At Curative Connections in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the mission is clear: to provide innovative, person-centered care that helps individuals with disabilities live meaningful, independent lives. For over 77 years, this organization has adapted to meet the changing needs of the community, starting in physical therapy, specifically for those impacted by Polio in 1948 and growing into a multifaceted service provider for individuals with cognitive conditions, brain injuries, dementia, and more.
Wispact Foundation has proudly partnered with Curative Connections through a series of impactful grants over the past few years, each one opening new doors for inclusion, mobility, and communication.
A Bus Ride Toward Independence
In 2022, a Wispact Foundation grant funded community outings for Curative’s members with disabilities, critical opportunities to work, socialize, and connect beyond the walls of the center. The success of that initiative revealed an even deeper need: reliable transportation on a consistent, sustainable basis. In 2023, Wispact was able to assist again, helping to fund a bus with a side-load lift. The bus has since become a vital link for members to access and engage with the community. On a weekly basis, the bus is used numerous times to transport members offsite, where they learn and implement life and work skills they’ve honed at Curative Connections.
Communicating with Compassion
Another innovative grant in 2024 supported American Sign Language (ASL) training for Curative staff through NWTC. While not many members are deaf, several use sign language to communicate. For staff like Jo, a program specialist in Curative’s cognitive wellness program, learning ASL transformed her connection with members. She shared, “Their faces lit up when I could sign with them. By making the effort to better communicate with members, we are meeting them where they are at and it helps members to feel understood, respected, and fully supported.”
Facing Challenges with Courage
Vice President of Advancement Kari Moody is candid about the challenges ahead. “Services for people with disabilities are under scrutiny. Cuts are looming, and families are navigating uncertainty,” she explained. “Wispact’s support gives us breathing room to continue showing up in the ways our members need.”
Curative’s programs rely heavily on funding sources like Family Care dollars, which cover 40% of their program budget. Without adequate funding, many families will lose access to essential care, placing loved ones at risk and increasing strain on caregivers.
A Call to Action
Curative Connections thrives thanks to the generosity of volunteers and donors. Volunteers are needed to drive in their transportation program, support program staff both onsite and when groups go on outings and assist with facilities projects like window washing and landscaping. Financial donations help sustain programs that directly benefit individuals and families who would otherwise face isolation and limited opportunities.
As Moody reflects, “We are all just one situation away from needing this kind of support. I want Curative to be around when my generation needs it, and for my children too.”