one mission. many partners. Mosaic Annual Report FY 2015 From the President and Chief Executive Officer One of the best parts of All of this would not be possible if it weren’t for the generosity of my role as Mosaic’s our donors, volunteers and President and CEO is the community partners. stories. In the 30 years I’ve As we close out the last year, we are been with Mosaic, especially grateful for: I’ve heard and shared The more than 2,400 people who attended a Discover the Possibilities some wonderful ones. agency tour in 2015. Since 2011, more than 16,000 people have attended More than numbers on a balance Discover the Possibilities tours. sheet, these stories give life to the transformation that happens when The nearly 7,500 financial gifts that the people we support, our staff, were made to help us close the gap volunteers and our community between what Mosaic is reimbursed partners work together. for and what it takes to provide a meaningful life. This annual report highlights just a few of the many stories that happen Our more than 5,000 employees and because of your generosity. the 3,700 people we support in 51 communities across the United States. Each day, Mosaic works hard to find new and creative ways to ensure that A lot has changed in the world and at people with intellectual disabilities Mosaic since I first started in 1986, but have the opportunity to lead a one thing will never change: our meaningful life in a caring community commitment to the mission. by giving a voice to their needs. That innovation includes new service Faithfully, models for children and adults with autism at our oldest location in Axtell and huge breakthroughs in the outcomes of those who are supported Linda Timmons in host homes in Colorado. President and Chief Executive Officer We are also working to expand our mission of inclusion through our church partnerships and are making great strides around the world through our international partnerships in Tanzania and Romania. The Mosaic Board of Directors The Mosaic Board of Directors is the organization’s governing body. The Board holds in responsibility the trust and welfare of the people who support and the people who depend on Mosaic. Lisa Negstad Kathy Patrick Conrad T. Swanson The Rev. Keith Hohly James S. Bowen Linda K. Burt Dr. Douglas Hillman Max Miller Chairperson Vice Chairperson Second Vice Chairperson Secretary Lincoln, Neb. Omaha, Neb. West Des Moines, Iowa Geneva, Neb. Minneapolis, Minn. Houston, Texas Wellington, Colo. Kansas City, Kan. Sandra Scott Pamela Spadaro James P. Totsch Joseph Turkowski James Zils MPA, FACHE, BCC Coppell, Texas Quincy, Ill. Lawrenceville, N.J. Libertyville, Ill. Bellvue, Colo. The Mosaic Foundation Board of Directors The Mosaic Foundation was established in 1992 as a supporting foundation for Mosaic. Its purpose is to steward financial gifts given to Mosaic. Thomas L. Earnshaw Kent Cattarello Ramona Edwards Devin B. Gorman Robert J. Graulich Susan C. Lutz Pamela Spadaro Lisa Negstad Chairperson Vice Chairperson Secretary Pittsburg, Kan. West Hartford, Conn. Altoona, Iowa Coppell, Texas Ex-Officio Dallas, Texas Loveland, Colo. Bennington, Neb. Minneapolis, Minn. 1 One mission Our innovative service models make sure children and adults with intellectual disabilities have the tools to reach their true potential. The tailored approach to teaching at Mosaic in Axtell allows Noah to thrive in the classroom. Kris Johnson tears up family turned to Mosaic in Axtell’s Noah now learns in class with other school. It was a breath of fresh air. students and loves listening to music every time she talks about on his iPod. He’s even lost more than her son’s life before he “I cried through everything. Nobody 60 pounds. had ever been that honest with us.” came to Mosaic. The difference in Noah was incredibly Today, Noah receives personalized noticeable when he visited his parents “We hit our hardest spot when Noah supports from a team of qualified and siblings in Northeast Nebraska hit puberty,” she said. “We knew that teachers and staff using the TEAcCH over Christmas. we had to do something different.” approach, which adapts curricula to the learning styles of students “He’s just got this infectious giggle,” Kris Without the proper support, Noah, with autism. said. “He giggled more than anything.” who does not speak, became a danger to himself and others. The tailored approach has done wonders It was a giggle that Kris hadn’t heard for many students, including Noah. in years. “He was just so overwhelmed,” Kris said. “It got to the point that I could “We saw progress almost instantly,” “They have just changed our world,” not be alone with him.” said Debbie Herbel, Executive Director Kris said. “We know that this is where in Axtell. Noah needs to be.” After exploring numerous options for Noah that just didn’t fit, Kris and her 2 Cindy, a Mosaic at Home provider, and Elva walk through a neighborhood park Host homes, a decades-old “People love getting out in the less than two years, others are community,” said Cheryl Wicks, requiring fewer medications and, in service model, have grown Mosaic Executive Director in Colorado many cases, undesirable behaviors in popularity the last few Springs. “They immediately started have lessened or even disappeared. getting out more and doing things years. Our experience in with their providers.” The transition has been good for a Colorado helps explain why. number of former staff members as Being more active in the community well. Several chose to become host Although it was the first out-of-state translates into people having more home providers, finding the work/life location for Nebraska-based Mosaic to relationships. Mosaic’s quality data rhythm a good fit. build group homes in the late 1970s, shows that people in host homes have Colorado is now the only state where more success building personal relation- “Those staff became great advocates,” The Mosaic team works Mosaic no longer has group homes. ships (7 percent) and significantly Cheryl said. “Now that they’re 24/7, to ensure that each The majority of people served there higher success building relationships living in their homes, they’ve become chose to move into host homes. in the community (25 percent). passionate about what they do.” person we support gets the care they need to Host homes are a relationship-based The stability and more consistent Not new, but newly popular, host grow and thrive in an model where independent contractors monitoring afforded by having one homes can be a great fit for many open their home to someone with a provider instead of multiple staff people – both the person served and environment that is disability and provide consistent care, members also has helped individuals’ provider alike. Continued expansion of the most meaningful. teaching, and friendship. physical health, Cheryl said. One this service model will be part of woman lost more than 75 pounds in Mosaic’s future. One mission 3 One mission. As a ministry of the church, our mission includes advocating for the full participation of people with intellectual disabilities in our faith communities. During the 2015 ELCA Youth Gathering, Ryan smiled with hundreds of students who stopped to learn about Mosaic’s mission. #mosaicpossible A selfie stick can be a He also posed for tons of selfies, Sarah shared that she volunteered played basketball and tried sushi for with Special Olympics and wants to beautiful thing. Just ask the very first time. study psychology and special Ryan and 30,000 of his education in college. It was a chaotic week, sharing stories closest friends. with the thousands of teens and adults Sarah gathered the other seven who were brave enough to stop by members of her group and Ryan, Ryan traveled to the 2015 ELCA Youth Mosaic’s booth and experience some grabbed our selfie stick and took a Gathering with his support staff and of the really tough barriers that the photo and shared it on Twitter, with members of Mosaic’s International people Mosaic supports face. the promise to make Ryan “Twitter and Church Relations teams to famous.” advocate for the full inclusion of Ryan and a young woman named people with intellectual disabilities in Sarah, a high school senior from By the end of the week, hundreds of our faith communities. North Carolina, became fast friends. students had taken photos with Ryan and his selfie stick. While there, Ryan talked about his job, They talked about Ryan’s Special his friends and his life in Iowa. Olympics successes, his job and They shared them on Facebook, his friends. Instagram and Twitter, giving life to Mosaic’s belief that our faith communities are better when everyone can fit in God’s picture. 4 A fighter to the end, Isidori reminds us of both the joy of success and the work that continues. The purest joy of working Isidori came into our Tanzania While Isidori passed away in 2015, we program at age 21. The physical believe his story and his legacy live with children and young trauma and neglect had taken their on. Isidori knew a life where people adults with disabilities, toll, and he weighed only 26 pounds. laughed with him on good days and His emotional health was also stroked his cheek on bad days. He who live in places where suffering, and staff immediately didn’t die alone. they are shunned, is to see worked to help him on both fronts. them succeed. He attended the day center daily, He is an inspiration to all who knew receiving nutritional supplements him, and a powerful example of the Severely injured at age 9, Isidori and various therapies.