Helping People with Disabilities Thrive
9.20.2021
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LISC StoriesEconomic Development
The Dayle McIntosh Center for the Disabled (“DMC”) is a non-profit social service provider and federally recognized center for Independent Living located in Anaheim, California. It was founded in 1978 with the aim to help people living with disabilities with the support and skills they need to become self-independent.
A 2015 public health survey showed that more than one in five adults in LA County had some type of disability. Some of them were born with a disabling condition while others acquired a disability later in life due to an illness or injury. Disabilities include a wide range of health and functional impairments that can greatly affect day-to-day lives, such as impairments in vision, hearing, mobility, or cognition.
A majority of people living with disabilities experience challenges in daily life without supports or assistance. At Dayle McIntosh Center for the Disabled, people living with disabilities are able to get training and services that allow them to achieve independence.
These skills help prepare individuals with disabilities to live with independence and dignity while having the freedom to direct their own lives. The programs include Aging With Vision Loss, Mobility Management Training, Independent Living Skills Instruction, and Orientation And Mobility.
The Aging with Vision Loss program is for older folks above 55 years who are legally or totally blind, helping them to maintain independence. Mobility Management Training gives individuals the ability to travel on their own by showing them how to plan a trip, get to the bus stop, pay a fare, and board and exit a bus.
In the Independent Living Skills program, individuals are given the skills they need to become and remain self-sufficient. The training includes daily living skills such as doing laundry, shopping, social skills, money management, and assistive technology. The Orientation and Mobility training is for people with little to no vision so they can move freely about their homes and neighborhoods, and can travel independently around the community.
The center provides support services for folks who need help finding a job, a house, or peer support. DMC also provides transitional services for individuals who are moving from living in a nursing home or institution to the community and youths transitioning from public schools to young adult lives.
Since its establishment 43 years ago, DMC has been able to assist thousands of people in both Orange and Los Angeles Counties. The Center serves approximately 1,500 individuals annually.
Since the pandemic started, the number of individuals receiving services from the center has increased significantly. In 2020 alone, the Center offered services to over 800 people of diverse backgrounds.
The center was also forced to make several significant adjustments in its operations due to the pandemic. The employees have worked from home since March 2020 with most of their operations being conducted electronically. In-person services were also canceled. However, DMC is planning to move back toward returning to the office in a limited capacity within the next four weeks.
DMC mostly relies on federal, state, and county government grants to run their programs, as well as from donations and fundraising activities. LISC has closed a revolving line of credit to DMC, which will bridge the timing difference between receipts of accounts receivables from government entities and payment of expenses (eg. payroll).
“DMC is thrilled to partner with LISC. DMC has several federal and state contracts that support our work in the community. Our partnership with LISC will provide much improved cash flow for the organization as many of our contracts are on a reimbursement basis.”
This is all thanks to Wells Fargo and their Open for Business program which aims to help businesses and non-profits struggling to keep their doors open due to the pandemic. LISC received a $9.75 million grant and is using the funds to support small businesses, non-profit entities, cooperatives, for-profit and nonprofit developers, and smaller for-profit and nonprofit CDFIs nationally. All priority is being given to those led by racially and ethnically diverse people.
