Our Journey
What We Believe
Our Vision
Our Story
Empower
Our Model
How We Achieve Our Goals
Our Team
Who We Are
Integrate for Good empowers students and adults of all abilities to share their talent through inclusive volunteerism, community leadership, and meaningful employment.
Our Story
From a very early age, individuals with disabilities are called “special,” and quickly become the recipients of assistance. Those living with disabilities, and just as importantly the larger community, are presented with an understanding of people with disabilities as recipients of service from others, not as capable providers of service.
The relationship is imbalanced, lacking reciprocity. Talents go untapped, organizations miss out on benefits offered by potential volunteers, and a charity-based mindset depicting individuals with disabilities as “consumers of service” is perpetuated.
In July of 2017, we launched Integrate for Good to challenge that charity-based mindset. We expand opportunities for people with disabilities to contribute their time and talent to enrich our local communities with their valuable contributions.
Poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou once said:
You can’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back.
— Maya Angelou
We help remove that extra glove, empowering people to get in the game as pitchers as well as catchers, receiving services, but also sharing their talents and abilities as valued members of the community.
Integrate for Good challenges all of us to look through a different lens, embracing a strength-based perspective which accepts disability as a natural part of the human experience, not as something special and stigmatizing.
We see disability as a valued kind of diversity, and we believe that our communities are able to thrive best when the talents and contributions of all people can be realized and captured.
Our Work In Numbers
7,000
Donated Volunteer Hours
When you donate your time to our mission to build a more inclusive community, you can be sure that your time will be well-spent, meaningful and appreciated!
52
Digital Portfolios
Empowerment Lab is an innovative solution, replacing unemployment with opportunity and hope.
50+
Training Sessions
We partner with companies of all sizes to make corporate values around diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging come alive.
6
Leaders with intellectual disabilities
We believe leadership opportunities should be accessible to people of all abilities. Our Leadership Incubator puts that vision into action.
See What We Do
Integrate for Good empowers students and adults with disabilities, the families and agencies that support them, school districts, nonprofit organizations and for-profit businesses to capitalize on the strengths and abilities of all people through social networking, volunteerism and community connection. We do this through a variety of engaging and innovative services.
More dynamic than a traditional paper resume, Empowerment Lab make ability come alive through a digital portfolio, using our signature strengths-based approach.
We partner with local colleges and universities to make a meaningful place for people of all abilities to engage on campus through inclusive volunteerism and leadership opportunities.
Leadership Incubator is an innovative solution designed to build a culture of inclusion and equity. We are committed to changing the narrative by emphasizing 'ability' within 'disability', providing a nurturing environment for individuals to discover and hone their unique leadership styles.
Our diverse Integrate for Good leaders bring innovative team-building volunteer activities right to your office! Make your company's values come alive with our exciting and meaningful projects.
Our Core Values
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
- Maya Angelou
The way we treat those we work with leaves a lasting impression. We strive to always treat others with understanding, empathy and respect.
Lead Boldly
We don’t shy away from challenges that seem insurmountable or opportunities that feel impossible. We lead with courage and show others what is possible.
Seek out collaboration
We reach across boundaries to build bridges and leverage interdisciplinary perspectives to create a lasting and positive impact within our communities as we partner for a better world.
Show up with enthusiasm
We say yes to hard things. Our positive energy and passion are contagious.
Be inclusive
We harness the power of diversity and create a culture of belonging where no one is left on the sidelines.
Operate with transparency
We communicate internally and externally with unwavering candor, honesty and respect in order to deliver great results to our stakeholders.