One Year 

In 1974, a mother, Ruth, struggled to find a suitable place to care for her son with disabilities. Her struggle came on the heels of the closing of the infamous Pennhurst Institution, where the most vulnerable young people of our society faced unspeakable horrors. It was out of that moment that a nurturing space for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities was born – KenCCID. 

50 Years

KenCCID’s founder Ruth has been heralded as an advocate, a leader, and a visionary. 50 years later we pay homage to her incredible vision. 

It was her need that first brought KenCCID to life. It has been the tireless work of KenCCID team members over the past 5 decades that has nurtured the organization to what it is today. 

Today, KenCCID is proud to share that the organization has served close to 200 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

Impact Over 5 Decades

At KenCCID, we believe that the foundations of living a rich, full, independent life are having a safe place to call home and being part of a community. 

KenCCID has worked diligently to provide individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities the skills necessary to achieve the outcomes they want in their lives, most importantly safe and adequate housing. The individuals we support are encouraged to provide for their own self-care, become responsible citizens, earn a living with gainful employment, and live a quality of life as independently as possible. 

Some of our staff have been with us for as long as 38 years, and we have individuals who have been living with us for over 40 years. 

Over the last 5 decades, KenCCID has achieved the following:

1. Provided housing to 24 former residents of the infamous Pennhurst State Institution, of which 5 are still with us. 
2. Provided housing to over 160 individuals with disabilities.
3. Operate 30 homes with a total of 50 residents.
4. Secured jobs for over 40 KenCCID residents.
5. During the height of the covid-19 pandemic:
   1. We had no lapse in our ability to provide in-home direct support and medical care to our KenCCID residents. Despite a national nursing staffing shortage, KenCCID was able to continue to support the physical well-being of our individuals with disabilities. 
   2. We were able to secure jobs for four individuals with disabilities within our community. 
   3. Five of our KenCCID residents were able to retain their jobs, despite the severe job loss that resulted from the pandemic. 
   4. Several of our residents continue to work at various community jobs, some holding their positions for over 2 years at the same employer. 
   5. One of our residents has held his job for over 5 years now at the same employer.

Celebrating 5 Decades of Impact

This year we are celebrating our Founder Ruth’s vision and our many accomplishments over the past 5 decades in support of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

We invite you to join us on Sunday, November 16 at the Village of Cottage Green from 4 – 8 PM as we come together to highlight the tireless efforts of our KenCCID team members over the years: kenccid.org/banquet

The decades of service to individuals with disabilities is a direct result of the passion of our KenCCID team members. At our celebration event, we’ll be shining a spotlight on them. Join us as we highlight their contributions to KenCCID and to the wider community of individuals with disabilities. 

50 Years and Counting

Let’s celebrate and raise a glass to many more decades to come!