With humble beginnings, Dungarvin started its business supporting individuals with disabilities in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1976. Over time, the organization has grown to include operations in 15 states supporting more than 6,000 individuals while employing thousands of dedicated team members. While every state has its own unique culture, many staff have tremendous pride in “the Dungarvin way” of doing business. That’s one of the reasons why so many of your colleagues are supporting the new online store: Dungarvin: Home (promoplace.com).

This store features everything from polos and sweaters you can wear to work, to belt bags, backpacks, tumblers and pens – oh my! In addition to supplementing your wardrobe, by making a purchase from the Online Store, you are supporting the artists that we serve across the country

“I’m so excited we have an entire collection dedicated to our 2023 Dungarvin Art Exhibition 1st Place Winner, Daniel, from California,” said Project Manager, Jamie Galley. “Daniel’s winning design can be found on a water bottle, tumbler, mug and notebook. We hope the continued success of our store means we can feature more wonderful artists in the years to come.” 

In addition to artwork items, we have so many other items that staff are raving about! Take a look at just a few others who have made purchases to hear what they are saying — you may even recognize a smile or two! 

“Love my new sparkly coffee mug. It stays hot a long time for those ‘too busy to even drink my coffee’ days.” – Brandi Berryman, Reno Office Manager

“I ordered a couple of shirts and LOVE them.” – Laura Johnson, Oklahoma HR Business Partner

“My cardigan just came and it’s nice quality.” – Barbara Stanford, Indiana State Office Manager

“I love that this insulated mug keeps liquids warm for an extended period, even with the lid off.” – Amanda Bliss, Senior Administrative Assistant

“I bought two things from the online store, and I love them. The quality of the shirt and jacket are both very nice. I liked them so much that I ordered a couple more shirts.” – Trisha Staffan, Ohio Office Manager

The items in the online store are changing all the time! Categories include:

• Apparel
• Accessories
• Artwork Items from 2023 Art Exhibition

If you’d like to browse the items or make a purchase for yourself or others, please visit Dungarvin: Home (promoplace.com). And don’t forget to send us a photo to onlinecontent@dungarvin.com or tag us on social media to show us what you got! 

The Day Program run by Dungarvin in Columbus, Ohio is growing in popularity. This year it has welcomed several different participants – even individuals served by different providers. “The Columbus Day Program offers a wide verity of services,” says Emily Reed, Day Program Director. “Between education in money management, activities in daily living (ADL), cooking classes, yoga and other exercises, as well as fun and interesting community outings and opportunities to volunteer, there is a lot for our participants to do to get involved with their community.”

A Day Program typically provides access to programs or activities designed to meet the assessed health and social needs of an individual. Day Programs typically include the delivery of supervision, care, assistance, training and fun activities to give people access to community and help them achieve specific outcomes, as identified in an individual’s support plan.

Unfortunately, many people miss out on the opportunity to participate in Day Program activities because of lack of travel or complex individual medical needs. Dungarvin realizes this and taken the appropriate measures to ensure participants have the supports they need. “Dungarvin has a larger fleet of transport vehicles than most providers, plus we have more staff trained as drivers so we are able to take on more individual participants,” remarks Reed. “We also have an on-site nurse at our Columbus Day Program. Robin Moon, LPN, has been with us since 2017 to ensure everyone we serve has the support they need to fully engage with our program.”

While it is common for Day Programs to regularly go out into the community, participants at the Columbus Day Program have the daily choice to either go on scheduled outings or to stay in the center for planned activities. When asked why the Day Program is so popular, Reed thinks it is a combination of factors. “Some of our individuals only get to go out into the community when they come to Day Program, while others come specifically for the social interaction with staff and other individuals. Plus, our program pays close attention to what works well for the individuals served. That may be multiple small groups doing different center activities, or it could mean groups going out into the community to have fun!”

If you’d like more information on the Columbus Day Program, please contact Emily Reed at 614-547-8426.

“I have a fulfilling career at Dungarvin.I like working here because Dungarvin cares about their employees. The leadership at the homes is unique and you know they are there to support you.”

Born and raised in Oklahoma, Karla Jones is what you’d call a “true okie.” She began her professional career as a DSP while still in college and has never looked back! Over 35 years later, she continues to impact lives through her leadership and is grateful for her dedicated team that rises to the occasion to provide exceptional care and service to individuals in their community. Get to know this caring leader through ‘5 questions with Karla Jones:’

1. Why do you have a passion for this work?

The relationships with the individuals and their families. This is one industry where you get to grow up and grow old with those you support. And when you have an operations team as well as a DSP force growing with you, the passion comes easy.

2. What do you most value in a friend or a co-worker?

I have a partner, friends and co-workers that have done extraordinary things, and they always show up. They contribute, they support, they encourage and show a lot of love.

3. Who are your heroes in life and why?

Both of my parents had little education, but always encouraged all of us to be better. I am the youngest of six, and I look up to and admire each of my siblings for the support they offer me and all their accomplishments.

4. What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Honestly, it is the team we have built here in Oklahoma. Those at the office and, of course, the heartbeat of our organization: the DSPs. I am amazed daily for the time and dedication they put in to support our folks.

5. What do you most value about the Dungarvin team with whom you work?

We do not have a large team here, so when there is a void, there is no hesitation from anybody to pick up the pace and make things happen. This goes for those that support us nationally as well.

“For the first half of my career, I had the good fortune of working with amazing people in some other great agencies in Ohio and Nebraska. When the opportunity arose to join Dungarvin in 2004, Dungarvin had to measure up to the same high ideals and values I had experienced to that point. After many years of experiencing Dungarvin’s values my high opinion of the organization has not changed. The Dungarvin family values the people we support first and foremost and understands that the supports we offer is dependent on the direct service professionals. It is hard to imagine having a more fulfilling career than to work with people who share the same values.”

“I appreciate the support and training I get. I stay at Dungarvin because of my team and co-workers. The persons served are the heart of the reason I enjoy my job,” said Dungarvin Direct Support Professional (DSP), Martha Soile.

Last fall, Dungarvin made its largest-ever acquisition, adding an additional 103 group home settings to its portfolio and a variety of community-based services to support an additional 400 people.

Minnesota Department of Human Services Commissioner Jodi Harpstead and DHS leaders shared their thanks for the acquisition during a recent visit to Dungarvin headquarters in Mendota Heights, Minnesota. Harpstead said she’s routinely checked in with Central Regional Director Karin Stockwell about how the transition has been going for clients and staff as the organization has increased in size.

“Karin has impressed me with how confidently and competently ‘Team Dungarvin’ has made things work,” Harpstead said. “I am so grateful, in recent years especially, for some of the large, well-resourced, long-standing disability service providers in Minnesota. I am particularly thankful for their partnership when we look to place people with disabilities and behavioral health challenges, because they ask: ‘How can we give this person their best possible life?’”

During the visit, Harpstead thanked Dungarvin’s leadership and staff for their teamwork in taking on the large acquisition. “Leadership matters, and I appreciate the caring and competency of the senior leaders at Dungarvin Minnesota who agreed to take this on and empower their teams to work out the critical details,” the commissioner said.

Dungarvin Minnesota State Director Nat Graf also cited the teamwork involved in making the acquisition a resounding success.

“We are proud that we kept the majority of staff and managers during this transition, and invited them to become part of our team, which is also a tribute to the people that they were supporting, and delivered a relatively seamless transition to Dungarvin,” Graf said. “We are carrying out our mission to respect and respond to the choices and the abilities of hundreds of new people to have a better life and to have new opportunities with support from us.”

“People know that they can count on me for support if needed and I will do what I say I am going to do,” said Erica Jiles, ACI-Dungarvin Foster Care Team Lead. Having been with us the organization for over 10 years, Erica’s insight always provides a valuable perspective on our support for those in foster care. Get to know this driven team member through ‘5 questions with Erica Jiles:’

1. How long have been you at Dungarvin and in the IDD industry?

In 2006, I worked in a group home with Residential Services Incorporated (RSI) in Chapel Hill, NC. I was a DSP, and this was during my senior year of college and my first job in the industry. I really enjoyed working with the residents, assisting them with their goals, taking them on outings and seeing them thrive. I began my employment with ACI-Dungarvin in October of 2013 as a Foster Care Coordinator. I was promoted to Foster Care Team Lead in 2017 in the Wallace office, and I also became Foster Care Team Lead in the Garner office in 2020.

2. Why do you have a passion for this work?

I have a passion for seeing children who have been through significant challenges in their life overcome these challenges and blossom. Children are very resilient, especially when they have supportive individuals assisting them with processing their trauma and being able to heal and move forward with their lives. It is truly an incredible feeling to be a part of their journey.

3. What is your most treasured possession?

My grandmother’s pearl necklace. My grandmother is 100 years old and she is very dear to me. I treasure every moment that we spend together. She has taught me so much and the person I am today is because of her influence in my life.

4. What do you most value about the Dungarvin team with whom you work?

That we are like a family. We work together to support each other to ensure that we are providing quality services to our foster parents, the children in our foster care program and their guardians.

5. What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Being able to help my fellow man and making a positive difference in the lives of others. Ken Robinson once said, “What you do for yourself dies with you when you leave this world, what you do for others’ lives on forever.” Being a positive influence in the lives of others without expecting anything in return for me is the greatest achievement because helping others in this journey called life is something that I believe we were all created to do.

Although Ben Gualtieri’s role is that of a Technical Trainer, he is no stranger to supporting those with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Prior to joining our team, Ben was a music and technology teacher. “For years, I planned how to engage all students in music and technology learning, including our special education students,” said Ben. “I provided them an opportunity to learn with their peers and perform for their community.” Learn more about Ben through ‘5 questions with Ben Gualtieri:’

1. Why do you have a passion for this work – how so?

I like to describe myself as both an educator and a learner. Throughout my life, whenever there is an opportunity to try something new, the curiosity takes control and I dive in. Over time, after gaining knowledge in an activity or subject, my priorities switch and I want to share the experience with others. It must be the social butterfly in me, discovering new flowers in the garden then wanting to share that beauty with others. My role in Dungarvin allows me the ability to do just this. I enjoy digging through new applications I haven’t used before, using the lens of a beginner to craft the best possible approach to share the knowledge with others. As a learner, I’m addicted to the feeling of self-fulfillment after exiting a worthwhile training, notes in hand and ideas flowing through my mind, inspired to try something new. I hope to spark this feeling in others. I am excited to participate in virtual Town Halls with large audiences, presenting helpful and innovative information to our Dungarvin community.

2. What is your most treasured possession?

The older I get, the more I realize how lucky I have been to be given the family I have. My parents have grown with me over time, and I am so thankful for the relationship we have. They inspire me to have a family of my own someday and I look forward to sharing the love they have given me to my friends and future children.

3. What do you most value in a friend or a co-worker?

I value those who can make me laugh. We are professionals here and are good at what we do, and I value the collaboration that comes with my position, but if we can connect on a personal level through humor, it’s a bonus to me.

4. What characteristic – or adjective – would people use to describe you?

I jump back and forth between being a thinker and a doer. When searching for solutions my mind is in a philosophical state, searching for the best possible outcome or finding a deeper way to connect with someone on a personal level. People say I overthink, but they appreciate me for it. On the other hand when there is a task which needs completing, I flip the switch and become a doer. My brain thrives on a good checklist, which is how I organize most of my life. I have checklists everywhere, from my goals to my travel plans, to my to-do list at work. When given a list to complete, I enter my comfort zone.

5. What do you most value about the Dungarvin team with whom you work?

The Training Team within the IS department has really grown into itself this year. We all come from different backgrounds, leading to a refreshing mix of perspectives when we design and create our training resources. I’ve never been apart of a team that has grown this fast. A big reason for this is our innovative personalities. We all want to find the best approach to advise, enable, and support Dungarvin staff and we do this through outside thinking, consistent revisions, and trying new things. I value our ability to work together and support one another, ultimately helping each other grow as professionals and human-beings.

Brittany Gutierrez has a striking presence. Proudly identifying as “Mother/Survivor/Protector,” she has Mexican American and Native American roots (Cherokee and Sioux). She stopped by Dungarvin’s Gallup, New Mexico office recently to share her story and that of her son, Gabriel.

In 2020, Brittany was seven months pregnant with her first child when her water broke. On doctors’ orders, she was immediately put on bed rest. But little Gabriel Bejarano was ready to join the world. Weighing only three pounds five ounces, her son was born in the Neonatal Intensive Care (NIC) Unit at the University of New Mexico hospital in Albuquerque.

“He was so tiny, from head to toe, he was only as big as my forearm. I never thought we would be able to leave the NIC-U.” But, eventually, they did, and then reality set in. “There were still so many issues… What was I going to do on my own?”

Due to his premature birth, Gabriel was significantly delayed in his development. “He wasn’t able to suck or swallow, so he couldn’t feed properly,” remembers Brittany. “That was the first of many difficulties. All of the things people think come naturally did not for my baby. I know lots of mothers go through this and think they are alone, but thankfully there is support.”

The Family, Infant and Toddler (FIT) program provides home-based services and supports to families with young children who are at risk of developmental delays. Gabriel was determined eligible for the FIT program due to his prematurity at birth.

Brittany was assessed for an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), designed to guide desired outcomes for a child until the age of three, identifying early intervention services and supports to help meet those outcomes. In the hospital, she learned about a program at Dungarvin, providing home-based services to families with children in need of early intervention services.

Initially, Dungarvin’s Development Specialist as well as a Family Service Coordinator visited Brittany at home two to three times per month. Other specialists, like the Physical Therapists (PT) came early in Gabriel’s growth when their services were most critical. The Occupational Therapist (OT) was needed throughout to continue development of Gabriel’s fine motor skills like coordination, balance, strength – so he could eventually crawl and, one day, turn pages in a book. Together, the team came up with a program plan for Gabriel. Brittany could safely ask questions about her son’s development and how she and her fiancé, David, could help him further develop.

Visits always began with ‘How are you?’ or ‘How is your son doing?,’ reviewing suggestions from the last meeting. The specialists provided feedback and helpful tips about ways to stimulate Gabriel’s growth – from rolling over to crawling, even learning how to speak. It was often up to Brittany and David to implement those suggestions into a regular practice.

“Dungarvin always met us where we were at as a family,” relates Brittany. “I would never have thought to change how I did certain things, or even that it mattered, without the Dungarvin team. They gave me the confidence that I needed, while holding me accountable for our family’s goals.”

“These wonderful individuals aren’t miracle workers,” clarifies Brittany. “It was a team effort to help my son. I had to learn to let go and trust in the people who were there to help me. Together, we built skills as a family.”

At the end of these services – when Gabriel was three years old – he had an evaluation by Gallup McKinley County Schools and, happily, did not qualify for an Individualized Education Program (IEP), which would be the next step if he needed continued support or special services in a school setting.

With support of intervention services provided by Dungarvin, Gabriel’s development now meets that of his peer age group. “I am forever grateful to the whole FIT Program team; they became an extension of our family. We experienced so many intimate moments with them. When I didn’t know how to help my son, or if I was doing things right, Elizabeth (Kleeberger) was always there to support and teach me and then the OT, PT and Speech Therapists came along, each were a vital part of Gabriel’s success story.”

Gabriel Bejarano is living proof that Early Intervention services are effective. To learn more about Dungarvin’s FIT program, contact Elfreda Unkestine, Family Service Coordinator, at 505-297-0101.