Friday’s ceremony at Rolla Lions Club Park proved graduation season isn’t quite over in May. On hand were dozens of direct service professionals who have earned their Missouri Talent Pathways certification with Choose for People. This was the third graduation ceremony Choose for People has hosted since last year and the largest yet. Additional ceremonies are planned until the entire Choose for People staff has graduated, including the 30 new hires who are set to join the organization by the end of next year.
“The majority of the people we hire are direct service professionals who provide direct support to our individuals,” says Matthew Evans, Choices for People’s new CEO. “When you apply to Choices for People as a direct service professional, you’re automatically enrolled in our apprenticeship program. We help with the training because it’s best for the organization and it’s best for your staff to have these tools. Not only that, but it’s also best for the community. We know they won’t be with us forever, but we help them gain additional qualifications so they can join our workforce.”
Choices for People’s mission is to help adults with disabilities live as independently as possible. Programs include Employment Services, which assist clients in obtaining work that matches their abilities; Residential Services, which place clients in independent living environments with 24-hour support; and Community Living Services, which allow clients to remain in their current living environment with family or caregivers and connect them to volunteer opportunities.
Choices for People has grown in and around Rolla in recent years: the organization currently manages 19 facilities to support programs, including adult day program facilities in Rolla and St. Robert, and currently serves individuals in 23 counties and is one of the 10 largest employers in Phelps County.
“When I started, we had 37 employees, now we have 165, 195 when fully staffed,” says Justin Glidewell, chief program officer for Choices for People, who has been with the organization for 14 years. “When we got into this certification program, we said we want to get our whole company through this training, because we want to make an impact. Statewide, in this area, we actually have the highest enrollment.”
Among the students graduating Friday was Tara Baisden.
“This program has allowed me to actually see what people see,” Baisden said. “I’ve gained a lot of tools and a lot of knowledge. I can help them change and grow, and that makes me happy. If you can see that change, you’re like, ‘Wow.’ I call it helping the world help itself.”
Ezra Lewis, who graduated from the program in December, expressed his support for his fellow DSPs.
“The training covers any situation where an individual needs help,” says Lewis. “It definitely helps. For example, I have a friend who recently moved into a nursing home and they needed help, so they asked me as a friend because they knew where I work. The training has given me more confidence. Before, I didn’t know what to do, but after the training, I didn’t feel weird or awkward.”
Evans, who previously led CASA of South Central Missouri, joins the company as Choice for People’s CEO, and he said the planned growth will further increase Choice for People’s impact, but the road ahead is not uncharted territory.
“Our board and management have decided to implement a comprehensive strategic plan that will run through fiscal year 2025,” Evans said. “I wouldn’t call it a reorganization, but it’s about strengthening the organization by providing the training and capabilities for our staff so that they can provide the highest quality service to individuals. There will be a lot of work happening behind the scenes to ensure that we are really ready for fiscal year 2026. We will see growth in the future, but it’s not growth for growth’s sake, it’s growth to deliver services successfully.”
One example Evans highlighted is the upcoming “Choices for People” service center in Salem.
“Hopefully we’ll be open by late summer or early fall,” Evans said. “We’re excited to see it and we’re grateful to Royal Oak for their great contributions to this project.”
Plans also include building a new center in Rolla, but not at the former Scotts Printing site as originally planned.
“The purpose of acquiring that property was to provide another location for day services,” Evans said. “After looking into it a little more, it wasn’t what we wanted and it didn’t lead to our end goal. It was a bridge, but we want to use what we have now to get to where we need to be, and the board is fully on board with that. We have some plans in the works right now and are excited about the opportunity we may have in the future to increase our presence in the community.”
Evans said future announcements and developments regarding the project will be announced via the Choice for People Facebook page.
“Right now, 97.7 percent of our revenue comes from the state, so we’re trying to get our name out there,” Evans said. “A big part of the other 2 percent is a generous donation from Royal Oak to the Salem Building. We don’t have a lot of community donations left, so we want to engage with the community in a way that they can join us in our growth and be a part of making a difference. There will be some opportunities in the near future. We have a lot of leaves on our donor tree that need names put on them.”
To donate to the nonprofit or learn more about its services, visit www.choicesforpeople.org or call (573) 364-7444.