Worcester Business Journal

40 Giving Guide 2022 Worcester Business Journal www.wbjournal.com Open Sky Community Services Inc. 1. Continue movement towards integration of behavioral health and medical care to enable the community to experience "whole person" care. Collaborate with hospitals to help people avoid long ER waits by providing community response services. Support people's social determinant needs through comprehensive approaches to housing, nutrition, and others. 2. Continue efforts to provide evidence-based supports for people with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities, Autism, and Brain Injury. 3. Continue efforts to strengthen our outpatient behavioral services so that we are able to live up to the promise of "rapid response" for people who have behavioral health challenges and other needs. 4. Continue advocacy and creative efforts to address the acute workforce shortage in our industry. 5. Continue moving on our journey to become anti-racist, trauma- informed, and supportive and welcoming to all. 6. Continue to seek collaborative solutions to systemic problems and to embrace the power of community, arts and culture, and inclusion. Ken Bates President and CEO David Przesiek Board Chair MISSION STATEMENT SERVICE AREA: Throughout Central Massachusetts with additional programs in the Metrowest, Boston and South Norfolk areas. Blending best practices with the power of community, we partner with individuals and families to see beyond and live beyond perceived limitations to pursue fulfilling lives. Massachusetts Department of Mental Health ...................... 35% Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services ...... 34% Medicare/Medicaid/ MassHealth .......................... 13% TOP FUNDING SOURCES: David Przesiek, Tactical Risk Solutions, Chair Judith Kirk, Boys & Girls Club of Worcester, Vice Chair Donna Connolly, Mass Education and Career Opportunities, Inc., Clerk Paul Schasel, Diocese of Worcester, Treasurer Peter Bacchiocchi, Girard Financial Group Mary Ellen Larkin-Root, Solid Benefits Group, LLC Leonard Doerfler, PhD, Assumption College Donald Doyle, Webster Five Sara deCarvalho, Concert Health IO Michael Kilcoyne, Worcester Public Library Open Sky Community Services Inc. 4 Mann Street Worcester, MA 01602 Phone: 508-755-0333 openskycs.org Full-time employees: 1,143 Annual revenues: $93,000,000 Year founded: 1973 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kola Akindele, Worcester Polytechnic Institute James DiReda, LICSW, PhD, Anna Maria College Charisse Murphy, The Shine Initiative Gina Plata-Nino, Mass Law Reform Institute FUTURE GOALS Open Sky hosts three fundraising events each year. Our Safe Homes Gala, held in April, supports our Safe Homes program, which includes a Drop-In Center and services for LGBTQIA+ youth. The event features a silent auction and fund-a-need opportunity. The Valley Friendship Tour, held in June, is a walk, run and cycling event for people of all ages and abilities. The Valley Bag Toss, scheduled for October 15, 2022, is a community cornhole tournament that helps support our health and wellness initiatives. For both the Valley Friendship Tour and Valley Bag Toss, participants register and solicit donations from friends and family. The two events also include raffles with tickets available for purchase day-of. All three events provide opportunities for corporate sponsorships and donations of raffle or auction items. ValleyCAST, the arts and culture arm of Open Sky, hosts a wide array of art exhibits, concerts, and theatrical events year-round. A portion of all ticket sales helps support these inclusive events, which provide opportunities for individuals with and without disabilities to come together around common interests. Open Sky welcomes the contributions of organizations and individuals of all ages and walks of life – from high school or college students performing community service, to adults and seniors looking to give back to corporations looking to build team spirit and meet local community needs. We offer a wide range of one-time and ongoing volunteer opportunities throughout our organizations and across Central Massachusetts. Volunteers may choose to work directly with one or more of the individuals we serve, help organize or run a special event or provide behind the scenes support. No matter what volunteer position you select, you will be making an important contribution. For more information email volunteering@openskycs.org. FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITIES VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES POST-PANDEMIC REFLECTIONS: • Telehealth and virtual meetings enabled us to provide services for people, even when in-person meetings were difficult. Having these options expands our ability to serve the people who need us and provide flexibility to staff. • Our workforce has been our greatest strength with one group, for example, living in a program for a full year to ensure safety of the those we serve. • Temporary rate increases from State funding sources, grants from foundations and donations from the community helped us remain financially stable during these challenging times. "At Open Sky, We believe. We believe that all individuals deserve a chance to live a productive and meaningful life, no matter what challenges they have. We believe that we should not be judged by the color of our skin or our sexual orientation, but by the size of our hearts. We believe that our workplace should be free from prejudice. We believe in what we do, We believe the individuals that we serve can do extraordinary things and we believe our employees can help get them there. This we believe!" – David Przesiek, Board Chair Donations are accepted throughout the year via our online giving portal at openskycs.org/donate. Donors may choose to earmark their contributions for a specific purpose or project, or generally fund areas of greatest need. We mail two winter annual appeal letters: a general letter in support of Open Sky and one specific to fundraising for our Safe Homes Drop-in Center for LGBTQIA+ youth. A second appeal letter is included with the mailing of our annual report. In order to ensure that all of the people we serve are recognized with a gift during the holiday season, we seek donations of gift cards or funds for our Holiday Gift Drive from companies, organizations, and faith communities. The Safe Homes Drop-in Center also welcomes donations of non- perishable food items for its food pantry and gift cards to stores for youth to purchase things such as school supplies or gender affirming clothing and makeup. Ways to support Safe Homes can be found at safehomesma.org/donate. GIVING OPPORTUNITIES

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