FAQ of the week:
Q: Why does CLI spend so much money fixing up old buildings?
A: CLI believes that our mission-- "to increase the earnings, status & quality of life of people with DD"-- can best be advanced by considering 3 different aspects of our DD services. The first is direct expenses unique to each client. The second aspect is improving earnings, status & quality of life of people who support people with DD. Nothing good happens without good staff. The third aspect is the larger community. Ohio's DD services are mandated to be community integrated.
Anyone who is involved in their local community-- especially smaller, rural communities know that the social & economic is very thin. It's ironic in a world where social media influence grows every year, that social service or community recreation clubs can't replace aging members and/or maintain solvency. There are fewer and fewer community activities and community hubs for DD providers to plug into.
If we are going to help people integrate-- CLI needs to be a community-builder. Small towns need investment. Like most non-profits, we don't have deep pockets at all. However, like most businesses, we spend money over the course of the year doing everything we do. The trick is to figure out the smartest way to use what we have. That's true for all of us. If money is limited, and it is, then it's more important than ever to know your priorities. As CLI spends our money, we try to set our sights whenever possible by aligning those three rings-- client benefit, staff benefit, community benefit. The best expense is one that hits all three marks.
CLI invests in these community projects because we need the returns on those investments-- both in terms of money and in terms of connections & influence. Each of the projects we've done is worth more money than it cost us to buy & renovate. And in the case of 16 West & Kenilee-- they generate revenues each year. CLI is ambitious. Ambition takes money. We're always looking for ways that we can earn more money. Each of these new projects has expanded our social networks of both staff & clients. It is very useful that people see CLI as a local investor. People value investors, especially when the before and after comparisons are suprising and fun. Further, CLI must comploy with Ohio laws against using Medicaid money to pay for segregated services. Each of these new projects are "community adjacent" so that even if 100% of the activities that we do in these spaces aren't integrated-- other community hubs are literally right next door.
