REBUILDING LIVES: RESTORING HOPE CAMPAIGN

CASE FOR SUPPORT

On the road of life, we may not know what lies ahead.  Without question, there will be surprises along the way.  Some may be welcome and exhilarating, while others can be traumatic and life-altering.

The Rehabilitation Institute exists to help those who have experienced a major bump in the road of life – a serious illness or injury resulting in a disability – progress to their highest potentials through medical rehabilitation and employment services. 

The 2500 individuals we serve annually are referred to us from every major hospital in the greater Kansas City area. We take pride in being known as the place to go for children and adults with the most challenging disabilities.

We moved to our current location at 3011 Baltimore, Kansas City Missouri in 1968.  At the time, our two story facility was a model for accessibility and barrier-free design.  Since then, our facility has undergone modest renovations to accommodate program growth.  

ACCESS
More than forty years later, the configuration and square footage of the space no longer allow for efficient delivery of the services we provide.  As the needs of those we serve have evolved, our surrounding neighborhood has changed as well.  Situated across the street from the once thriving Trinity Lutheran Hospital, which closed its doors in 2002, we have been operating among a number of boarded up buildings.

Today, the former hospital buildings and adjacent parking garage, which we once shared with the hospital, are being redeveloped by a private enterprise. While the construction is a welcome addition to the neighborhood, the valuable parking will likely no longer be available to us.  We must assure convenient access to our services and provide dedicated parking to our employees, patients, clients and visitors.

CHANGING PATIENT NEEDS

Advances in trauma care and medications have made it possible for more individuals to survive traumatic illnesses and accidents than ever before.  Our medical rehabilitation services can mean the difference between surviving and thriving following a catastrophic illness or injury. 

While we have the programming and professionals to produce excellent outcomes for our patients, our current space configuration does not foster efficiency, which is critical when healthcare resources are scarce.  Program growth over the past several years has led to overcrowding, and cramped quarters can cause disruptions during therapy sessions and a loss of patient privacy.  Treatment equipment has no “home” and often is in the way, creating potential safety issues.  Inadequate staff areas impede teamwork and creativity.

CHANGING BUSINESS NEEDS

The relationship between employment and personal independence is critical. Each year our employment programs help more than 1000 individuals prepare for, seek and secure employment.  Our Sheltered Workshops (RI Industries) provided extended full-time employment and supportive rehabilitation services to adults with significant physical, developmental or psychiatric disabilities. Many program participants lack the speed, endurance, work experience and, in some cases, the family support needed to secure or successfully retain employment.  Yet, they have something to contribute and have the desire to be productive.

In order to provide our participants with the opportunity to develop job skills, earn a wage and move toward competitive employment, we must be able to meet the needs of today’s business customers and potential employers. To do so, improvements must be made in the  space used for our sheltered workshops to allow for more dock and warehousing space.

THE SOLUTIONS

The success of our Rebuilding Lives: Restoring Hope Campaign will enable us to create a state-of-the-art rehabilitation and employment placement center where our city’s most vulnerable citizens – children and adults with disabilities – can relearn, regain and reengage.

Our plan addresses both our current and future program space needs and addresses parking challenges without requiring new construction.  It calls for reallocating the space in our existing facility, relocating our sheltered workshops to an adjacent facility and acquiring a tract of land to the south of our current employee parking lot at 31st and Main Street.

The reallocation of space will enable us to: 

  WAYS YOU CAN HELP

Click here to view our campaign pledge card.

Contribute to the campaign by clicking here.

For more information about our campaign and how you can help, please contact our Development Staff at 816-751-7815.  They would be happy to share more information with you about our exciting plans!



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