By Tamara Gregor • The Duncan Banner • June 18, 2024
While proper sunlight, rich soil and water help to provide great nutritional needs to every garden, ladybugs play a vital role to help grow healthy produce.
For the fifth year, Think Ability Community Garden will bring community members together for an engaging experience to release ladybugs at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 21.
Lisa Hatchett, event coordinator, said aside from letting ladybugs free in the garden, Think Ability will release Aphidoletes Aphidimyza and Green Lacewings.
The event will begin at 6 p.m. with refreshments, such as ladybug cake pops, cookies, water and juice. Hatchett said they will plan to have a variety of games, like ladybug corn hole, pin the ladybug on the flower and tic-tac ladybug. She said they will have red and white balloons, ladybug bows, temporary tattoos and face painting.
“It’s going to be a huge family-fun event,” she said. “We want all families to come by and have great time with us.”
Ladybugs are natural predators for aphids and can help get rid of other unwanted creatures in a garden, like soft-bodied insects such as mites, mealybugs and leafhoppers, as well as insect eggs and even ants. Hatchett said the ladybugs, Aphidoletes Aphidimyza and the Green Lacewings eat other insects harmful to the garden.
Hatchett said she looks forward to meeting the community and the kids.
For those interested in coming to the garden to help release these ladybugs, it’s encouraged to wear cool clothes and comfortable shoes.
Think Ability is located at 2109 W. Beech in Duncan. For more information about the Garden, visit thinkabilityfirst.com.
|
By Tamara Gregor • The Duncan Banner • April 14, 2024
For numerous years, a local nonprofit has dedicated its mission to develop employability skills and quality of life for adults with intellectual disabilities.
Think Ability’s Executive Director Robin Arter joined the Duncan Noon Lions Club to chat about how Think Ability works to engage and employ residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout the community.
When Think Ability began around 2014, Arter said they merged a vocational and residential company to form Think Ability.
She said they’ve created more opportunities and are a more disability-inclusive community workforce. Arter said they have several opportunities and a variety of programs focused on support needs for people to be successful whether, at home or in the workforce.
“Our vocational program provides individuals with the opportunity to learn and expand their work skills in a safe work environment,” she said.
At the PowerPrint Shop, Arter said they teach the individuals the silk screen printing process and more printing options. She said in silk screening they are limited on colors they can use, but with the new printer they can print an unlimited number of colors.
“You just bring us a picture and we put the t-shirt on a machine and it goes through just like a printer and prints it,” she said.
Arter said they have a variety of jobs for different workers to take part in based on their skill level at the print shop.
In addition to the PowerPrint shop, Arter talked about the community gardens, where she said about 75% of their projects are cultivated by people with disabilities.
She said their individuals work throughout the year to cultivate thousands of plants — from hanging plants to vegetables.
“We just got a big order of spring plants in,” she said.
As part of the community gardens, Arter said they have bed spaces available for lease.
“You come in and you can lease a bed space and for one price you work it,” she said. “All the tools are there, gloves are there, seeds are there — it’s good soil.”
For an additional cost, Arter said they will work the garden for community members and they keep it going.
“We just call you up and say ‘you’ve got cucumbers’ or ‘you’ve got tomatoes,’” she said. “You just swing by on the way after work and we’ll run a bag out to you.”
Arter said one of the reasons they started the community gardens was to provide food and allow the community an opportunity to engage with the workers.
Per tradition, the garden will host its annual lady bug release this year.
Arter said: “Lots of families bring lots of kids out.”
She said as soon as they take the ladybugs out and prepare for release, they begin stirring and moving around. In 2023, families helped to release 12,000 ladybugs.
Think Ability Gardens recently celebrated one year at its Main Street Duncan location. Arter said the market is located on the first floor and when they first opened, they began stocking the shelves with several Amish products, because there was nobody else who carried those type of goods. She said they began building their inventory inside their gift shop.
“We have a lot of Made in Oklahoma products,” she said.
Through Think Ability’s mission, Arter said they work with individuals with disabilities to provide job accommodations.
Arter said one of their workers has difficulty communicating verbally and she would communicate with gestures. She said she had a device to help her, but it just didn’t work right most of the time, but she still wanted to work. She said they fashioned a mop to an employee’s seatbelt so she could work at the market.
“She drives around the first floor and sweeps for us,” Arter said.
Arter said these opportunities give these individuals a purpose. She said they are in the process of updating a communication device so communication would become a lot easier.
Inside The Gardens is The Garden Cafe and the ballroom. Arter talked about the many accomplishments of the individuals they work with, from those who saved their money, secured a loan and established credit to purchase a car. She said another married couple saved money and purchased their own home.
“People with disabilities have lots of opportunities,” she said.
Think Ability employs individuals at Braum’s, the hospital, McDonalds, Ace Hardware and the nonprofit is working on other areas throughout Duncan.
“It’s really grown,” she said.
Think Ability Garden Market, Garden Café and the Garden Banquet Hall is located at 805 W. Main and Think Ability Garden and the Garden Hub is located at 2109 W. Beech in Duncan. For more information, visit thinkabilityfirst.com or call 580-252-8000.
|
By Tamara Gregor • The Duncan Banner • December 18, 2023
Back by popular demand, a local nonprofit will host a country music artist to help raise money for vocational programs near the end of March 2024.
Think Ability, Inc. booked Neal McCoy, for the second time, for a benefit concert on Friday, March 29, 2024, in the north area at the Stephens County Fairgrounds.
The concert will feature country artist McCoy, along with Hayden Haddock for the opening act. Doors will open for the concert at 5:30 p.m. and the concert will begin at 6 p.m.
According to a biography, Neal McCoy has released 15 studio albums.
“In 1993, Neal McCoy broke through with the back-to-back number one singles, ‘No Doubt About It’ and ‘Wink’, from his platinum-certified album, ‘No Doubt About It,’” a biography states. “His commercial success continued into the late 1990s with two more platinum albums and a gold album, as well as six more Top Ten hits. A seventh Top Ten hit, ‘Billy's Got His Beer Goggles On’, came in 2005 from his self-released ‘That's Life.’”
According to a biography, Haddock is a rising Red Dirt singer-songwriter.
“Haddock is on the fast track to mainstream success,” a biography states. “Haddock’s diligent nature mixed with his traditional, authentic style of country music has quickly solidified his spot as a staple in the Red Dirt Country scene. Currently releasing a string of new singles with hit producer/songwriter and Haddock's manager Trent Willmon (Cody Johnson, Kevin Fowler, Granger Smith) at the helm, the young talent is on an unprecedented path.”
All proceeds from the concert will benefit the expansion of the Think Ability vocational program, so they can provide more job opportunities for the individuals with whom they work. The vocational program includes The Community Garden, The Garden Market, The Garden Café, the Garden Hub and Power Print.
Ticket prices begin at $45 and can be purchased at www.thinkabilityfirst.com or at Stubwire. The Stephen County Fairgrounds is located at 2002 S. 13th St. in Duncan.
For more information about the artists, visit www.nealmccoy.com and www.haydenhaddock.com/ or find them on Facebook @nealmccoymusic @haydenhaddockmusic.
For more information regarding the concert, questions, sponsorship opportunities or tickets, visit Think Ability, Inc. on Facebook or call the Think Ability office at 580-252-8000.
|
The Duncan Banner • July 16, 2023
The Arvest Foundation recently donated $5,000 to Think Ability to support the organization’s culinary skills training program.
The grant will help introduce school age children and adults with disabilities to a wide variety of hospitality career opportunities. The program will include training on food preparation, food safety, measurement/conversion, menu planning, guest serving/customer service and money handling. Participants will also gain hands-on experience at the "farm to table café" and at the garden/greenhouse.
Think Ability is a private, not-for-profit agency that promotes independent living skills by providing community support for people, of all ages, with developmental disabilities.
“The Arvest Foundation’s donation and support have our deepest gratitude,” said Think Ability Executive Director Robin Arter. “The achievements and triumphs of Think Ability are undeniably influenced by generous contributions like this one. With this invaluable assistance, we will amplify the prospects for success among the individuals we assist, enabling them to refine and excel in their culinary talents.”
Hal Labyer, Arvest Community Bank President in Duncan, was joined by Loan Manager Ron Martin and Client Advisor Ryan Benson in presenting the check on behalf the Arvest Foundation to Arter and John Paul Reyes, a busser and server at the organization’s Garden Café.
“We are proud to support an organization that is changing lives in our community,” said Labyer. “This organization is dedicated to providing a vast array of opportunities for those with intellectual disabilities and we are happy to play a role in supporting those programs.”
|
By Alex Rosa-Figueroa and Justin Allen Rose • KSWO 7News • December 12, 2023
The Think Ability Community Garden in Duncan is spreading some holiday cheer with its annual Poinsettia fundraiser.
The Garden is selling the iconic holiday plants at a variety of prices and sizes.
Organizers said the annual event helps them supplement the Garden’s activities, giving them some funding during a time of the year they see lower activity. But most of all, it lets them spread some joy to the community that supports them.
“I love doing this, I love their reactions when they get to deliver these poinsettias. If you can call me and we can deliver one that would be even better, because they love delivering, they love to have those smiles come to the door and they get to hand them something as beautiful as a poinsettia,” Sheila Decarlo, Garden Coordinator said.
Not only is the Garden offering Poinsettias, the group is also selling Christmas trees.
|
By Tamara Gregor • The Duncan Banner • June 29, 2023
The new aspects of a local nonprofit piqued the interest of state leadership this week when Think Ability hosted a tour of their campus for representatives of Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS).
Director of Oklahoma’s Department of Human Services Deborah Shropshire, DHS Deputy Director Austin Marshall and Director of Strategic Engagement Jami Majors made a stop in Duncan on June 27 to visit their partner agency, Think Ability, Inc. and see everything they have to offer to the community.
Shropshire stepped into her current role in January 2023, although she’s been with the department since 2014 in child welfare. Shropshire said with her background in pediatrics, she spent time as a pediatrician at OU Health Science Center at the Children’s Hospital where she worked with child welfare and kids in foster care.
When she stepped into this new role, she was given the opportunity to learn more about how their department serves people, including those with developmental disabilities.
According to Shropshire, they are continuing to work hard to help eliminate the waiting list for those who have loved ones with disabilities and have been waiting for services.
The tour of Think Ability, Inc. was spurred on when Think Ability Executive Director Robin Arter reached out to Shropshire and invited her to come see their new spaces. Shropshire said she was eager to take a tour of the properties.
“I didn’t know what we were going to see, but this blows my mind — to not only serve the community, but also to serve a really special population of folks that need our help,” she said.
Oklahoma Human Services serves a large amount of people, from children through the elderly.
“We serve close to 1.5 million Oklahomans,” she said. “Every one of those folks can benefit from some kind of help that we can offer.”
Shropshire said the team they have serves several different areas within DHS services, as well as a wide variety of people from child welfare, developmental disabilities, the elderly, childcare centers and more.
“It’s making sure Oklahomans, particularly kids and families and seniors, have the things they need to be strong, to be healthy, to live a life that lets them achieve their independence and their goals,” she said. “We just want to be a supporter. We want to give you hope tomorrow could be better. We want to help you get there.”
As one of the largest agencies in the state, DHS is aimed to serve people across Oklahoma who have some kind of vulnerability.
“It really is a program that is meant to serve Oklahomans in their time of need, regardless of age,” she said. “Many Oklahomans, at some point, will interact with DHS. In the process, we want to help people through times that are challenging and onto independence to thriving and to hope.”
Shropshire said because of how many DHS serves, Think Ability is one of the partners they utilize to provide the actual services.
“They do everything from supporting certain kinds of housing all the way to things like work opportunities, helping folks get into the work force, both through their own programs,” she said.
During the tour, Shropshire heard about the number of businesses in the area who partner with Think Ability.
“Think Ability will continue to provide the coaching so those folks can be successful in those jobs,” she said.
She said what struck her the most during this tour was how much partnership and engagement there is with the community in town.
“The whole community is working together,” she said. “Whether it’s through the community garden and the work being done there, whether it’s through these various stores or even the hiring happening by other businesses — there’s a sense that we’re all in this together. I am just totally blown away.”
Arter said they are proud to be one of the agencies Shropshire visited on Tuesday.
“Her visit provided an excellent opportunity to showcase Think Ability’s programs and services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” Arter said. “We had an engaging discussion about policy in practice.”
According to Arter, Shropshire’s visit offered several opportunities to initiate and sustain relationships which will serve the interest of several Oklahomans with I/DD, their families and Think Ability.
For more information about Oklahoma Department of Human Services, visit www.OKDHS.org.
|
By Seth Marsicano • KSWO 7News • May 19, 2023
Wanting to serve more than just good food, the café on the second story that oversees the gardens market has a goal to introduce those with intellectual disabilities into the workforce.
“I think it’s amazing. The restaurant is the best,” said John Paul, one of the hosts.
Think Ability executive Director, Robin Arter, said the environment the organization has created allows employees to have more day-to-day interaction.
“There’s so many jobs that they can do, and learn in- in the hospitality career, to go out and be more employable in the community,” said Arter.
What started as a dream soon became a reality. Arter said the community support has blown them away, especially with them only being in their first month of business.
“I ate here last Tuesday and it was absolutely delicious,” said Camilla Childs, a customer.
“When people learn what we do and what’s behind the sandwich, they come back,” added Arter.
The cafe’s manager said sometimes people underestimate those who live with disabilities.
“Some of my employees are the hardest working people that I’ve ever worked with and people don’t see that. They go above and beyond their job to do their job, and it’s really cool to see it happen,” said Chris Cody, the restaurants manager.
As a result, Think Ability Garden Café is leaving a lasting impression on their customers.
“They have been a blessing to the community and to many people in the community,” said Childs.
“When our guests are here, they become part of our team,” added Cody.
And while the restaurant continues to provide what some said is the best service in town, Arter added no matter a person’s disability, their role in the community, and as people, holds the same importance.
“Every community has citizens with intellectual developmental disabilities, and it supports not only that person with disability, but the family that they come from. And they become not only more employable, but more self-sufficient,” said Arter.
|
By Blake Hill • News Channel 6 KAUZ • April 18, 2023
Think Ability Garden Market is a unique business on Main St. in Duncan, it focuses on providing work opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
“Our mission is not to turn a profit, our mission is to provide work experience for those with intellectual disabilities,” Executive Director of Think Ability, Robin Arter said.
Think Ability Garden Market has more than just work opportunities, they have a café upstairs, and provide healthy, allergy friendly food options.
“We have a gluten free section, sugar free, low sodium, a lot of specialty items that we carry, and we also have a community garden that we grow the produce there to use in our café and in our grab and go section,” Arter said.
One Employee spoke about how the job was fulfilling, and what working there makes means to them.
“It’s a very... bigger than yourself experience, so you’re doing something bigger than just a job, you’re providing training and learning for someone that will succeed in life if they have the right coaching,” head chef Chris Cody said.
|
By Tamara Gregor • The Duncan Banner • April 28, 2023
A daily tradition for the past seven years continued at the Stephens County Fair and Expo Center when a headlining country artist met a few fans just hours before his concert in Duncan.
Neal McCoy pulled into the fairgrounds shortly after 10 a.m. on Friday morning to say the “Pledge of Allegiance” with a few community members. McCoy said it’s been seven years and nearly four months of saying the pledge every single morning.
“2,667 days straight, without missing day.” he said. “We love our flag and we love our country.”
McCoy said he loves meeting the people in the towns he visits.
“I think it’s great, I think it’s really cool,” he said.
According to McCoy, they are not always in their host location when they do the pledge, but for several locations, they are eager to say the pledge with McCoy.
“I love it when people show up,” he said.
For some, it may be their first time to see what McCoy does and he said he loves to be a part of people’s lives.
McCoy headlined the benefit concert for Think Ability, Inc. on Friday, April 28.
The concert featured country artist Neal McCoy along with Dani Carson for the opening act. Doors opened for the concert at 5 p.m. and the concert began at 6:30 p.m.
According to a biography, Neal McCoy has released 15 studio albums.
“In 1993, Neal McCoy broke through with the back-to-back number one singles, ‘No Doubt About It’ and ‘Wink’, from his platinum-certified album, ‘No Doubt About It,’” a biography states. “His commercial success continued into the late 1990s with two more platinum albums and a gold album, as well as six more Top Ten hits (and) a seventh Top Ten hit, ‘Billy's Got His Beer Goggles On’, came in 2005 from his self-released ‘That's Life.’”
According to a biography, Dani Carson is an acoustic country artist from Southwest Oklahoma.
Carson has performed music since she was 14 years old, a biography states.
All proceeds from the concert benefit the expansion of Think Ability’s vocational program, so they can provide more job opportunities for the individuals with whom they work. The vocational program includes The Community Garden, The Garden Market, Power Print and the Garden Café.
McCoy said he’s grateful to help out Think Ability, Inc.
The concert was sponsored in-part by the Tilley Foundation.
|
By Andy Morphew • The Duncan Banner • February 4, 2023
Several months ago, Think Ability’s team birthed a vision to build a bigger space for more growing opportunities to go even greener and grow more vegetables and other products. Sheila DeCarlo, manager of the Think Ability Community Garden, said a couple of weekends ago they started to do the dirt work and bring in the soil.
That work is nearly complete and will become the foundation for a new greenhouse. The new greenhouse is located at one of the group homes. DeCarlo said space is limited at the community garden on Beech and this will be a tremendous help.
“It is going to mean a lot because we are very limited in space over here on Beech Street with the community garden, we have two hoop houses,” DeCarlo said. “We are moving into production which is what we are doing with partnering with the hospital and providing garden fresh bags for the people with diabetes through Dr. Gregston and different things we do with CSAs. So, we needed more production, so the greenhouse is giving us a place to where with it being bad weather or whatever, we sill have a place that we can grow.”
The size of the greenhouse, according to DeCarlo is 33 feet by 100 feet and will include raised beds, have a space for educational areas to include tables and allow for many more things to grow.
“We can have tables and chairs while having tours come through, like with the elementary schools and the daycares,” DeCarlo said. “It will be great to be able to use this space for all kinds of different things. Education is where we want to be at and we want to constantly be educating. It will also give us a place to be able to have tables and chairs for our own crew they can have a place to sit down and plant seeds.”
Currently they are awaiting installation on commercial heaters and properly ventilation, according to DeCarlo. Once that is completed, they can transplant over to the greenhouse.
“We are waiting for that heater flange to come in so that we can make sure that we are going to have heat over there,” DeCarlo said. “We just don’t want to lose everything if we have a really bad cold snap. So we are ready to go and move plants over into the area.”
DeCarlo said there are future plans that will benefit other gardens that are in the area and is excited to partner with them.
“I think that once we get it all functioning and up and running with everything growing, it will be a beautiful place,” DeCarlo said. “We are also going to have a beehive outside with the neighbors to the north being super excited about that because they have a garden that they share on the property line. That will enhance both of our properties, they will have bees that will visit their yard and we will have bees that will visit ours and in the greenhouse which, will be phenomenal.”
The neighborhood help, DeCarlo said, is something they’re incredibly thankful to have.
“We have had nothing but good vibes coming from the neighbors,” she said. “I think this is really moving us up into better production and moving us into more prominent production. Being able to grow something consistent is very helpful to both us and the community. That is our goal, we want to feed Duncan. We want to have a product that Duncan is proud and something that we are also proud of as well.”
For more information on the Think Ability Community Garden and the Farmer’s Market, contact DeCarlo at 580-252-8000 or visit thinkabilityfirst.com.
|
|
By Tamara Gregor • The Duncan Banner • November 26, 2022
One individual’s dedication to his community along with a local hospital’s commitment to furthering careers recently brought a special recognition.
Think Ability Executive Director Robin Arter said they are proud of Donald McCulloch and Duncan Regional Hospital for being recognized at the Governor's Disability Employment Awards of Excellence ceremony on Oct. 27.
According to Arter, the Governor's Disability Employment Awards ceremony honors the outstanding achievement for the employment of persons with disabilities. Arter said the ceremony is hosted annually by the Governor’s office, along with OKDHS Developmental Disabilities Services Division, the Department of Rehabilitation Services and Oklahoma Association for People Supporting Employment First (OK-APSE) every October.
According to a nomination release, the criteria for being nominated means the nominee has “overcome significant barriers to competitive employment due to a disability and has continued to be competitively employed, in the same job, within the community for at least the past six months.”
McCulloch began his work as a dishwasher in the kitchen on March 5, 2020, at DRH and moved into more duties from there.
Arter said McCulloch is friendly and hard working and also has a “great sense of humor.”
“He keeps things fun, but focused on his duties,” she said, noting McCulloch has received multiple awards for his dedicated work.
She said McCulloch began serving food in the cafeteria on Sept. 17, 2021, and is currently still there.
“He even makes things on the grill and in the fryer for customers, to include made to order omelets and burgers,” she said. “What a proud moment. Watching both McCulloch, an individual Think Ability has supported for years, and the Duncan Regional Hospital receive awards at the Governor's Disability Employment Awards ceremony to honor outstanding achievement in employment of persons with disabilities.”
Arter shared how Think Ability, Inc.’s mission is to empower individuals and their families with a skill set.
“To witness McCulloch honored and esteemed at this level was tremendously heartwarming and remunerating,” she said. “McCulloch was also nominated as a DRH Hero by his peers and coworkers at DRH. Both awards recognize McCulloch's efforts to be a reliable employee.”
According to Arter, other community partners and employers include Braums, McDonalds and Ace Hardware.
“We look forward to creating more partners and opportunities for individuals with ID/DD achieve employment goals,” she said.
McCulloch said he loves the job he does at DRH.
“It makes me happy, so proud,” he said. “I love my job, I love to work and make goals.”
Jay Johnson, DRH President/CEO, said they are honored to be able to be apart of furthering people’s careers.
“DRH Health is honored to be recognized for our commitment to helping people with disabilities further their careers,” he said. “At DRH, we value all our team members and are especially proud of Donnie McCullough for the recognition he received for his hard work.”
|
By Tamara Gregor • The Duncan Banner • August 28, 2022
Think Ability team members placed in an array of categories during the 115th Annual Stephens County Free Fair this past month. Sheila DeCarlo, Think Ability Garden Manager, said this year at the fair, their team submitted 10 entries and won nine ribbons.
“Most of our first place ribbons — at least four of them — are all in produce,” she said. “Which was great for the garden, because we got four first place winners from the garden.”
According to DeCarlo, other awards they received were for plants and craft items. Many of them worked on their designs at home to submit them as well.
“We had ribbons in all different kinds of categories,” she said. “I was really proud of the first place winners, all in produce.”
DeCarlo said this was their first time to submit produce categories.
“You can tell they’ve done a really, really good job at their growing techniques and what they’ve done and everything, to have that many first places,” she said. “I’m super excited and what that means for our garden.”
With no special category to compete in, DeCarlo said the team at Think Ability competed with all of Duncan.
“They are completely competing with everybody in the community,” she said. “That’s what makes it so special.”
Entries included: Chad Evans, who earned a first place ribbon for his cucumbers and a fifth place for a plant; Earnest Kelly, who placed first for his eggplant entry; Denise Thomas, who placed second with her entry; Brianna Atkins, who placed first and third for her produce and coasters; Kyle Daley, who placed first for his painting; and Joellen Williams, who placed first and second for her spinach entry and basil plant.
Think Ability has entered the Free Fair for the past four years. DeCarlo said she’s really proud of the team for putting in a lot of effort during this fair season.
|
By Tamara Gregor • The Duncan Banner • January 13, 2022
A local state legislator received an opportunity to shadow Direct Support Professionals (DSP) this week, embracing the opportunity to speak one on one with Oklahomans with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
State Sen. Jessica Garvin, R-Duncan, took Think Ability staff up on their request for an opportunity to shadow a DSP member this week. Think Ability Executive Director Robin Arter, said they feel honored to have legislators come and visit their campus, seeing how they operate, as well as their needs.
Garvin’s passion for representing individuals with disabilities shined through her words and actions on Wednesday afternoon. Garvin said working in long-term care gives her the familiarity the operations in this field.
“A lot of the things are very similar,” Garvin said.
According to Garvin, she has several pieces of legislation that she is carrying this year and continuously working on.
“To help provide a better quality of care and better quality of life to individuals with disabilities,” Garvin said. “It’s defiantly a huge opportunity to be in the care setting and try to help understand it better.”
From the Federal Government to the State Government there are many laws created everyday. According to Garvin, it’s important to understand the impact of the laws on the industry and fields as well. Garvin said she was in the middle of putting several pieces of legislation together when she received the call to shadow the event.
“It makes so much sense for me to go talk to individuals with disabilities and the caregivers that take care of them,” Garvin said. “I want to make sure that the legislation that we’re passing and looking at for this next session — that will directly impact how they serve and who they serve — that it makes sense.”
With an impactful experience, Garvin said she wants to work to make active treatment a priority.
“For certain businesses that kind of dabble in or work in the care type of individuals with disabilities — were not really focused on providing active treatment to individuals with disabilities in every single care setting,” Garvin said. “That’s not something that every single care setting focuses on.”
With a priority to have trained staff, Garvin shared how well Think Ability works with active treatment.
“My priority is to really make sure that we have staff who are trained and have active treatment,” Garvin said. “Taking care of people who need that type of treatment and that type of care.”
According to Garvin, active treatment embodies what Think Ability does.
“Think Ability — thinks of the abilities of the individuals that they serve have to be productive citizens and community members and volunteers,” Garvin said. “That’s really what active treatment is about — ensuring that people have the training and the services and the access to participate in activities of daily living.”
This would include the ability and the opportunity to have jobs and earn money.
Some individuals are also extremely interested in politics.
Garvin said for those individuals who want to have that interaction, “it’s extremely important that the care type that they are in, provides the care type that meets their needs and their want for their personal lives.”
This session, according to Garvin, her main focus is making sure those working in care settings are trained and certified.
“Making sure in every single care setting type, that the appropriate people are working in those care settings who are certified and trained to focus specifically on the needs of the individuals with disabilities,” Garvin said.
Making a change is one of Garvin’s top priorities.
“I’d really like to focus on public policy,” Garvin said. “I think it’s something that outlasts parties.”
Garvin said this is an area she is extremely passionate about, as she serves regularly in the area.
“When you do something good that benefits Oklahoman’s as a whole, not just one political party or another, to me that’s public policy and so these bills that we’re looking at — they drastically change the lives of people with disabilities.”
The event was coordinated by The Arc of Oklahoma and providers across the state.
A release states, “DSPs work directly with thousands of Oklahomans with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) every day providing support to them to participate in their community.”
Arter said they just want people to know that they are here.
“It’s an exciting time because the legislator is concentrating on Oklahomans with disabilities,” Arter said. “That’s good for the people we serve and potential people in our community.”
Arter said they get a few calls throughout the week from community members in the area asking for services.
“If I had the vacancies,” Arter said. “We’d have to wait for them to have the funding assigned to them.”
Arter said it’s an exciting time as they have addressed the waiting list and have prioritized Oklahoman’s with disabilities.
“It just helps us grow,” Arter said. “We give people in our community priority and the surrounding area priority.”
Think Ability is located at 2109 West Beech Ave in Duncan and the Think Ability Market is located at 2113 West Beech Ave. For more information about Think Ability, visit http://thinkabilityfirst.com or find Think Ability on Facebook.
|
By Linda Provost • The Duncan Banner • October 29, 2019
After being nominated by Think Ability Inc. for the Governor’s Disability Employment Awards of Excellence, Duncan Braum’s Store got the cherry on top with two awards — the Employee Award and Business Award.
Robin Arter, Executive Director of Think Ability Inc, was the one who nominated Braum’s for their help with employee Donna Box.
“I nominated them because they’ve done so well with working with Donna to make her successful in this job match,” she said. “They’ve allowed her job coach to come in and help. Donna was having trouble remembering to not use the same gloves she used in the bathroom in the lobby — so we made some accommodations and they gave her different colored gloves so it’s easy for which ones are lobby gloves and which are bathroom.”
Hyon Pak, General Manger, said the Braum’s team worked with Box to help her.
“We just worked with her and called the people that we needed to to make sure everything was being done correctly,” she said. “We’ve all worked well together to make her successful — she’s awesome, we love her and she’s good for us.”
Box was a resident of the Southern Oklahoma Resource Center before she was discharged in 1982 and then transitioned into “sheltered employment.”
In October of 2016 Box was hired by Braum’s making this her third year.
“It’s been really successful — they work really well with her,” Arter said. “They really look after her and we are real proud of the placement.”
Joshua Frentz, District Manager for Braum’s, said as a whole the company likes to hire those with developmental disabilities when possible.
“It’s just really helping them, they have to have jobs just like everybody else,” he said. “It’s helps our store, keeping our bathrooms clean. And they often work really well with the customers. They have really good customer service and the customers love them.”
Box can retire if she wanted to but wasn’t very interested in leaving.
“I’m happy here,” she said.
|
By Curtis Awbrey • Southwest Ledger • June 10, 2019
By winning contracts to deliver goods and services to state and local organizations, Think Ability Inc. provides more than special needs support.
Tracing its roots back almost 40 years, the Duncan office began in 1980 with a commercial screen-printing operation called Power Print. In 1982, Duncan Group Home was formed to provide support and in-home care for those with special needs. The two companies merged in 2014 to become Think Ability.
PROGRAM HAS EVOLVED, BUT BUDGET CUTS HURT
Over the years, Think Ability’s programs have evolved. They now offer support services to residents in Duncan, Ardmore and Norman. But they have gone through some tough times. One of the most recent setbacks would be the budget cuts of 2016.
“A large majority of the individuals we support are working,” said Executive Director Robin Arter. “They love earning a living and having a sense of purpose. Those cuts really affected us, but we just regrouped and found other ways for the individuals to find their purpose. Fortunately, we were able to secure contracts through the State Use program.”
With Think Ability’s Power Print still in operations, it has won contracts with several government organizations while still offering custom screen-printing services to regular customers.
Think Ability has teamed up with ODOT to help with the littering in Stephens and Comanche counties. They have secured contracts with Haliburton and Cameron Measurements, and have been providing janitorial services for several businesses and organizations including Duncan municipal court and area churches.
They have also obtained contracts for the State Capital and 18 of its surrounding government buildings.
PROVIDING SUPPORT SERVICES
With the goal to be more self-reliant and provide purpose to the individuals with special needs, Think Ability began restoring and reupholstering furniture. They also have a community garden and market where job coaches assist the workers in selling fresh produce, a few grocery items, furniture Think Ability workers refurbished and more.
While providing support services to more than 100 individuals with special needs and overseeing operations seems like a daunting task, Arter says she doesn’t do it alone. She relies on a compassionate and dedicated administrative staff to take care of many of the day-today challenges that arise.
“One of our biggest issues has been direct support staffing,” said Arter. “With the help of the staff, we keep our overhead expenses as low as possible and offer competitive wages, but still spend a lot of our time on recruitment, interviews, matching applicants with the right individuals, following up and, sometimes, retraining.
“That, coupled with program awareness can mean a lot of indirect administrative hours, but the team does what it can to help things run smoothly.”
APPRECIATES COMMUNITY SUPPORT
Arter says she also appreciates members of the communities for all the support. She added that Think Ability owes a lot of thanks to State Senators Paul Scott and Chris Kidd, as well as Representative Marcus McEntire, for all the support they have shown for Oklahomans with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
|
