This Year's Project: Get a Move On
About Our Organization
SIMPLE. POSITIVE. HEALTHY. SUPPORTIVE.
Simplicity is the Secret Sauce to our Business!
Simple Life, Inc. is a non-profit organization created to assist individuals with disabilities in improving and building their life skills. We want to help individuals become as independent and productive as possible.
From symptom management and coping skills, to every day tasks like how to make a grilled cheese sandwich or have a productive conversation with a friend, our goal is to break life down to its simplest form, like following a recipe. Our supportive team works with members, and members work with each other, to develop the skills necessary to live an independent and productive life.
One of our success stories involves a Simple Life member whom we'll call Isobel. She receives supportive services both at our Day Habilitation program and in her home. At first, she was very apprehensive about participating in our program because she believed that her explosive outbursts were simply uncontrollable and the natural consequence resulted in her being a permanent social outcast. “That's just the way I am. I can't change. I don't know how to,” she shared. This spilled over into her total acceptance of a non-existent social life and an unhealthy way of living. Behind the scenes, our Simple Life team unanimously agreed, “Challenge accepted!” and we didn't look back. Was it easy? No. Was it worth it? Absolutely! One step at a time, we taught Isobel our recipe for success including that special sauce – simplicity.
By attending Simple Life classes focusing on social skills and anger management, Isobel eventually took ownership of her behavior and agreed to practice listening and assertiveness skills. This did not come easily for her; the process was often extremely frustrating or overwhelming because it was very difficult for her to speak in front of others. Over time and with staff guidance, Isobel became able to express her feelings in small group settings. As a result, her angry outbursts decreased significantly. She began to earnestly work on developing meaningful, appropriate social relationships. Her living situation greatly improved because Simple Life home management classes taught her how to keep her apartment clean and tidy, address her landlord to make much needed repairs, economically shop for groceries, and make herself nutritious meals.
Now, Isobel often joins other Simple Life volunteers serving at local non-profit organizations where she practices basic job skills while giving back to the community. One day she hopes to gain employment to become more self-sufficient. Does she slip up once in awhile? Of course, just like we all do. But now, Isobel has the motivation, determination, and skills to pick herself up when she stumbles and continue to venture forward. Our team considers it an honor and a privilege to be a part of Isobel's journey, and in our eyes her continual progress constitutes a miracle.
We are honored to be a part of the Siouxland Big Give. We thank you for taking the time to read our story and hope that you will consider donating to our cause. Any amount is greatly appreciated and will go toward the purchase of a new van. For more information, please visit our website at simplelifeinc.com and our Facebook page: simple life inc., or call us at 712-574-8367.
Warm regards,
Sheri Porter, Administrator & CEO
Current Project: Get a Move On
The proposed purchase will help and assist low-income and minority members in Sioux City, IA. Sioux City has a population of 103,000 with a poverty rate of 12.7%. One in five Americans has a diagnosed Mental Illness. That would be around 19,600 in Sioux City. Simple Life supports individuals who are Chronically Mentally Ill and have restricted or poor access to their community, because they do not own vehicles. Members are further restricted because public transportation services only run until 6pm daily and not at all on Sundays. This presents a significant hardship for our members as they do not have the money to be able to afford Uber or Taxi rides when they have a need to be mobile in their community.
All contributions will go towards the purchase of a van so we can be more mobile and continue to volunteer!
I’m asking you to come together for a cause. It may not be your cause who specifically benefits from this endeavor, but the big picture benefits- OUR COMMUNITY; the one we live in, the one we share each and every day together. The impact will be that we can continue to provide new innovative learning opportunities to the members, continue to support the other non-profits in Sioux City and build OUR COMMUNITY.