Mount Vernon-Lee Enterprises, Inc.

Today's Quality Tomorrow's Future

ANNUAL REPORT
Fisc a l Ye a r Jul y 1 , 2 0 03 - Ju ne 3 0 , 2 0 0 4

C R E A T I N G

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MOUNT VERNON-LEE ENTERPRISES, INC.: TODAYS QUALITY TOMORROWS FUTURE

It was not so long ago that a group of committed citizens at Mount Vernon-Lee Enterprises, Inc. (MVLE) identified a need whose idea and time had come. Since then, our Mission-To provide opportunities for people living with disabilities to develop to their fullest potential by participating in community life through valued work and support serviceshas been the stabilizing force rooting us in our ability to forge ahead and continue to provide quality services for over 400 people with disabilities. Since our founding in 1971, MVLE has maintained a philosophical commitment to facilitating and supporting the employment of as many individuals with disabilities as possible in community-based worksites. We have also committed to maintaining a viable and support i ve facilitybased program, which provides community access activities. Our corporate aim is to maximize each individuals functional capacity through the acquisition of useful skills that enable him or her to more fully participate in community life. As we look back over the past year, prepare for this new fiscal year, and look toward the future, it is important to take a look at the outcomes for FY04. Over the past year, budgeting was the buzz word at MVLE. Tightening our belts and prioritizing our needs and wants helped MVLE end the year in a better position than in the past. The agency will continue to be challenged by potential reductions in funds. Therefore, MVLE will focus future efforts on attaining grants and funds from other available sources. During the past year, MVLEs center-based mail house has grown into a viable enterprise, having successfully supplied mail, packaging and fulfillment services to numerous long-term customers while securing new customers. The future holds endless possibilities for attaining even more new customers, and MVLE will forge ahead to expand these services and increase our effectiveness while increasing the earning wages of the individuals working in the mail house. In 2004, MVLE maintained and created over 100 partnerships with area businesses, schools, and government programs. More than 300 individuals provided valued work and services for a growing number

NEVER DOUBT THAT A SMALL GROUP OF COMMITTED CITIZENS CAN CHANGE THE WORLD.INDEED, ITS THE ONLY THING THAT HAS.
-Margaret Meade

of area establishments with whom MVLE has developed successful partnerships. MVLE is committed to focusing on future partnerships with additional community businesses thereby enabling more individuals with disabilities to fulfill their future dreams of valued and successful work relationships. This year, CARF awarded MVLE the highest level of accreditation that can be achieved by an organization. MVLE has been accredited for a period of three years; this latest accreditation is the 2nd consecutive Three-Year Accreditation outcome that the international accrediting commission has awarded to MVLE. Our FY 2005-2009 Strategic Plan is a key element in MVLEs new direction tow a rd performance management, reflecting the Board of Directors and the Senior Management Teams commitment to continuous quality improvement (CQI). With this plan, we are creating a framework for performance management and CQI that incorporates setting meaningful targets for goals and measuring actual performance, linking both to our activities and to financial and human resources initiatives. 2004 was a year that we embraced both the bitter and the sweetA year that will be remembered by the passing of a colleague, mentor, and advocate for people with disabilitiesA year that MVLE faced adversity and achieved greater opportunities for people with disabilitiesA year that we experienced a tremendous amount of change that has altered the way the agency functionsA year that has allowed us to evolve into an agency that has built a stronger foundation for success, one on which it will stand for many years to come. Overall, it has been a challenging and successful year for MVLE. As we relinquish the past and move forward into the future, we will not forget from where we have come, nor will we forget how far we have to go. Together, a dedicated team of more than 100 staff, Board of Directors, community partners, and 459 people living with disabilities can look back on the successes achieved this past year and look forward to many more successful endeavors in the future. Thank you for your continued support.

Frank Doe, Chairman

April Pinch-Keeler, President

THE MVLE DIFFERENCEOUR STORIES OF SUCCESS

MVLE individuals live and work in our communities. With MVLEs help, they are empowered to live successfully and participate in their community. We encourage our individuals to achieve even greater levels of independence through job training and on site employment support. We teach valuable life skills and provide a wide range of therapy, both physical and occupational. Each year, more MVLE individuals are able to contribute to the community in which they live. We congratulate each and every one of them for their courage, determination and responsibility. We would like to share with you a small sampling of their successful endeavors. Patrick Connelly Like many young adults, Patrick wasnt quite ready to enter the work world and admitted that he would rather be enjoying leisure activities at home. This year, Patrick has shown dramatic growth, both personally and professionally. With MVLEs support and encouragement, Patrick soon began to work very hard. He received extensive hand-overhand support, his work was divided into smaller steps, and lots of positive reinforcement was given from staff. Patrick soon began completing all assignments quickly and efficiently, and asked for additional work. Patrick has developed a sense of pride in his work and he now looks forward to being able to purchase many of his favorite things. These great strides, along with Patricks courteousness and pleasant demeanor, are an equation that truly equals success. Cheers to a job well done! Azar Doro o d i a n Azar has always had a tough time making the leap from volunteer activities to paid employment. Finally, in 2002, Azar looked to MVLE to help her find a job. When she first started, Azar had difficulty focusing on tasks for more than a few minutes at a time. With the help of her job coaches and her individual support plan, Azar has increased her productivity significantly and she is able to work all day without difficulty. She is even taking the initiative to check and correct her own work! MVLE plans to help Azar get as close as possible to achieving her ultimate goal of working in a restaurant. Samer Haddadin Since enrolling in MVLEs employment program several years ago, Samer has been able to find work at Wal-Mart, Burger King, Guest Services, The Fairfax Retirement Home, and his current job, Chick-fil-A Chantilly. He is an enthusiastic employee and is adored by his co-workers. Samer works hard to increase his opportunity to work in his f a vorite task, food preparation, by always being willing to try new duties and acquire new skills. Besides being an avid basketball fan, Samer also knows his way around a kitchen very well and is able to help with almost every operation in the Chick-filA restaurant. Samer hopes to someday work in food preparation for a chef.

LOOKING BACKWHERE ARE THEY NOW.

S t a c ey Beasl ey Last year, Stacey received the Presidents Award because of achieving greater independence. When Stacey came to MVLE in August of 2000 seeking employment support, she was experiencing difficulty maintaining her employment due to a lack of support. With MVLEs diligent support, Stacey came a long way with her productivity and her ability to focus on the task at hand. She increased her independence greatly and has taken the initiative with assisting her co-workers in completing their tasks. Since last year, Stacey has sought out more challenges at work, with one of t h o s e challenges being to learn how to complete and file 7-El e ven tickets, which she has successfully achieved.

B everly Jones On August 19, 1999, Beverly Jones joined MVLE in the Center-Based Production program area. Beverly has always been a diligent worker, enjoying completing mail room tasks. A few years later, Beverly indicated she was interested in trying out different types of work in the community. Beverly would often act as a substitute in the Community Access program, where she would join the group for the day to deliver fliers and newspapers, complete grounds-keeping tasks, or go to Greensprings Village to complete dining room preparation. Beverly thoroughly enjoyed going to Greensprings and soon asked to work there full time. Once a spot opened up, Beverly joined the Greensprings crew and has been doing a great job ever since. Beverly works independently to help maintain the dining room by completing tasks such as, wiping chairs, filling sugar bowls and salt and pepper shakers, rolling silverware, and sometimes helping in the kitchen. As a result of all her hard work, Beverly was one of the recipients of the Presidents Award in 2003. J o shua Tra i n Joshua Train transitioned to MVLE after graduating from high school in July 2002. Joshua started in the Springfield Center-Based program in the Personal Support & Social Group. While there, Joshua had the opportunity to participate in therapeutic recreational activities, community outings, and he occasionally completed work tasks. Joshua became more confident and independent over that year. In May 2003, Joshua transferred to MVLEs Center-Based program in Chantilly. While in Chantilly, Joshua continued to mature into an independent and confident young man. He enjoyed participating in community activities, horticultural therapy, physical therapy, and sensory stimulation activities. In October 2003 at the Annual Board Meeting, due to his extraordinary growth, Joshua was given the Presidents Award. Joshua continued to enjoy his daily activities in Chantilly until he left MVLE in July 2004 when he moved into a group home in Front Royal, Virginia.

CELEBRATING ACHIEVEMENTS
Charles Swa ns o n Charles came to MVLE seeking employment in 1999. He had never held down a job for more than a few months at a time and needed a job that would allow him to move around all day, but sit part of the time to accommodate his disability. MVLEs Individual Supported Employment Departments Employment Consultants helped Charles find a job at Booz-Allen-Hamilton and even took him shopping so that he could meet the professional appearance requirements of the workplace. Charles currently serves as a mailroom clerk at Booz-AllenHamilton in Fairview Park. His accomplishments and professionalism have made him stand out as a model employee among MVLE Individual Employment Programs. K r istina Tia Krzysk o In 1999, Tia came to MVLE from Fairfax High Schools Davis Center. Her first job was as a dining room attendant at Burger King where she first became acclimated to working in a busy dining/kitchen environment. Tia, who is also an accomplished athlete in several sports, surprised her co-workers with her energy for work and her Can-Do attitude. She has been working at Fairview Park Marriott since 2003 in Kitchen Utility and Silver Polishing. Tia is now very comfortable in the high paced atmosphere of the Marriotts banquet and kitchen operations and hopes to some day be able to handle working more independently in an exciting place like the Marriott.
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CELEBRATING ACHIEVEMENTS
Kelly Ruth Kelly Ruth became a part of MVLE on June 12, 1995. Kelly has always had a very positive attitude and pushes herself to complete every task presented to her by the Instructor. She works diligently and has formed quite a few friendships with individuals and staff at MVLE. Every morning upon arrival, Kelly eagerly awaits personal grooming activities and the morning meeting with her peers. Last year, Kelly was an active participant in the Personal & Social Support Groups (PSSG) fall Fashion Show. Kelly currently works in PSSGs sub-group, where she works on various goals and objectives while also having the opportunity to earn wages. Some of the wage earning tasks includes flier and newspaper deliveries, mail inserting, and paper shredding. Kelly also had a successful transition from home to a residential facility. We applaud Kelly for her continued achievements in all areas of her life.

Saint Claire Scott Saint Claire joined the Chantilly Center-Based program in June 2003 after his graduation from high school. Over the last year, Saint Claire has demonstrated great strides in personal and vocational growth. Saint Claire loves to greet his peers and staff upon arrival every morning. He always makes a point of ensuring staff are keeping up-to-date by maintaining staff s calendars. Saint Claire loves to help out with all activities and jobs, and has even helped to purchase arts and crafts supplies in the community. He spends half of his day in the center performing janitorial duties to ensure the site is always well maintained, and the other half of his day he enjoys participating in various center-based activities. One of Saint Claires biggest accomplishments since being with the center has been to increase his verbal communication both at the center and at home.

S k i l ls Training and As s e s sment Pro g ra m Last fall, MVLE introduced its skills training and assessment program. The program was designed by Linda JohnsonBrown, Coordinator of Production Training (C.P.T.), who also conducts the training and assessments. The purpose of the program is to give the individuals personalized training to help them achieve their goals and focus on production work. Some of the individuals are learning new skills while others are sharpening current skills. The training sessions typically last four to six weeks and when desired outcomes are reached, it increases the earning potential for the individuals. Data is collected during the training period, which enables us to identify the types of jobs that would be most suitable for the individuals, the turnaround time, and the size of the jobs that can be handled in the Production department. This data and the individuals personal goals are often used to develop the individuals annual plan with achievable objectives. Linda often attends the Our Voices Count and ISP meetings to learn what types of tasks and skills individuals are interested in learning. She also works closely with the Support Specialist to identify and obtain assistive devices, which helps to increase the independence of the individuals we serve.

TO HAVE CHARACTER IS TO BE BIG ENOUGH TO TAKE LIFE ON.

- unknown

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
SOURCE OF FUNDS DRS CSBS Va. Medicaid Contributions Production/ Business Services Other $2,446,745 $121,539 32.5% 1.6% $122,662 $3,337,908 $1,469,088 $34,716 1.6% 44.3% 19.5% .5%

USE OF FUNDS Center Services Community Employment Services $1,731,924 23.7% 27.6% 12.21% $2,666,067 36.5%

Production/Business Services $2,013,140 Management and General $891,445

REVENUE Program Services Production/ Business Services Contributions Other $2,446,745 $34.716 $121,539 32.5% .5% 1.6% $4,929,658 65.4%

EXPENSES Personnel Occupancy Equipment/Supplies Other $5,511,072 $891,263 $704,074 $196,167 75.5% 12.2% 9.6% 2.7%
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ACHIEVEMENTS
In FY 2004, MVLE served a total of 459 individuals. We increased corporate visibility by participating in various local MR committee meetings and hosting monthly Employment Service Organization meetings. We continued to benefit from our relationships with local CSBs (Community Service Board), DRS (Department of Rehabilitative Services VA) and local school systems as a result of their continued leadership and ongoing support during this past year. The average yearly wages for individuals with disabilities increased collectively by 12% in three departments: Organizational Employment Services: Community Access, Community Employment Services, and Individual Supported Employment. The average number of hours individuals worked increased collectively by 11% in three departments: Organizational Employment Services: Production, Organizational Employment Services: Community Access, and Individual Supported Employment. The average hourly wage for individuals with disabilities increased collectively by 3% in three departments: Community Employment Services, Individual Supported Employment, and NISH. We expanded our mail room opera t i o ns by incorporating new services and mailing services techniques, which have significantly increased revenues for our Production department. In FY 2004, we received a 3-year accreditation from CARF in all service areas. We have continued to implement Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) teams, which aided in our accreditation. JWOD work opportunities increased in FY 2004, and we are currently employing 18% more individuals with disabilities through the JWOD Program. We have implemented a new communications system for e-mail and data sharing (Blackberry Server Services) with our cellular partner AT&T Wireless, which has increased our communications ability. We created a new computer-training lab at the Chantilly site that has given individuals with disabilities a centralized location to work and gain computer experience on various software programs.

AND GOALS
Our FY 2005-2009 Strategic Plan is the cornerstone of MVLEs new focus toward implementing a performance management business system. This plan has been developed to: Provide an agency-wide performance agreement with our Stakeholders; Set goals that are measurable results directly supporting MVLEs mission; Align activities and the role of human resources in accomplishing our goals; Align activities and fiscal responsibilities used to accomplish the expected results; and Clearly show where MVLE can and cannot fulfill its mission with current resources. MVLE has five strategic goal categories: Board Growth, Corporate Capability and S t r u c t u re, Financial, Staff Development, and Services.
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MVLES MISSION, VISION, AND VALUES

M is si o n To provide opportunities for people living with disabilities to develop to their fullest potential by participating in community life through valued work and support services. V isi o n MVLE will infuse creativity and energy into encouraging personal and professional growth for people living with disabilities. Utilizing best business practices, MVLE will strengthen the organization through increased visibility and growth. Va l u e s People living with disabilities are our first priority. We will treat eve ryone with dignity and respect; honor their right to choose and to pursue opportunities that allow them to be successful. Furthermore, we will Be loyal to those we serve; Provide valued work and service opportunities; Focus on continuous quality improvement; Value diversity in our workplace; and Show integrity in all our business dealings.

WE ARE CREATING FUTURES ONE PERSON AT A TIME.

MVLE is a private not-for-profit 501(c)3 tax exempt organization, founded in 1971, and incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1972. MVLE is CARF accre d i t e d , licensed by the State of Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services, an approved JWOD vendor, an authorized vendor for the Department of Rehabilitative Se rvices, the Virginia De p a rtment of Medical Services, and a recipient of United Way support and individual and corporate contributions.
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OFFICERS B. Frank Doe Chairman Financial Planner Peggie Furlough Vice-Chairman Parent/Business Operator Ken Hansen Secretary Chief, Investment Goods Industrial Branch, U.S. Census Bureau Joe Apa Treasurer Broker/Financial Planner April Pinch-Keeler President D I R E C TO R S Ray Miner Associate Director, OSEP U.S. Department of Education Karen Roberson Realtor/Parent Gay Shane Security Consultant Richard Dezio Attorney Carol Ciofalo Ob/Gyn Physician Gary Bojes Principal Management Consultant, SAIC C O R P O R ATE OFFICERS April Pinch-Keeler President

#8257 Mount Vernon-Lee Enterprises, Inc.

7405 Boston Boulevard Springfield, Virginia 22153 (703) 569-3900 (703) 569-3932 Fax (703) 569-3320 TTY www.mvle.org 3855 Centerview Drive, Suite 100 Chantilly, Virginia 20151 (703) 796-9602 (703) 796-9615 Fax

Mount Vernon-Lee Enterprises, Inc.

7405 Boston Boulevard Sp r i n gfield, Virginia 22153 (703) 569-3900 (703) 569-3932 Fax (703) 569-3320 TTY www.mvle.org