Business of the Week – SDS, Inc.

You help your community thrive when you shop locally!

Be sure to read The Prowers Journal each week when the Lamar Chamber of Commerce
and The Prowers Journal highlight a featured Business of the Week.

This week we are proud to spotlight SDS, Inc.
Give them a call at: 719.336-3244

In 1964, Colorado incorporated twenty community-centered boards (CCBs) across the state with the purpose of providing case management and residential services to people with developmental disabilities within their own integrated communities. For nearly fifty years, Southeastern Developmental Services, Inc. (SDS) has been the sole provider of long-term care services for people with developmental disabilities in Prowers, Baca, Kiowa and Eastern Bent counties. Without SDS, people with disabilities in these areas would have limited options for the vital services they need to thrive in their own non-institutionalized communities.

The mission of the organization is to support individuals with developmental disabilities within their local communities, to assist in the person achieving their fullest potential for vocational and integrated living, and becoming an integral and responsible community citizen. We pride ourselves in treating each person as an individual. We constantly balance each individual’s goals with their medical and psychological well-being.

With a holistic approach, SDS provides a full-spectrum of services for children to geriatrics and those with varying needs of support. These include comprehensive residential services provided through group homes, day programs offering an expansive array of individualized activities, vocational training, early childhood intervention, adult supported living, and intensive case management. The benefit of living in a rural community allows each person receiving services to be more than a client of SDS – they’re family. Eighty-four people are served through the organization.

SDS employs approximately 60 people, including direct care professionals, medical personnel, office staff, a restorative aide and case managers. We also contract with numerous people to provide services such as; infant stimulation, accounting, computer technical assistance, speech therapy, behavioral therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy. SDS uses local vendors whenever possible and does the majority of purchasing our maintenance supplies, automobiles, groceries, clothing, and etc. in Lamar.

We are a non-profit that is overseen by a nine member board of directors: Loretta Johnson, Ruth Porter, Linda Harbour, Dennis Pearson, Mike Renken, John Munez, Amy Karr, Maxine Spell & Mario Figueroa.

As a non-profit we do depend on donations to sponsor our clients for outings and community events. The citizens of Lamar have been very generous in supporting the clients. Ye Olde Rummage Shoppe has been a huge supporter of SDS for many years and employs several of our clients.

SDS is also a training facility for our clients. Many of our clients wish to be employed in the community. We have a group of individuals who do yard work, cleaning of parking lots, window washing and car detailing. They are always open to obtaining more jobs. Please call us for an estimate.

Staff members are available to meet with local businesses to assist in carving out employment for individuals. Several of our clients have successfully been employed in Lamar.

SDS likes to be part of giving back to our community. We do this through a $500 annual scholarship that is awarded every spring. The scholarship is in memory of Walter Ely. Walter was part of the SDS family for many years. Walter collected cans throughout the area and he had many people who saved all their cans for him. SDS has a collection bin on the south side of the building where we still collect cans to earn funding for the scholarship and for the clients to participate in activities. We appreciate all the support we receive from all of you who donate your cans.

Currently we are hiring for “fill in” direct care professionals. Stop by and pick up an application. SDS is a great place to be! If you have any questions or would like more information please contact us at 1111 South 4th Street or 719-336-3244 or kengsberg@sdsccb.com