GROWERS General Information Contact Information Nonprofit GROWERS Address 86 Anderson Rd Wallingford, CT 06492 Phone (203) 777-1886 Web Site Web Site Facebook Facebook Email office.growers@gmail.com At A Glance Year of Incorporation 2010 Organization's type of tax exempt status Organization received a competitive grant from the community foundation in the past five years Public Supported Charity No 1
Mission & Areas Served Statements Mission G.R.O.W.E.R.S. is an acronym for Growing Real Opportunities With Education, Relationships, and Stability. Our mission is to develop and maintain challenging and rewarding employment for individuals with autism and intellectual disabilities by creating a community based horticultural business niche. Background GROWERS rents portions of the greenhouses at Edgerton Park in New Haven formerly known as Greenbriar and formerly operated by Easter Seals Goodwill. 2010 Incorporated 2012 Received approval from the Department of Developmental Services to begin providing services as an approved contractor. DDS rules limited any expansion for 1 year. 2013 We doubled the number of people we serve. Impact Accomplishments: 1. G.R.O.W.E.R.S. Inc. helps adults with intellectual disabilities become selfsufficient through occupational training, education and experience in a horticultural environment namely the historic greenhouses and community gardens of Edgerton Park in New Haven, CT. Experts in the fields of horticulture, education, therapy, the local community, and volunteers support the program. 2. Over the past year G.R.O.W.E.R.S. doubled the number of people it serves. 3. Our program is community based to support the integration and interaction of people with disabilities and community members. Goals 1. To expand our program so we can serve more individuals. We would like to train and place individuals in other horticulturalrelated jobs in the community. Needs GROWERS Inc. would like to increase our capacity to provide jobs to more individuals with Autism and intellectual disabilities. We have several paths being investigated. Our most pressing needs are: 1. Fundraising to purchase equipment needed for our landscaping crew. To accomplish this goal we need at least $75,000 for equipment: truck, trailer, lawn mowers, trimmers, leaf blowers, hand tools, snow blowers, shovels, etc. 2. Expand our landscaping business. 3. Accrue contracts for care of plants in large facilities such as hospitals and corporations. 4. Open a second greenhouse. To accomplish this we need start up costs for rent, overhead, and supplies - approximately $100,000. CEO Statement With the increase in service-oriented and technology-oriented jobs, people with intellectual disabilities have fewer places where they can find employment. Our horticulture program provides opportunities for learning, valued roles, community integration, and the ability to earn minimum wage. Service Categories Primary Organization Category Secondary Organization Category Human Services / Developmentally Disabled Services/Centers Employment / Job Training Areas Served Local Cheshire East Haven Hamden Milford New Haven North Branford 2
North Haven Wallingford West Haven Woodbridge The G.R.O.W.E.R.S., Inc. Program currently serves South Central Connecticut. We are Licensed to operate in the State of Connecticut. As we grow, we will continue to explore opportunities in other parts of Connecticut. 3
Programs Programs G.R.O.W.E.R.S. @ Greenbrier Description 1. Employment training.2. Placement into competitive employment,3. Education in horticulture knowledge, job skills, social and life skills. Budget $0.00 Category Human Services, General/Other / Services for Individuals with Disabilities Population Served Adults / / Short Term Success Long Term Success Program Success Monitored By Examples of Program Success Build work/life/therapeutic skills for adults with developmental and physical disabilities. Maintain and improve upon a community-based horticultural business. Establish employment opportunities for adults with developmental and physical disabilities. Long term success will be the success of the current program and the establishment of additional programs throughout the state. Success will be monitored by the G.R.O.W.E.R.S. Board of Directors, the stakeholders for the current clients, the CT Department of Developmental services, as well as the clients themselves. High levels of satisfaction will lead to clients telling peers, case workers recommending the program, and community support of the program work. Examples of program success include support of the biannual Fundraisers, clients recommending their roommates to the program, case workers recommending the program to a graduating High School student. 4
Leadership & Staff CEO/Executive Director Mr. Scott Hickman Term Start Dec 2010 Email shickman.growers@gmail.com Experience Scott Hickman is a graduate of the University of Connecticut with a B.S. in Environmental Horticulture. He was the Principal/Owner of American Hortscapes, a landscape design and build company for 18 years. He has been the Horticulture /Program Supervisor for Greenbrier, the Vocational Horticulture Program of Easter Seals Goodwill Industries in New Haven for the last 13 years. Mr. Hickman has served on the Board of the Edgerton Park Conservancy for 13 years. He has served on the Board of Wallingford Little League for the last 10 years. Co-CEO Mr. Steven Abati Term Start Dec 2010 Email sabati.growers@gmail.com Experience Mr. Abati is a graduate of Harvard University with a B.A. in Economics. He holds an M.B.A. from The College of William and Mary. Mr. Abati has over 23 years of experience as a Senior Financial Executive in various industries including, Manufacturing, Banking, Construction, and Non-Profit. Mr. Abati is a Director of the Wallingford Education Foundation and is a Board member for Masonicare Home Health and Hospice. Staff Number of Full Time Staff 3 Number of Part Time Staff 4 Number of Volunteers 15 Number of Contract Staff 0 Staff Retention Rate 100% Staff Demographics - Ethnicity African American/Black 0 Asian American/Pacific Islander 0 Caucasian 7 Hispanic/Latino 0 Native American/American Indian 0 Other 0 0 5
Staff Demographics - Gender Male 3 Female 4 Unspecified 0 Plans & Policies Organization has a Fundraising Plan? Organization has a Strategic Plan? Years Strategic Plan Considers Management Succession Plan? Organization Policy and Procedures Nondiscrimination Policy Whistleblower Policy Under Development Under Development N/A Senior Staff Mr. Scott Hickman Title President/CEO Mr. Steve Abati Title Vice President Formal Evaluations CEO Formal Evaluation CEO/Executive Formal Evaluation Frequency Senior Management Formal Evaluation Senior Management Formal Evaluation Frequency Non Management Formal Evaluation Non Management Formal Evaluation Frequency Annually Annually Annually Affiliations Affiliation Year United Way of Greater New Haven 2013 Comments CEO Comments GROWERS is an approved provider through the Department of Developmental Services. 6
Board & Governance Board Chair Mr. Steven Abati Company Affiliation G.R.O.W.E.R.S., Inc. Term Dec 2012 to Dec 2014 Board of Directors Name Mr. Patrick Birney Mr. Scott Hickman Mr. Gary Hultgren Mr. Nicholas Ruickoldt Dr. Andrew Wagner Affiliation Robinson Cole G.R.O.W.E.R.S., Inc. McKessen Federal Credit Union Board Demographics - Ethnicity African American/Black 0 Asian American/Pacific Islander 0 Caucasian 6 Hispanic/Latino 0 Native American/American Indian 0 Other 0 0 Board Demographics - Gender Male 6 Female 0 Unspecified 0 Governance Board Term Lengths 2 Board Term Limits 3 Board Meeting Attendance % 0% Number of Full Board Meetings Annually 0 Written Board Selection Criteria Written Conflict of Interest Policy Under Development Percentage Making Monetary Contributions 100% Percentage Making In-Kind Contributions 100% 7
Constituency Includes Client Representation Additional Boards: Advisory Board Members Name Mr. Jeremiah Coffey Ms. Margie Devane Ms. Alberta Gibbs Ms. Kay Hill Ms. Marta Moret Mr. Douglas Ruickoldt Ms. Cathy Shanley Mr. Shawn Sullivan Mr. Jeff Whipple Ms. Lita Wright Affiliation Professor, Albertus Magnus College Community volunteer, Docent Parent Volunteer Parent Volunteer, Retired Teacher President of Urban Policy Strategies, LLC Railroad Conductor, Parent Volunteer former Greenbriar employee Attorney, Neighborhood Resident Program Participant Edgerton Park Conservancy 8
Financials Financials Fiscal Year Start Jan 01 2013 Fiscal Year End Dec 31 2013 Projected Revenue $400,000.00 Projected Expenses $370,000.00 Endowment Value $0.00 Percentage (if selected) 0% Detailed Financials Prior Three Years Total Revenue and Expense Totals Chart Fiscal Year 2012 2011 2010 Total Revenue $218,853 $12,293 -- Total Expenses $203,632 $0 -- Prior Three Years Assets and Liabilities Chart Fiscal Year 2012 2011 2010 Total Assets $73,972 $0 -- Current Assets $67,589 $0 -- Long-Term Liabilities $39,671 $0 -- Current Liabilities $15,314 $0 -- Total Net Assets $18,987 $0 -- Prior Three Years Top Three Funding Sources Fiscal Year 2012 2011 2010 Top Funding Source & Dollar Amount -- -- -- Second Highest Funding Source & Dollar -- -- -- Amount Third Highest Funding Source & Dollar Amount -- -- -- Solvency Short Term Solvency Fiscal Year 2012 2011 2010 Current Ratio: Current Assets/Current Liabilities 4.41 -- -- Long Term Solvency Fiscal Year 2012 2011 2010 Long-Term Liabilities/Total Assets 54% -- -- Capital Campaign 9
Currently in a Capital Campaign? No Goal $0.00 Capital Campaign Anticipated in Next 5 Years? Comments Foundation Staff Comments This profile, including the financial summaries prepared and submitted by the organization based on its own independent and/or internal audit processes and regulatory submissions, has been read by The Community Foundation. Financial information is input by Foundation staff directly from the organization s IRS Form 990, audited financial statements or other financial documents approved by the nonprofit s board. The Foundation has not audited the organization s financial statements or tax filings, and makes no representations or warranties thereon. The Community Foundation requires three years of financial information from the nonprofit organization; however, this requirement may not be available for some organizations due to their more recent incorporation or formation. The Community Foundation is continuing to receive information submitted by the organization and may periodically update the organization s profile to reflect the most current financial and other information available. The organization has completed the fields required by The Community Foundation and updated their profile in the last year. To see if the organization has received a competitive grant from The Community Foundation in the last five years, please go to the General Information Tab of the profile. Created 03.28.2019. Copyright 2019 The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven 10