Bank of America Charitable Foundation Grants $5,000 for St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center’s Work Activity Program for Adults with Developmental Disabilities

Funds will help underwrite the cost of the Work Activity Program

San Diego (I-Newswire) February 13, 2013 - St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center, a non-denominational, vocational day program for over 400 adults with developmental disabilities, was awarded a $5,000 grant from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation through their Education and Workforce Development initiative. These funds will help underwrite the cost of St. Madeleine’s Work Activity Program that supports the employment goals of approximately 50 adults with developmental disabilities.

While St. Madeleine’s offers a wide range of work-related programs, its Work Activity Program focuses specifically on small-group and individual employment that helps individuals meet their career goals while providing a steady paycheck. As a result, each person increases their independence and self-reliance. Our students enter the program by joining paid group work sites where they learn and hone skills. After working in a group setting, those students who are interested in securing an individual job placement are provided with job coaching over a year- and-a-half timeframe that helps them transition to an in-community job. During this time, their St. Madeleine’s Job Coach helps them learn what is expected of them by their employer, and works directly with the employer in helping to teach the student new tasks. The overall goal is to have each student transition from being fully supported by a St. Madeleine’s Job Coach to relying solely on coaching by their employer.

St. Madeleine’s partners with a wide variety of regional employers who hire our students for group and individual work contracts that take place in the community and on our campus. These employers include: KFC; Albertson’s; NASSCO; City of El Cajon; City of La Mesa; Aunty Lynn’s Day Care; Children’s Choice Day Care; National Cat Protection Society; Bob Stall Chevrolet; McGrath Family YMCA; East County Californian; Paradise Point Resort & Spa; Impulse Industries Entertainment; Dell Star Construction; and Bob Kelly Real Estate.

About St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center: St. Madeleine’s is a non-denominational, licensed vocational day training program for adults with developmental disabilities, ages 22 to 70+. Its Life-Long Program helps over 400 adult students to discover, experience and realize their full potential as members of the greater community. Located in El Cajon, California, 20 miles east of Downtown San Diego, the organization provides services to the greater San Diego area by offering progressive programs and services with a teacher- to-student ratio ranging from 1:3 to 1:8, including: Adaptive Computer Lab; Behavior Modification; Organic Garden and Worm Farm; Work Activity Center; Supported Employment; Aquatics; Culinary Arts; Aerobics/Fitness/Yoga/Tai Chi; Dance (in collaboration with Malashock Dance); Sophie’s Gallery art program (with sites in Downtown El Cajon and NTC Liberty Station); Music Therapy (on-campus and in collaboration with Rock and Roll San Diego in Point Loma; Reading; Speech Therapy/Sign Language; and a Senior Program for students age 50+ .