Noble Inc.

TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES AND ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH INDIVIDUALIZED SERVICES

Noble envisions a world in which children and adults of all abilities live out their dreams in a com

Goal One: Enhance Noble services across the lifespan of people with intellectual/ developmental disabilities while prioritizing quality, a person-centered approach, financial stability and community engagement.

Goal Two: Proactively plan and position Noble to embrace changes in individual and family needs as they relate to the future provision of disability services.

Goal Three: Strengthen operations and services through diversified fundraising efforts that respond to current trends, meet the needs of existing donors and attract potential new contributors.

Each year, our managers and upcoming leaders are encouraged to apply for the INARF Leadership Academy. This intensive yearlong training draws emerging leaders in the field of disability services from around the state, and there is a competitive selection process to be admitted. Classroom training on a variety of leadership topics is supplemented by outside speakers and team projects, with attendees expected to participate in each of the monthly day-long sessions. Graduates go on to incorporate the best practices gained as they grow within their current organizations and throughout the field. Over the last several years, Noble has had two emerging leaders selected to participate in each yearlong training. We also support and encourage our emerging leaders to participate in the Hoosier Leadership Institute as well as the Indiana Latino Institute's Leadership Academy.

The biggest challenge we have faced in the last year has been in addressing the ripple effects of this COVID pandemic. People with disabilities are often the first to be laid off or furloughed from their jobs, which can cause financial hardship, decreased feelings of self-worth and increased social isolation. Others left their jobs, fearful of being exposed to the virus. Regardless of the reasons, the challenge becomes how to return to stable employment. Those who continued as essential workers often experienced schedule shifts that required changes in transportation arrangements and the need to learn new safety protocols. Another ripple effect has been the abrupt need to quarantine staff, people with disabilities, and individuals in their households due to exposure. Pre-existing health conditions that place individuals we serve at higher risk have also led to an anemic recovery in service delivery. Despite vaccine availability, the fear of exposure has kept many people in "self-quarantine." As part of the many health and safety protocols we have put into place, we continue to spend considerable time and effort on educating the people we serve and staff on the benefits of vaccination, proper hand washing, the need for social distancing, the need to continue wearing masks and how to use other PPE. Barriers that we have been able to pivot around include the need to transition First Steps early intervention, Music, Recreational and Behavioral therapies to remote service provision. This has prevented a regression in achieving goals. Community Living has largely continued uninterrupted, albeit with occasional exposures and the need to quarantine. While this has galvanized efforts to seek out new sources of grant funding, success in this area has been dampened by the cancellation of three fundraisers. The bottom line: the anemic return to services has significantly impacted revenue and the need to continue pursuing all grant funding options.