​Being inspired to stay healthy is a challenge for most of us. With busy schedules, work commitments,  family responsibilities, stress, and a whole host of other distractions, health often falls to the bottom of the list. We all know that we’ll feel better by eating healthy and exercising, but making a plan and sticking to it is sometimes easier said than done.

Sheena and Shirley know this challenge first hand and serve as a testament to the incredible difference a few lifestyle changes can make. Sheena has been with Progress for many years, and due to a few staffing changes in the past year, Shirley became her new live-in companion. Sometimes it just takes the right person to motivate change.

“In high school I weighed 223 pounds, had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and was gaining weight. I had terrible headaches that were related to high blood pressure,” Shirley explained. She made big lifestyle changes back then and lost the weight, incorporating exercise and healthy eating in her daily routine. “I love helping people feel better about themselves.”

Before coming to Nashville, Shirley lived in Houston and provided care for another woman with disabilities. The individual she supported in Houston had low self-esteem, and felt like nobody listened to her. “She felt like nobody cared, so she didn’t care about herself. You have to love yourself.” Shirley made it her mission to improve the person’s self-confidence and self-worth, and succeeded.

When Shirley moved to Nashville to be closer to her daughter, she brought that same desire to help people better themselves to her role at Progress.  In her new role, Shirley would be supporting Sheena, and was advised of the challenges that lay ahead. In the past, Sheena experienced difficulty connecting with other staff and had developed a bit of a reputation. Confrontations with providers were a regular occurrence, but things changed practically overnight when Shirley came into the picture. “I tell everyone, don’t go by what people tell you, you have to get to know people first,” Shirley explained. That mindset paid off in a big way, and Sheena has made major improvements over the past year, both physically and mentally. Sheena is happier, friendlier, more outgoing, and seems to have a new outlook on life.

When Shirley and Sheena started living together, they made small tweaks to their routine. On the weekends, they began to incorporate walking as a part of errands, like going to Dollar Tree, Walmart and Sam’s Club to get extra steps. After walking became a bigger part of their lifestyle, Shirley encouraged Sheena to give the community gym a try. “Sheena had never done anything like that before, so we started small.” Before long, visiting the gym became a regular occurrence, and Sheena started to look forward to riding the stationary bike and walking on the treadmill. “We tried walking a little further each time. I am a healthy eater, so Sheena learned to enjoy eating healthy food that I cook. We have our treats, and if we overindulge, we just walk a little extra.”

“Shopping is my favorite exercise.” Sheena added.

The change in Sheena is like night and day. She’s lost over 50 pounds and no longer needs a CPAP machine to sleep. Sheena is more confident now, and is proud of her accomplishments. “Exercising was harder than healthy eating at first, but I feel good now.” Sheena gets along great with her roommate, is very easy to work with, and has confidence to do more to take care of herself. “She cleans, washes and folds her clothes, she’s more open now,” Shirley explained, “She can make eggs in the microwave, and we’re taking more baby steps in the kitchen.”

​Sheena and Shirley have no intentions of slowing down anytime soon. The healthy changes introduced into the household are there to stay, and exercise and healthy eating are practically second nature now.

“Shirley makes really good food,” Sheena said with a smile.

“I know how hard it is to suffer with weight.” Shirley added, “But health is a big part of our lives now.”

Shirley’s patience and understanding has helped Sheena stay the course. “I love my ladies, I enjoy my job. If I feel bad, they’ll say, Miss Shirley, you need to go take a bath. We take care of each other.”
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When asked what she would say to anyone considering working with people with disabilities, Shirley’s response was, “Give it a chance. Just try it. One day you’ll need someone to take care of you. If you love to help people, this is a great job.”

When Monisha talks about Billy and Robert, it’s clear she knows just about everything about them. She knows their idiosyncrasies, their strengths and their quirks. She knows who will usually offer a traffic report in the morning, and she knows who’s keeping tabs on the latest sports teams. She knows their histories and families, their work history, but most importantly she knows them.

“They’re like my brothers,” she explained one evening. What started out as a typical companion/roommate setup grew into a beautiful friendship, full of nurture and support from all parties. “They give me so much joy and have helped me through difficult times, in the same way I try to help them.”

Companions are the lifeblood of what Progress does. The people supported through Progress rely on companions to help them live as independently as possible. Companions cook meals, provide transportation to appointments, manage household maintenance, ensure the safety of each resident, and complete many other countless tasks on a daily basis. What is arguably most inspirational however, is the support system companions provide through life’s ups and downs. Companions are there every single day. On good days households may be bursting with laughter, and on other days, companions may be consoling their residents through difficult experiences or helping them navigate challenging behaviors. What is often unexpected though, is the ability for companions to feel that same familial support returned to them from the people they’re caring for.

Monisha was the first to acknowledge that she and the guys have had a rough year. Their house has had its share of difficult times recently. Earlier in the year Monisha’s sister passed away, Billy’s sister passed away unexpectedly, then Monisha’s mother became sick, and her son was diagnosed with a disability.
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One day Billy caught Monisha crying, and told her everything would be alright. “They’ll come in and tell jokes,” Monisha explained with a smile.

 “Laughing is better than crying.” Billy chimed in.

“When my son was diagnosed with a disability, at first I cried because I didn’t know how to handle it. These guys were a huge support for me, though.” Monisha’s son and husband live close by, and they visit the house regularly. Billy and Robert have an especially close relationship with Monisha’s son. “Robert is like a big brother and makes sure my son’s homework gets done. Billy likes to teach my son about the bible, as he’s attending a Christian academy. They’ll watch tv together.” The support Monisha received from Billy and Robert was a surprise that she never expected from the people she was responsible for caring for.

“I look at it as a big family.” Billy added.

“I take pride in what I do. A lot of people see it as a job. It is my life.” Monisha added that caring for her autistic brother while growing up played a big factor in her desire to help others today.

Like many companion homes, theirs operates like a well-oiled machine, with everyone playing a part in the day-to-day household responsibilities. Monisha explained that both of the guys assist with lots of things. Billy dusts, Robert does laundry. When Monisha takes the garbage out, Billy has often changed the bag before she’s back inside. Over the last year the guys have become even more independent & take extra pride in their home.

​“We are like a family. We cook together and eat together. I cook for them, and do for them like I do at home. My husband cooks for them too, he loves them. If I’ve been out of town for a few days, I’m so happy to be back and I’ll say, ‘Honeys I’m home!’ and hug them.”

Billy and Robert agreed that Monisha is a “good lady, a good cook, a good mother, and a great person to talk to.”

“We’ve been through it all, but these guys keep me strong.” 

The friendship that Monisha, Billy and Robert share is a powerful example of the types of relationships that can develop between companions and individuals. The bonds that form are often able to elevate all parties during life’s challenges. Monisha, Billy and Robert serve as an example of the fact that meaningful connections sometimes grow in unexpected places, and that support is never a one-way street.

Nashville, TN – The Kharis Foundation recently awarded Progress Inc. a $200,000 grant in support of the agency’s capital campaign. The capital campaign seeks to raise $1million dollars to fund a new building on Progress’s campus at 319 Ezell Pike. More than $860,000 has been raised thus far; Progress aims to break ground on construction of the new building this summer.

The Kharis Foundation’s generous donation to Progress, Inc., a non-profit serving people with disabilities and seniors for more than 45 years, has made a large impact on the realization of adding a new building to the current campus.  “The Kharis Foundation has largely closed the gap for us in terms of making the new building a reality, and we are incredibly grateful for their support,” said Progress Executive Director Donna Goodaker. The planned building will include offices and meeting rooms for employment program initiatives which will enable the organization’s employment and senior divisions to expand and respond to increased need for service.
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The capital campaign was launched in the fall of 2014 in order to address the growing need for more space at the agency’s current location. Progress provides a variety of services to people with disabilities and seniors, including community and respite services, residential support, employment training, social enterprise Smart Supplies and others. The administrative offices at Progress are currently house twice the number of people that the building was originally designed to hold.  The new building will provide a space for growing employment services to people with all types of disabilities.

The Kharis Foundation was established in 2008, but has a long history of service in Middle Tennessee and in the Presbyterian Church, USA. Funds for the Kharis Foundation were established from the sale of Park Manor Retirement Center, which began as a “vision by members of a Sunday School class at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Nashville first to help retired ministers and then to minister to the needs of the area’s elderly citizens. Support for the idea grew and, in 1962, Park Manor Retirement Center was opened as Nashville’s first retirement living community.” Progress is incredibly grateful for the support of the foundation. ​
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The Kharis Foundation is an independent, non-traditional foundation which supports churches and nonprofit organizations in Middle Tennessee and is committed to finding innovative ways to affect positive change.

SmART! Supplies was honored to host the 2016 Innovo Fest! The festival brought together artists and fans of Innovo Music Management during a day-long music festival on Sunday, November 6th. The festival helped raise awareness about the mission of SmART! and needs of people with intellectual disabilties as well as creative reuse. 14 music acts as well as food trucks, vendors, sponsors, artists, puppies, and more all came together to celebrate Innovo Music Management's two year anniversary. Watch the video below for a recap of the day's events!

​Progress was one of two agencies in Tennessee to receive funding from Sprouts Farmer’s Market Neighborhood Grants. The grants are funded through Sprouts’ “Round Up for Our Community” program, which takes place annually in stores across the United States. The Neighborhood Grants Program encompasses three focus areas: Health Nutrition and Education, Food Security and Hunger Relief, and Disabilities and Health Concerns. This funding will support Day and Employment Programs at Progress. This includes Project Search, Ticket to Work and Community Based Day programs. Progress is extremely grateful for this funding and looks forward to partnering with Sprouts Farmer's Market. More information about Sprouts Farmer’s Market and grant recipients can be found at www.Sprouts.com. Sprouts locations in Middle Tennessee include Franklin and Murfreesboro.

NASHVILLE, TN – August, 16 2016 – Progress received a $30,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation’s State Giving Program to assist with employment support for people with disabilities.   Specifically, this grant will positively impact the local community by providing a variety of services including internships and placements for people with disabilities, helping them to successfully acquire and retain employment. Through the Employment Services Program, Progress uses a multi-pronged approach. The Employment Services Program is comprised of several categories - Project SEARCH, Ticket to Work and Job Training/Placement.
 
“The Walmart Foundation has demonstrated that they have dedicated themselves to bettering our community, in this case specifically supporting people with intellectual disabilities and employment skill building.” said Progress Executive Director Donna Goodaker. “We are extremely grateful for this gift; the foundation understands the magnitude of the disparity in employment for people with disabilities versus the rest of the population. The people we serve want to work, they just need the supports behind them to excel, and the Walmart Foundation understands the need as much as we do. ”
 
The Walmart Foundation’s State Giving Program supports organizations that create opportunities so people can live better, awarding grants that have a long-lasting, positive impact on communities across the U.S. 

​SmART! Supplies, a social enterprise of Progress Inc. will launch a new series of monthly arts and crafts classes beginning in August 2016 at 4 Buchi Court, Nashville TN 37204. 

Classes will range in price from $15-$30 including materials, and will cover a wide range of upcycled arts and crafts projects. SmART! Supplies sells reclaimed arts and crafts materials at discount prices, while employing people with disabilities. Proceeds from SmART! Supplies support Progress Inc., a non-profit organization serving people with disabilities and seniors in Middle Tennessee for more than 40 years.

Kyle Graden, Marketing and Outreach Manager of Smart Supplies aimed to create a highly diverse and affordable selection of classes. “We are thrilled about the launch of our new class program, and are excited about being able to provide a platform for highly skilled artisans, crafters and businesses to share their skills with our loyal customers and fans. We wanted to offer classes that were affordable for everyone while also being unique, and our upcoming roster of classes truly reflects that. ”

Classes include Greeting Card Creation, Wire Viking Weave, Button Making, Beginners Knitting, Sip & Collage, Tapestry Weaving, Artist Tributes, and many others. Paper Source, located in Green Hills, will be leading the Greeting Card Creation class. Classes range in size, and early registration is encouraged. More information and a full class schedule can be found on the Smart Supplies website at www.SmartSupplies.org 

Since opening in 2014, SmART! Supplies has sold more than 200,000 items originally destined for landfills. The store offers an upcycled art boutique, hosts a variety of sales throughout the year and also provides volunteer opportunities for non-profit organizations, including Friends Life Community and Girl Scouts. SmART! Supplies supports people with intellectual disabilities through employment and job training; store proceeds fund the many programs of Progress, including day programs, residential support and employment training. 

Full details with class information can be found on Smart Supplies' website at www.SmartSupplies.org 

Two graduation ceremonies were held for Project SEARCH graduates of the 2016 graduating classes of both Embassy Suites and the Monroe Carrell Jr. Children’s Hospital. Graduates spent the past year gaining valuable employment training and real life experiences to help them work independently and be self-sufficient in their future employment goals. At each of the ceremonies, graduates gave speeches about their experiences and thanked their families, program staff and donors for their support throughout the program.

Project SEARCH provides individuals with disabilities tuition-free job training and educational, developmental, and employment opportunities. Project SEARCH is a nine month unpaid internship, and at the completion of the program graduates are employment ready. Of the most current graduating class, 92% achieved employment at graduation time. The goal of Project SEARCH is to fill a business need with qualified individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities.

One graduate explained, “Project Search was great because we got to train on different job sites before we applied for the positions. Also, the job coaches were wonderful. I also liked that we learned about things such as Credo, safety in the workplace, and good ways to spend money. I want to thank everyone at Project Search.”

Project SEARCH is a national program with various sites managed by non-profit organizations around the country. Progress operates the two Project SEARCH sites in Nashville, which are located at Embassy Suites and the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital. More information about the national program can be found at http://www.projectsearch.us/

​For information about Project SEARCH in Nashville please contact Pam Hollingsworth at 615-399-3000 or via email or visit the Progress Project SEARCH webpage.

Progress hosted the 4th Annual Golden Years at the Fairgrounds Nashville on Tuesday, May 3rd 2016. More than 400 people attended the event, setting a new attendance record. The day was filled with a variety of free activities and services including fitness instruction, bone density scans, arts and crafts classes, massages, manicures, makeup tutorials, and much more.

Attendees were able to speak with a variety of vendors offering services needed by seniors. Stage demonstrations took place throughout the day, including cooking, gardening, Zumba fitness, dancing groups, and a special fashion show by Couture for a Cause. A representative from the Mayor’s Office also spoke, and was available for questions afterwards.

Progress is incredibly grateful to sponsors Amerigroup, Baptist Healing Trust, Delmar Medical, HCA/TriStar Health, Subway and Windlands for making the event possible.

More information about Golden Years can be found at ​http://www.progress-inc.org/golden-years1.html

ECF Choices is a new program for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities that will be introduced in the State of Tennessee on July 1st, 2016. A few points outlining these new waiver services is below. Please contact us should you have any questions about the new ECF Choices program, or any other programs of Progress at 615-399-3000.

• The name of the new Medicaid Waiver programs is ECF Choices.  ECF stands for Employment and Community First.  These Waiver programs are for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who currently do not receive services.
• These programs will not affect anyone who is already getting services, or their staff, but there will be changes in how we deliver new services.  For example, we don’t currently provide personal assistance, but this will be a more needed service in the new programs and will be more adequately reimbursed so we can afford to provide it.
• ECF Choices will be managed by Managed Care Organizations (MCOs), starting with Amerigroup and Blue Care.
• ECF Choices will be the only programs offered after July 1, unless for some reason the start date gets delayed.  The Waiver programs that we know now will be closed to new participants.
• ECF Choices will have three different programs: one for people who live at home and need fewer services (low cost), one for people who need primarily employment and other non 24 hr. services (mid range cost and the program that will be most emphasized), and one for people who have more complex needs and may need 24 hour services (highest cost).
• The system as a whole will provide far fewer 24 hr. services.  This is a national trend.
• The system as a whole will emphasize employment, employment, employment!
• DIDD will have a diminished role in the new programs; they will continue to provide licensure functions, quality assurance, protection from harm, and some intake.

 
More to come; stay tuned!

Donna Goodaker
Executive Director