Motto: Deaf, Blind, Limitless

Focus: To transform the lives of those we serve beyond all expectations

Vision: To be recognized leaders of residential and community based education, rehabilitation and employment programs that prepare individuals who are deaf, blind, deaf/blind and multidisabled to reach their potential in education, independence and career.

We are a statewide entity working to prepare individuals to reach their limitless potential by providing superior staff, facilities, training and programs. We operate from four instructional campuses and ten regional centers located in Birmingham, Decatur, Dothan, Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery, Opelika, Shoals, Talladega, and Tuscaloosa.

The community is better off as a result of the services we provide to the deaf and blind because their quality of life is maintained at a high level. They are able to continue handling their personal affairs with dignity and respect . This helps them be active participants in everyday life, people maintain their self esteem and identity. They remain active as a decision maker in their own life. They continue to be a contributor to the community through paying taxes and purchases they may make.

Service dogs are trusted companions that bring confidence and independence, open doors to social and economic opportunities, and help their partners engage in life to the fullest. GDA|TLC provides these extraordinary dogs, and personalized instruction in their care and use, at no cost to inviduals who are blind or visually impaired, wounded veterans, and children with autism. We also pair highly skilled facility dogs with professionals who serve other populations that benefit from animal assisted intervention in settings such as hospitals, schools and courthouses. Additionally, we operate two prison-based service dog training programs that provide valuable opportunities for education and rehabilitation. GDA|TLC's programs truly help transform lives through partnerships with service dogs, and we could not fulfill our mission without the support of our generous donors. GDA|TLC relies on donations and grants for the funding that enables us to breed, raise, train and place these dogs, and provide the on-going support necessary to ensure all our graduated teams remain safe and effective throughout their working lives. GDA|TLC is a fiscally and socially responsible organization that has been transforming lives for over 74 years. During FY 22-23, we graduated 25 guide dog teams, 11 Veteran service dog teams, 13 Autism service dog teams, and 7 Facility dog teams. Approximately 84% of expenses were devoted to program services, 6% to administrative costs, and 10% to fundraising costs. GDA|TLC is accredited by the International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF) and Assistance Dogs International (ADI) and maintains a Platinum Seal of Approval from Candid (Guide Star) and a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator. Your philanthropic investment in GDA|TLC is greatly appreciated and truly helps change lives.

Roger and Guide Dog Elton (FY 22-23 Graduated Team)

"I'd like to share some recent changes in my life that have occurred over the last three weeks since I received my new buddy, Elton. I can now negotiate steps without being afraid of falling. With Elton in my hands, we fly up the steps. Before, it was a tentative scary moment with each step. 'Do I have the height right? Do I have the correct depth?' I often wondered. Now, I can negotiate steps confidently. When out shopping, I always had someone assist me and help me find things and get through the store. But this week, with Elton by my side, I was able to go to Barnes and Noble to buy a book for my daughter's birthday. I was able to shop independently. Lastly, there are many obstacles out there in the world. People, poles, cracks, all of which a sighted person doesn't even consider. But now, I don't need to worry about them either because I have a good buddy who will always be there and take care of me. Elton allows me the independence and peace of mind to explore freely." 

Living Waters Counseling, Inc. focuses on providing cost-free mental health counseling services to a rural community. The overview for Living Waters Counseling, Inc. focuses on community and comprehensive mental health care. This means that we see a wide range, a wide variety of cases in need of mental health services to the varying populations in the rural communities. The services we provide are based on a clinical approach with a Christian perspective. Further, we are a training facility for those entering the field of mental health.

In the past year a counselor worked with a family that suffered the loss of a child through death by suicide. The mother, father, and brother were devastated to the point the son did not want to return to school. The parents could not return to work. The counselor worked with this family for two months every week and days in between. The counselor remained working with the family throughout the year of "Firsts," i.e. the first birthday of the deceased child, the first holiday. 

After the first two months, the dad returned to his job. After the third month the mother returned to her job. The brother went back to school - first online, then physically present. We are blessed to report - this family is fully functioning, experiencing life - still missing their precious child - but honoring his life by continuing to live their lives. This family is now ministering to others that unfortunately have gone through this horrible tragedy; they have decided to pay forward what was given to them! They do still stay in touch with the counselor - but not for sessions - just blessing the counselor with notes of encouragement to the counselor and an occasional bouquet of flowers-just to let that counselor know how much they remember the time they spent together and how grateful they are to have their lives back. Even though their lives are different - they made the decision to move forward in life. 

SpectraCare uses United Way funds to provide indigent care services for persons with serious mental illness. SpectraCare's vision is that the services provided will promote the mental health and general welfare of the people served and therefore create healthier communities. SpectraCare has established services placing the primary emphasis on the seriously mentally ill, substance dependent, and developmentally disabled populations. To this end the primary goal is provide quality services in the most effective and cost efficient manner.

At SpectraCare, "Caring is our Calling." We do not take that call lightly. A.A. is a fifth-grade female who began services with SpectraCare back in 2022. Before coming to SpectraCare, A.A. was being seen by an outside provider who recommended an assessment for an out of home residential placement. This was not something that A.A. or her family desired. Luckily, the various services provided by SpectraCare helped A.A. and her family gain a therapeutic team consisting of School-Based Mental Health Services, Intensive Care Coordination, and In-Home Intervention specialists. 

A.A. was initially referred to School-Based Mental Health Services due to drastic mood swings and suicidal/homicidal ideations. A.A. has symptoms of anxiety including excessive worry, difficulty managing emotion, struggles with falling asleep, and inability to concentrating. A.A. displayed extreme anger outbursts, and would scream, throw things, and knock things down that were in her path. A.A. displayed poor impulse control when triggered. She also has a history of stealing from teachers and other students at school. 
After working closely with A.A., the SpectraCare school-based therapist determined that A.A. and her family could benefit from additional services, such as Intensive Care Coordination. The Intensive Care Coordination program serves youth with serious emotional disturbances who have complex, multisystem needs; who are at risk of placement; and/or experiencing significant safety concerns. Through this program, A.A gained basic living skills on stress and behavior management and personal hygiene. The Intensive Care Coordinator also linked A.A. and her family to local community resources to assist with meeting basic needs due to financial hardships. After further assessment it was determined that A.A. and her family could also benefit from Intensive In-Home Intervention. 

The In-Home Intervention program provides intensive in-home services including individual and family therapy to strengthen, expand and integrate mental health services and to ensure that youth with serious emotional disturbances and their families obtain success in their homes, schools and communities. The Intensive Care Coordination and In-Home Intervention programs worked closely together to assist A.A. and her family in as many ways as possible. The Intensive Care Coordination and IHI programs collaborated to find local daycares with income-based payment options to allow A.A. mother more employment opportunities. This team worked on many treatment plan goals including calming skills to help manage anxiety symptoms, increasing impulse control, building social skills, increasing confidence, anger management techniques, coping skills and on-going monitoring of psychiatric services. SpectraCare, A.A., and her family worked hard to keep A.A. in the least restrictive placement possible. Due to this collaborative effort, A.A. and her family were able to complete the in depth therapeutic work that was needed to help keep her living at home. Since completing the IHI program, A.A has been able to maintain progress with the help of SpectraCare's School-Based Mental Health services and Intensive Care Coordination programs. A.A. currently reports that she has not been getting in trouble at school or home, and has an improved relationship with teachers, peers, and family members. In the previous year A.A. stated that she used to feel sad, but this year she reports she is much happier. 

The intensive wrap-around services provided by SpectraCare, coupled with A.A. and her family's determination, provided A.A. with the tools she needs in order to continue to improve her daily function both at home and at school. A.A continues to receive services through school Based Mental Health, and reports that she is no longer getting into as much trouble at school, daycare, or home. A.A. has reported that she feels better each day, and that she continues to use the coping skills and techniques that she was taught through the various programs within SpectraCare. She and her family have thanked the staff at SpectraCare for the ongoing support that they have provided to their family.

It is the mission of the Dothan Houston County Intellectual Disabilities Board, Inc. to provide or to assist in securing the provision of comprehensive services that are unique to each person, protect individual rights, dignified, respectful, and demonstrate achievement of desired outcomes for individuals with intellectual disabilities that reside in Houston County. VBS/DHCIDB was formed as a result of guidelines established by Act 310 of the 1967 Alabama Legislature which allows for the creation of a non-profit corporation to provide comprehensive services for individuals with intellectual/developmental delays through contracts with the Alabama Department of Mental Health, Division of Intellectual Disabilities. Residential Services are provided at the 5 group homes. Day Program Services, Recreation/Leisure Activities, Supported Employment, and food services are provided at the Vaughn Blumberg Center. Early Intervention, Adult Case Management through SpectraCare, and transportation for the Individuals is also offered. 

The impact of the contributions provided to Vaughn-Blumberg Services by the Wiregrass United Way donors is apparent in countless ways. The contributions have enabled VBS to purchase equipment beneficial in the Day Program to promote successful completion of goals established by the individuals and their Teams and with new learning experiences, more security cameras to ensure the safety and well being of the individuals served, construction updates for the Residential Program as well as the Day Program to ensure complete accessibility for the individuals served, and the purchase of more buses to help with the transportation of the individuals to and from the Day Program, Residential Program, and different outings and events the individuals choose to participate in. By providing funds for large ticketed items, the Wiregrass United Way allows Vaughn-Blumberg Services to meet the needs of our individuals and continues to support the mission of the agency just as it always has through the years.

Dave* 
As the Director of Vaughn-Blumberg's Residential Program, I was very involved in the lives of the individuals residing in the Residential Program and I am familiar with their circumstances and personal situations. One individual that particularly stands out to me and I believe to be a success story is Dave. Dave came to live at Culpepper Group Home a few years ago after being involved with the Department of Human Resources Adult Services Unit for neglect concerns. When Dave first arrived, he was frail and thin. His clothes were dirty and dingy, and he was covered in bed bugs. According to DHR, Dave's living conditions were unhealthy. To help Dave get settled in, VBS (Vaughn-Blumberg Services) purchased him bedroom furniture, clothing and personal items. Along with the help of his SpectraCare Support Coordinator and DHR, we made sure that all of his needs were met. 

We immediately began working with him on goals he chose to help him live a more fulfilling and independent life. He works on sorting and folding his own laundry, self-care, self-direction and learning to live a healthy lifestyle. He has blossomed into a much more confident man and now enjoys playing cards and board games with his friends, attending social events with his girlfriend and most importantly, Alabama football. The excitement visible on his face on a day-to-day basis reminds me of the importance of the services provided at VBS and the role we play in so many lives. 

Dave now sleeps knowing that he has a clean bed, clean clothes, warm food, and assistance to achieve his desires. This is what the Wiregrass United Way funds allow us to do—meet the needs of our individuals. The Wiregrass United Way has continued to support the mission of our agency through the years by providing handrailing in the halls in our Day Program, updating restrooms to accommodate more wheelchairs, assisting us with purchasing buses and group home vans, security cameras that ensure individual's safety and so much more. We simply could not continue our mission without the Wiregrass United Way. 
*For HIPPA reasons, names were changed to protect privacy.

Vivian B. Adams school in Ozark, Alabama has a premier reputation for serving the needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities since 1971. Our focus is to enable individuals to reach their maximum potential. The school currently serves 130 individuals from 6 counties in Southeast Alabama ranging in age from 0-85. The schools offers Early Intervention services for ages birth to 3 diagnosed with developmental delays. There are 4 ability based programs available to adults over the age of 21 with intellectual disabilities. The adult programs comprise 75% of the Vivian B. Adams School population and focus on personal care, independent living skills and work preparation training. Early Intervention and School Age individuals also receive speech, occupational and physical therapies if needed. 

The services provided at VBAS offer individuals with intellectual disabilities a central location for education, life-skill training, physical, occupational, and speech therapies. Beyond those tangible services, each individual is given the opportunity to be cared for, nutured and develop a peer group. Our individuals are given an opportunity to be a part of the greater community and develop self-esteem, personal growth and significance, while enveloped in physical and emotional security.

Juanita S. enrolled at VBAS on May 3, 2003. At the age of 40, Juanita had traveled to the state of Alabama with several extended family members to begin a new life in Alabama. For approximately one year, all was well with Juanita. Juanita attended the VBAS day program daily and in the evenings, Juanita enjoyed spending time with her family members. However, due to unforeseen circumstances and quite abruptly, Juanita's family members left to return to Oklanhoma and Juanita was left in Ozark completely on her own. 

Due to the fact that Juanita was enrolled in the day program at VBAS, case management services were readily available to Juanita. Upon the Case Manager's first visit to the home where Juanita had been left to live, the Case Manager found the house quite unsuitable for human occupancy as the home had broken and missing windowpanes, very little furnishings and a floor that was ready to cave in at any time. With the assistance of Juanita's Case Manager and other VBAS staff members, Juanita was moved into a one bedroom apartment at an apartment complex in Ozark. Jaunita loved her new apartment and gradually the apartment was furnished with new furniture and belongings that gave Juanita a sense of pride and independence. Over the next few months, the VBAS Csae Manager was able to place a personal care attendant with Juanita for 20 hours per week which allowed Jaunita the opportunity to have transportation to the grocery store, and medical appointments. Juanita also enjoyed her first experience attending a drive-in-movie and visiting the local shopping mall with her personal care attendant. Juanita became quite excited when her case manager introduced her to Target and Michael's in Dothan for the very first time. As a lady in her 40's, Juanita had never been inside either one of these large stores and needless to say, she was one excited lady! 

The VBAS Day Program along with personal care services and case management services (all provided by VBAS) allowed Juanita the opportunity to remain independent and live out on her own. Now in her 60's, Juanita continues to attend and enjoy the VBAS Day Program and the friendships that she has made there. Through Juanita's receipt of personal care services, she became very close friends with one of her personal care attendants. Through this relationship, the family of this personal care attendant opened their home to Juanita as a permanent place for her to live. Juanita now not only has a VBAS family but she also has a permanent "adopted" family that loves her and cares for her every single day. 

VBAS has been very proud to have been a part of Juanita's life story. Through services offered by VBAS and a staff that cares for their individuals deeply, Juanita is now living a life that she enjoys and looks forward to every single day. 

Wiregrass Rehabilitation Center, Inc. (WRC) is a non-profit 501c (3) organization governed by a 12- member board of directors. WRC provides employment for 200 individuals, as well as vocational training and placement services in 11 southeast Alabama counties as well as in Tennessee. In FY-23, WRC provided vocational rehabilitation services to 303 individuals. There has been roughly a 7% increase in numbers and is indicative of a strengthening workforce. Individuals with disabilities or vocational barriers to employment are an untouched market that are willing to train and work. 

Our concentrated fields of work training and employment span across 26 acres of land and those include healthcare laundry and linen services, secure personal and corporate document shredding and destruction, food services and catering, industrial services such as pallet making, and product assembly for companies such as Dunbarton Corporation and Michelin, environmental services such as janitorial, lawn care, and litter services. We also provide free healthcare related items to individuals from The R.E.A.L. Project and sell Ashley Furniture brand home decoration items in the WRC Furniture Gallery. Additionally, WRC operates two adult day care facilities in Dothan and Enterprise providing assistance and social services to 100 individuals with disabilities in the Houston, Henry, Coffee, Covington, Geneva, Dale, and Crenshaw counties.

The individuals that we serve through these programs are able to move from federal and state assistance programs to tax-paying citizens. This removes the burden from the system and contributes to the economic and social development of our community. The goal of our programs at WRC is to provide the individuals that we serve with a sense of financial and social independence.

At WRC, we take pride in the success of our employees. This past year, a woman was referred to WRC by one of our community partners for a job in our Work Services division. She worked for several years for a grocery store in the area and ran their front of house operations – produce, stocking shelves, and customer service. She worked closely with the owners for many years and enjoyed her time working with the other employees. Her husband worked full-time for the city. She and her husband were your “typical family.” Sometime into her career at the grocery store, the woman suffered an ischemic stroke, causing her to lose mobility on the right side of her body. This limited her ability to work, and her location to work at. When one of our community partners heard of her situation, they recommended that she look for employment with WRC since we specialize in employing individuals with significant disabilities. She was evaluated in different departments (laundry, pallets, Michelin, etc.) and finally settled on Dunbarton. Our Dunbarton department is WRC’s most accommodating department because the majority of the workstations can be modified to fit the employee’s physical and mental abilities. The woman was hired full-time, and her schedule is accommodated by reduced hours due to supplemental income through social security. Her workstation is retrofitted with pneumatics to allow her to use a foot pedal with her left foot instead of the standard hand controls. Along with stories like these, WRC strives to provide successful and sustainable work environments to allow our employees to become more self-sufficient.