Dear Friends,

Today, I am asking for your support of CLO and the individuals we serve who have special needs. 

Your gifts make a dramatic, meaningful difference in the lives of those served by Community Living Opportunities. Every gift, no matter the size, is greatly appreciated by everyone at CLO.

Why donate to CLO? 
For more than 30 years, CLO has specialized in serving adults and children who have the most severe developmental disabilities. Although CLO receives government funds, there is a significant gap between the true cost of caring for the individuals we serve and the funding government funding we receive. There are four primary reasons for this:

1. Because CLO serves individuals whose disabilities are multiple and very severe, the costs for meeting those needs are much higher. The individuals CLO serves generally require 24-hour supervision, a low staff-to-individual- served ratio and an extensive range of expensive support services.  These supports are necessary to safely and effectively support the individuals we serve, and ensure they are living full and satisfying lives in the community.

2. Many of the services, supports and living expenses for individuals with disabilities are unfunded through primary government funding sources. Some examples of unfunded services include dental services, transportation, personal living expenses, most health and therapy services, some medications, treatments and nutritional supplements, and most adaptive equipment.

3. The costs of living and providing services in Johnson and Douglas Counties is approximately 18 percent higher than elsewhere in the state – yet the funding provided is the same across the state.  And, to make matters worse, this funding has not increased for in years!

4. Unlike many of the other large agencies in our area serving people with developmental disabilities, CLO receives zero ongoing support from a county mill levy fund for these services.  This forces CLO to work even harder to stretch insufficient state/federal funding as far as possible.

CLO has established an Individual Needs Fund to help pay for the unfunded needs of persons served.  Your gift would provide valuable and much needed services and items to those we serve.

Thank you for supporting CLO!

Mike Strouse, Ph. D.