Inclusion Connections, a Byrne Pelofsky capital campaign client, welcomed U.S. Representative Sharice Davids to their Olathe headquarters in February 2024. Inclusion Connections, an Olathe-based nonprofit organization that works to increase access and opportunities for adults living with Intellectual/Developmental Disability (I/DD), provides an impressive array of year-round programs designed for individuals with disabilities. After a tour of the facility, Representative Davids pulled up her sleeves and got to work side by side with the students preparing dog treats and toys as part of the PawsAbilities program. Students in this program run the Olathe PawsAbilities retail store and the mobile pop-up store which visits local businesses and events. Students make and sell dog treats in the Inclusion Connections bakery, handcraft bandanas, toys and other products.  The program is well known in Kansas City as the place for individuals with I/DD to obtain the training they need to prepare for paid employment. Other programming offered by Inclusion Connections centers around education  cooking, nutrition and life skills classes, fitness and social opportunities, art classes, etc.), employment, and the Transition Academy, which prepares young adults with I/DD for independent living.

Byrne Pelofsky is workign with Inclusion Connections on the BelongKC capital campaign, which aims to provide a safe, affordable, and sustainable community in Olathe, Kansas, (11501 South Ridgeview Road) where adults with I/DD can choose to live with customized supports that promote healthy lifestyles, career growth and independence. We would like to thank Representative Davids for her support of Inclusion Connections. For more information on the campaign, click here.