2021 Annual Report
LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Members and Friends of the Bittersweet Farms Community,
Happy spring! It is hard to believe that we’ve made another trip around the sun already since our last Annual Meeting, but here we are. 2021 was the year we cautiously hoped to have a return to normalcy and a reprieve from pandemic life that had demanded so much from us for so long. In reality, it proved to be anything but and challenged us in ways both old and new, requiring continued diligence, patience, flexibility, and most of all, a reaffirmed commitment to our Core Values in all that we do.
Facing collective pandemic fatigue, confusion over ever-changing and sometimes conflicting information and guidance, limited financial resources and a chronic nationwide workforce shortage, we have worked responsively to engage, support, and empower our participants, workforce, and stakeholders to buffer these challenges and continue Bittersweet’s mission to positively impact lives. This has helped foster countless achievements over the course of the past year that are important to acknowledge and celebrate as fuel for continued success.
Here are some of the highlights:
• We collectively adhered to the many pandemic related requirements and safeguards in place to keep everyone safe. Although we’ve had several cases of COVID-19 among our participants and staff throughout the year, all have been relatively minor and did not require hospitalization, thankfully.
• Significantly increased overall employee compensation through competitive wage adjustments, numerous commitment based incentives, and substantial merit and year-end bonuses.
• Completed the first year of required supervised fieldwork experience for two Bittersweet team members pursuing their certification in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), which we intend to provide and grow as part of our clinical services once they are certified.
• Received two grants from the Ohio Provider Resource Association (OPRA) for targeted Direct Support Professional (DSP) recruitment in Lucas and Wood counties, which included billboard and television advertising.
• Successfully transitioned to a new IT provider, Affinity, who in addition to supporting our day-to-day IT needs is also helping us strategically build our technological infrastructure for the future.
• Implemented new software platforms to help improve efficiencies for our workforce, including DocuSign (for electronic signatures and approvals) and SAP Concur (for expenditure processing).
• Two students graduated from the Pemberville Transition program!
• We had a very positive annual audit from the Department of Health in our Intermediate Care Facility (ICF) and the Whitehouse Adult Day Services (ADS) programs.
• Notable public recognition: We received the Toledo Blade Reader’s Choice award for best “Community Support Organization.” We also received an award for from the Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities for our innovative efforts during the pandemic to stay connected and engaged with participants and the community. Additionally, we were finalists in the Better Business Bureau (BBB) Torch Awards for Ethics, and won The Toledo City Paper’s “Best of Toledo” award for best “Charity/Non-Profit” organization.
• Participants and staff collaborated with Habitat for Humanity to build, decorate, and dedicate a playhouse for a young boy with autism in our community.
• Were able to end the year in a relatively healthy financial position considering rising inflation, significant investments into workforce compensation, and the limits imposed on our service delivery.
These accomplishments are just a small sample of the many successes occurring daily at Bittersweet, and a reflection of the awesome teamwork we enjoy as a community. As we look forward to 2022 and beyond, I am keenly aware of the challenges we will likely face, but encouraged by the many opportunities to fulfill our mission and the ensuing possibilities that will unfold. No matter who you are or what role you play in the Bittersweet Community, I sincerely appreciate your dedication, understanding, and support over this past year, and always. Thank you for believing in and nurturing the promise of Bittersweet Farms and helping us positively impact the lives of individuals with autism and those whose lives they touch, which is more important than ever in these challenging times.
Sincerely,
Dustin Watkins
Executive Director