Letter from the Executive Director
The last several years have been an exciting time of growth and development at Paraquad. Our staff and programs have seen significant increases, including the addition of DEAFWay, College for Living and the expansion of the Personal Assistance Services program.
The combination of becoming a well-established institution in the community and growing quickly can present an abundance of opportunities and put forward new challenges. We continue to have a greater ability to affect positive community change through our services and programs. It also becomes easier to focus primarily on the organization rather than the mission.
This was an opportune time to conduct a comprehensive strategic plan. Last fall, staff, board and community members embarked on the planning process.
It led us to re-examine Paraquad's mission and activities, assess our stakeholders' perceptions of Paraquad and develop goals and objectives to advance the work of Paraquad and the Independent Living movement. The strategic planning initiative was appropriately titled, Back to the Future.
Paraquad was founded out of the Independent Living movement and based its programs on the four core services: information and referral, peer support, independent living skills training and individual and system advocacy. These ideals were fundamental in directing the strategic plan. As we set the course for the future, we must look into our past and reclaim our identity as a consumer-controlled organization that advocates policy and system change and provides direct services to individuals with disabilities so they have the tools and resources to achieve their life goals.
Paraquad will continue to lead the way in providing independent living services and advocating for changes that result in increased opportunities for people with disabilities through the pursuit of our mission. Our past provides the foundation for our future.
Robert J. Funk
Executive Director
