision specialists, therapists and teachers strive to foster the full potential of children who are blind by providing exemplary education, therapy and family support services. Our mission is to teach visually impaired infants, young children and their families, providing hope and a nurturing environment where children reach their highest potential. “Seeing Life Differently” ⠄⠎⠑⠑⠬ ⠇⠊⠋⠑ ⠙⠊⠖⠻⠢⠞⠇⠽ 30 YEARS In 2012-13, Anchor Center for Blind Children had 376 volunteers give 5,685 hours of volunteer service including weekly individual volunteers as well as IMPACTof multiple volunteer groups assisting with different projects. PAGE 2 PAGE Parents of current and former students at the 30th Birthday Party Graduates John and Julie share their Mork Anchor Center 3 PAGE experiences From the President and Executive Director It was a year of celebrating! There were events to honor everyone who has made Anchor Center possible these past 30 years, from donors, volunteers, past and present board members and, of course, all of the graduates we could round up. Julie McAndrews Mork was honored for her incredible commitment of time, energy, financial support and, most of all, integrity and love. The class reunion brought back nearly a hundred graduates and their families. Success stories were abundant and memories were captured on video to be opened from a time capsule at the 40th Anniversary Celebration. Thank you for choosing to be a part of Anchor Center’s history and believing in our potential for all the years to come! Curt Brown Alice Applebaum President, Board of Directors Executive Director 30 YEARS 30th Anniversary Pearl of Wisdom: “A need was recognized and with added passion and commitment developed into a lasting legacy for all blind children IMPACTof in Colorado.” —Sue Larson, Anchor Center Founder PAGE 4 PAGE Sundka listens to Mongolian music on an iPad 5 PAGE Lives Transformed: Sundka’s Journey She was two months early. Enkhjin (“Sundka”) was born premature to loving parents Ken and Uka Khangal in Mongolia, thousands of miles from Anchor Center for Blind Children. She was four months old when they would receive her diagnosis of Retinopathy of Prematurity, an abnormal development of the blood vessel in the retina of the eye. Resulting from her premature birth, Sundka was considered stage five, with total retinal detachment resulting in loss of vision. The doctors in their home country told the Khangals that their daughter had only a one percent chance of getting her vision back. Surgery to restore vision was considered “a waste of money,” doctors said. Ken remembers their decision to move forward with surgery: “We decided to do our best and give it a try. No parents want to tell their child when they grow up, ‘You had a one percent chance, but Mommy and Daddy needed to save some money.’” They began sending Sundka’s information to countries all around the world continued… 30 YEARS “I will always remember that you never, ever gave up on me. I also really miss the sensory room spinner and light room fun.” —Ava Jaksha, former student IMPACTof PAGE 6 PAGE where eye surgeons were ranked the best in their field—India, Russia, Japan, China, Thailand and Korea. They all told Ken and Uka the same thing. Some even turned them away citing her case as inoperable because it was “too late.” Sundka’s parents didn’t give up on their daughter. They tried again. It was Ken’s sister who ultimately led them to the United States. Living in San Francisco, she was able to find a surgeon in Michigan who accepted Sundka’s case and performed the surgery on both eyes. “After the surgery, she was able to see some light, which is much better than staying in the dark,” Ken says of her results. When Sundka turned two, the Khangals decided to return to the United States from their native Mongolia. Ken left his job, requiring him to go back to school in order to obtain a student visa and complete English as a Second Language (ESL) programs. Their first stop was San Francisco, where his sister again played an integral role in finding services for Sundka. A teacher there referred her to schools in Kansas City, Chicago, Boston and Denver. The family chose Denver and made the journey to Anchor Center for Blind Children. When Sundka first arrived at Anchor Center, she was often frustrated by the language barrier, being in an unknown place and hardly spoke. Now, her Teachers of the Visually Impaired talk about a girl who is filled with laughter and enjoys turning the pages of a book during program sessions. She’s built confidence in mobility using a cane and has a strong sense of place when she comes to Anchor Center, even attending public preschool in addition to her center-based programming. 7 PAGE continued… “I love Anchor Center,” Ken says. “Its like somebody has collected the most caring and dedicated individuals in one place together! Sundka loves her teachers and now gets excited every time she goes to school. That’s how good they are!” 30 YEARS Over 30 years, thousands of blind, deafblind and visually impaired children and their families have been positively impacted and given a IMPACTof great start to life! PAGE 8 PAGE PAGE 9 2012-2013 Highlights In 2012-2013, Anchor Center served 390 children and families. Teachers and therapists provided 469 home visits to children too medically fragile to attend center-based services (in Stapleton). Teachers and therapists made 13 rural outreach trips to support families throughout Colorado. Staff participated in 107 IFSP/IEP meetings, which are planning/goal setting meetings required by law for all children with disabilities. In addition, the Family Support/Education Staff held 42 parent/family group meetings on a variety of topics, including specific diagnoses. The team had also provided individual assistance to families. Anchor Center for Blind Children is the only private organization in Colorado serving children from birth to 5-years-old who are blind, visually impaired or deafblind. Most of our funding comes from individuals. No family is ever denied services due to an inability to pay a nominal tuition fee. Anchor Center maintained its highest possible four-star Qualistar rating, which measures quality in licensed early learning programs, both home- and center- based, that serve children birth to kindergarten. “What I want more than anything else is for people to not shy away because the situation is uncomfortable, or because they don’t know how to respond. I want people to know my precious son for who he is right now and be with us on this journey.” —Megan Bowser, mother PAGE 10 PAGE PAGE 11 Alice Applebaum, Executive Director Lisa Roll Moore, Early Childhood Special Educator Curt Brown, President Staff Gwen Borchert, Office Manager Zoe Morgese, Speech/Language Therapist Cheryl Blankenship KT Colgan, Volunteer Manager (starting May 2013) Rachel Morris, Occupational Therapist Randy Braun Linda Corssmit, Para Educator Kivanc Ozer-Afsar, Family Specialist Alexander Cmil Mindy Doyle-McCall, Program Director Carol Benson Puchalski, Psychology Consultant Tom Gold Lorraine Estrada, Teacher of the Visually Impaired Karen Roberts, Parent Consultant Board of Directors Dickson Griswold Louanna Gerleman, Teaching Assistant Belinda Severtson, Teaching Assistant Susie Horner JC Greeley, Wise Old Woman Cathy Smyth, Home Visit Team Lead Vonda Mills Donna Halffield, Occupational Therapist Katie Surline, Teachers’ Aide Donnis Moore Kelly Hall, Fund Development Assistant Sarah Bickford Vallese, Teacher of the Visually Impaired Kerry Musfeldt Marcie Jacobs, Office Manager Angela Vanderlan, Teaching Assistant Marlo Naumer Charlotte Javier, Teacher of the Visually Impaired Cynthia Wadle, Operations Director Tami Perez-Mesa Stefanie Kirkwood, Classroom Teacher Savannah West, Assistant Development Director Kirsti Peterson Paula Landry, Teacher of the Visually Impaired Kristine Wolfe, Development Director Tricia Potucek Caroline Lemmens, Teaching Assistant Wendy Woodard, Classroom Aide Doug Reeb Karen McClurg, Volunteer Manager Keith Vaughn Amanda Bryant, Music Therapist Tanni Anthony, Colorado Department of Education Karen McClean, Nurse J. Bronwyn Bateman, Rocky Mountain Lion’s Eye Institute Doreen Montesano, Spanish Interpreter Carolynn Bond, Executive Director, Cherry Creek Schools Foundation Joy Browne, PhD, Neo-Natal Developmental Specialist,The Children’s Hospital Advisory Board Kay Ferrell, PhD, University of Northern Colorado Dona Kelley, Early Childhood Advocate Consulting Partners Robert King, MD, Pediatric Ophthalmologist Julie Mork, ECA Foundation Stephen Petty, MD, Retinal Specialist E. Stewart Taylor, MD, U.C. Health Sciences Center Jan Thornton, Community Volunteer Erik Weihenmayer, Advocate for Visually Impaired; Mountaineer PAGE 12 PAGE PAGE 13 Financial Summary July 1, 2012- June 30, 2013 unrestricted temporarily permanently total restricted restricted support, revenue and other gains contributions 2,180,482 40,473 2,500 2,223,455 program fees 112,942 0 0 112,942 federal awards 0 10,000 0 10,000 special events (net) 212,138 0 0 212,138 investment income 157,541 0 299,970 457,511 other 3,147 0 0 3,147 net assets released from restrictions 217,119 (78,988) (138,131) 0 total support, revenue and other gains 2,883,369 (28,515) 164,339 3,019,193 expenses program services school 1,510,677 1,510,677 supporting services management and general 192,262 192,262 fundraising 208,831 208,831 total supporting services 401,093 401,093 total expenses 1,911,770 1,911,770 changes in net assets 971,599 (28,515) 164,339 1,107,423 net assets, beginning of year 8,271,224 80,905 2,382,886 10,735,015 net assets, end of year $9,242,823 $52,390 $2,547,225 $11,842,438 corporations program fees, misc.