Today we’d like to introduce you to April Allen.
April, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My journey helping people with disabilities started while I was working on my undergraduate degree in Psychology. I knew I wanted to make an impact on working for a non-profit, particularly in the health and human services sector. This career path, coupled with working a life-changing summer camp for children and teenagers with disabilities my senior year, ignited my passion for this population. I spent the summer and the better part of my last year of college learning all I could about disabilities and working as a caregiver for children with special needs. That next May when I graduated, I joined the first leg of my journey as an Employment Consultant, connecting adults with disabilities to jobs within their communities. For many of the adults I placed, this was their first time to ever earn their own income. What an eye-opening experience this was for me!
Simultaneously, I volunteered my time with an organization called The Arc of Dallas. After a couple of years of building relationships there, an opening for Director of Programs became available and I was invited to join their team. For the next ten years of my career, I was able to embark on life changing work that focused solely on meeting critical needs of adults with disabilities and providing services that increased their overall quality of life. Here, I really began to understand the lack of opportunities adults face once they graduated or exited the school system. In addition to building and implementing programming, we worked tirelessly on the state legislative level to bring awareness and get funding increased for adult services in state of Texas. Here I also had the opportunity build relationships with school districts, law enforcement, similar mission-minded agencies, parents, siblings and various other community partnerships to help increase awareness and effect change. We created an awareness event that drew in crowds of over 5,000 annually for a mile walk honoring people with disabilities.
It was at The Arc where I began to understand our funding for services funnels primarily through the Medicaid Waiver system. Gaining this knowledge, I transitioned my career from advocacy and program development to working within this Medicaid provider system. I joined Ability Connection as their Chief Program Officer which was a large provider that served over 800 individuals across the state of Texas. We ran group homes, a foster care program, nursing services as well as therapeutic services, case management, job placement and critical day programming services. For seven years I was immersed in understanding this side of programming and funding for adults with disabilities. It is a complicated system for our families to navigate, so that leads me to opportunities to go out and educate school systems, families and other programs for people with disabilities. It was also at this time that I began an MBA program with the intent of expanding my knowledge of business. I proudly completed that program in December of 2017.
This experience and passion ultimately led me to, what’s hopefully, my last stop in this amazing journey. Every step I’ve taken in my career has been dedicated to quality of life for our adults. When an opportunity came open to be the Director of Programs for My Possibilities, the timing was right, and I took an ecstatic leap. There is no other place that quite defines quality services like MP. We are a trailblazer for adults with disabilities. We have a year-round program serving 400 adults through continuing education, vocational training and placement, various therapies, respite, personal training, and much more. This is my home. This is my calling.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I think with any goals you set for yourself, and striving for quality and success, it is inevitable to have struggles and fights along the way. There are many obstacles that not only people with disabilities face, but those that are advocating for them face as well. One of the biggest struggles we face is funding for people with disabilities in the state of Texas. We rank next to last across the United States, with a near 15-20 year waiting list for people to gain access to services. And once they get their services instated, the reimbursement rates are low and difficult to sustain for long term success without some element of fundraising to go hand in hand. This makes it particularly challenging to provide quality care and services. I have been fortunate enough to work with non-profits that understand the critical gap in service dollars and have done exceptional jobs at fundraising to fill those gaps.
In addition to poor funding, we often have to overcome the unconscious bias that exists towards people with disabilities. Many people, employers included do not recognize the endless capabilities that exist in someone with a disability. They want to and are able to work. They want and are able to live independently. They want to have friends and socialize in their own communities. They want the same things every other person desires…community, connection, meaning, employment, and acceptance. Often times our efforts are spent on educating the community in order to pave the way for full inclusion.
We’d love to hear more about your organization.
My Possibilities (MP) is a 501(c)(3) for cause organization that serves as a pioneering leader in vocational education for adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) throughout North Texas. MP provides programs that focus on continuing education, socialization, vocational training, and independent living skills to Hugely Important People (HIPsters.) These skills equip HIPsters with the knowledge and confidence needed to achieve the life they desire. My Possibilities’ mission is to relentlessly and courageously pursue the untapped possibilities of these Hugely Important People, making every day count.
In 2017, MP launched a three-year, $25 million capital campaign to support the organization building a neuro-diverse continued learning, collegiate-style campus. MP broke ground on 20+ acres of land in Plano, to construct the Campus for Higher Learning. In May of 2018 MP opened the doors to the Fischer Family School of Life Skills, the first of seven buildings on the campus grounds. Staff and HIPsters alike were thrilled to start this new chapter of possibilities. MP currently serves 450 HIPsters weekly within the educational program and an additional 150 HIPsters, in the community, through supported employment.
Today, the organization has raised $24.2 million towards the capital campaign and plans to break ground on the second building, the LaunchAbility Career Services Center in early 2020. With community support, we can close the campaign and begin construction. To donate, visit: campuscampaign.funraise.org
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
What a thought-provoking question. I think very early on in my career, I spent less time listening to the individuals that I served. I often plunged forward with what I thought best for them. My true understanding of their needs didn’t come until I rid myself of my own bias’ toward them, which was they cannot speak for themselves. When I really started listening and connecting, my passion not only grew, but my focus did as well. That focus shifted to begin advocating and being a voice FOR them, vs just being that voice. Sometimes our own agenda can get in our way, and I wish I would have been listening from the beginning.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3601 Mapleshade Lane, Plano, TX 75240
- Website: mypossibilities.org
- Phone: 469-241-9100
- Email: info@mptx.org
- Instagram: @mptxorg
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mypossibilities/
- Twitter: @mptxorg
Image Credit:
Headshot – David Ochoa
HIPster shots – Jillian Haug, MP intern
Suggest a story: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
