HERE - Independence Center

spring 2013Independence Center is committed to providing a comprehensive system of high qualityprograms and services that assists adults in the St. Louis metropolitan area with serious andpersistent mental illnesses to live and work in the community, independently and with dignity.Partners in Productivityinside316th AnnualIndependenceCenter GolfTournament4Dancing withthe St. Louis Stars8Summer Fusion10Taylor Deslogeand Dick Stith15Buy a BrickProgramDamon Harrison, Member, Independence Center | Ron Kruszewski, Chairman, President and CEO, StifelStifel and Independence Center PaveRoad to Recovery Through EmploymentDamon Harrison doesn’t even drinkcoffee or cappuccino, however, hespends a lot of time during his transitionalemployment position makingcoffee and cleaning the cappuccinomachines at Stifel.“I don’t drink coffee, it’s too hot, butthe employees at Stifel enjoy theircoffee,” Damon said.Damon works part-time, Mondaythrough Friday, at Stifel restockingthe coffee, cream, sugar and Sweetand Low on the tenth, ninth, andfirst floor at Stifel’s corporate offices,located in downtown St. Louis.Because of Damon’s diligence over the lastfive months, Stifel employees are gettingtheir caffeine jolt as Damon makes a lotof coffee throughout the day and changesthe soda boxes frequently. When he isn’tmaking coffee, cleaning the cappuccinomachines, or restocking the soda or coffeecondiments, he’s busy cleaning the breakroom, even mopping the floor each day.“I haven’t missed one day,” Damonproclaims proudly, “I feel like I’vesucceeded and I’ve been able to holda job and I’ll finish my TE (transitionalemployment) job in July.”continued on page 8

Board of DirectorsJack HuetherPresidentCyndy DonatoVice PresidentChristina JenkinsTreasurerJohn CowlingSecretaryM. Colleen BeckemeyerKen BowerRoslyn CorcoranSteven DrapekinMark EggertWilliam FrenchSarah Gehlert, Ph.D.Karen GotschAnn GriceR. Gregory HoesterTishaura JonesPeter Kieffer, M.D.Mary KistnerChris KoenemannJohn MorrisonMatthew SallaberryMatt SlaterJulie SuntrupPeter Van CleveTimothy VosseSteve WhyteBonnie WoodsSandra YoungFrom The Director“Colleague” is a treasured word and concept in the Clubhouseworld. For more than 30 years, Independence Centerhas been designated by Clubhouse International, ouraccrediting body, as a “Colleague Training” base. Four tofive times a year, member and staff teams from Clubhousesacross the country and around the world spend two tothree weeks at Independence Center immersing themselvesin Clubhouse philosophy and practice. In the past six years alone, we’ve hadcolleagues from the farthest parts of the US as well as Canada, England,Scotland, Finland, China, Japan, Korea and Australia choose IndependenceCenter for their training. We’ve proven helpful to these organizations inplotting the next level of their development, and they dependably enrichour program through their sharing.This October, Independence Center will have the privilege of hosting theClubhouse International’s 17th International Seminar. We expect to attractapproximately eight hundred members, staff, and directors of the morethan 350 Clubhouse programs that span the globe for an intensive five-daygathering in St. Louis. Best practices will be shared, standards discussedand reviewed, workshops and plenaries conducted, and panels offered. It isdefinitely going to be an enriching experience for our guests as well as ourown Independence Center participants.We are especially excited about this gathering, since several other psychosocialrehabilitation programs from Missouri are going to be participating,in anticipation of becoming accredited Clubhouses. And the only othercurrently accredited Clubhouses in the state — Harmony and HeadwayClubs, both part of our neighboring provider, Crider Health Center —will share hosting duties with us.The mental health agencies of the St. Louis region and across the staterepresent another vital base of colleagues for all of us at IndependenceCenter. The level of collaboration that we enjoy with these organizations andwith the Missouri Department of Mental Health is recognized as a nationalmodel. As members of the Missouri Coalition of Community Mental HealthCenters, we meet regularly in common cause to improve the service deliverysystem for all Missourians living with serious and persistent mental illness.The work of battling serious mental illness, and specifically its stigma, is bigenough for all our energies. But it’s best accomplished with a little help fromour friends, and colleagues!Sincerely,J. Michael KellerExecutive Director– 2 –

Dancing with the St. Louis2013 Dance ChampionsSteve Lipstein andLucy FitzgeraldCulminating months of practice and preparation,St. Louis celebs donned their dancing shoes for astar-studded dance competition, Dancing with theSt. Louis Stars, a Benefit for Independence Center,on January 26 in the Ballroom at the Four SeasonsHotel. A sold-out crowd of almost 500 peopleattended the event which grossed over $286,000.The honorary chairpersons for the event were Arnoldand Hazel Donald, and Claire Kellett of KMOVChannel 4 served as the emcee. Six couples hit thedance floor including: Joe Brinker President andChief Executive Officer, Bethesda Health Group,and his professional partner Angie Brooks; LauraKathleen Planck Apparel/Accessories Designer andProject Runway Finalist and All-Star, and her professionalpartner David Nyemchek; Suzanne Sitherwood,President, The Laclede Group, Inc., and her professionalpartner Michael Fitzgerald; Steve Lipstein Presidentand Chief Executive Officer, BJC HealthCare,and his professional partner Lucy Fitzgerald; MaryAnn Srenco President, Kranzberg Family Foundation,and her professional partner David Nyemchek; andTerri Hodges, Independence Center Member, andher professional partner Steve Brockman.Those judging the competition included: RonKruszewski, President and Chief Executive Officer,Stifel; Agnes Gioconda, Chief Talent Officer,Fleishman-Hillard, Inc.; Leslie Tunney, Publisher,St. Louis Magazine; Reggie Van Derson Owner,Pure Entertainment Company; and David Diener,Vice President - Relationship Manager, St. LouisTrust Company.– 4 –

StarsLeft to right: celebrity judgesRon Kruszewski, Agnes Gioconda,Leslie Tunney and Reggie Van DersonSteve Lipstein and Lucy Fitzgerald were crowneddance champions, Mary Ann Srenco and her professionalpartner, David Nyemchek, came in second, andSuzanne Sitherwood and her professional partner,Michael Fitzgerald, placed third. Steve Lipstein andhis professional partner, Lucy Fitzgerald, were namedcrowd favorite.Guests were able to “buy votes” and their vote countedas 50 percent of the final tally with the judges scoringaccounting for the remaining 50 percent. Tiffany &Co. presented two crystal platters to the Dance Championcouple. Just Dancing Ballroom Dance Studioprovided their services to teach all the celebrities adance of their choice.Other sponsors included: Stifel, The Laclede Group,Healthlink, Rubin Brown, St. Louis Magazine, Tiffanyand Co., Barnes-Jewish Hospital, BJC HealthCare,Emerson, Four Seasons Hotel, Centene CharitableFoundation, Dana Lewis Salon, Lynn Jacobs ExecutiveProducer with Switch, Freeman Marketing, VideoViews, Inc., Waves Corporation, video editing byRobert Garcia, Bethesda, Arcturis, Watlow, CommerceBank, Missouri Baptist Medical Center, WM FrenchReal Estate Services, Fleishman-Hillard, PwC, WashingtonUniversity School of Medicine, EnterpriseBank and Trust, Novus International, Edward Jonesand photography by Diane Anderson.– 5 –

Dancing with the St. Louis Stars continued1234 5– 6 –

Dancing with the St. Louis Stars 2014 is scheduledfor January 25, 2014. The all-star cast of St. LouisCelebrities is being recruited right now. Do youknow a St. Louis celebrity who is willing to struttheir stuff on the dance floor and raise money fora wonderful cause? Do you know someone whowould love to judge the dance competition and isalso willing to raise money for the Center?If you have suggestions for this year’s cast, callLynn Huelsmann at (314)880-5404 or e-maillhuelsmann@independencecenter.org67John French (left), Independence Center member, and his father Bill French(right) provided guests with a wonderful and heartfelt video presentationof John’s journey with severe mental illness and his recovery process with thehelp of Independence Center.1) Laura Kathleen Planck and David Nyemchek 2) Mary Ann Srenco andDavid Nyemchek 3) Terri Hodges and Steve Brockman 4) Suzanne Sitherwoodand Michael Fitzgerald 5) Joe Brinker and Angie Brooks 6) Gala Co-ChairsArnold and Hazel Donald 7) Pat and Larry Smith, Barnes Jewish Hospital table.– 7 –

Great Food, Fantastic Entertainment...Summer Fusion is Back!Dramatic lighting, delicious food and incredibleenergy set the stage for an amazing night as the YoungFriends of Independence Center once again hostSummer Fusion on Sunday, August 25 on the rooftopdeck of Independence Center.The event features delicious food from St. LouisOriginals Restaurants, creative cocktails and fusion ofgreat live musical entertainment for a price of $45 forgeneral admission or $65 for VIP admission. Sophisticatedraffle prizes and great conversation with newand old friends makes this an evening you don’t wantto miss.Reserve your tickets today by visiting www.independencecenter.orgor call Jamie Clark at 314-880-5403.Don’t delay, this event sells out every year!Damon Harrison cover story continuedRoad to Recovery through WorkDamon Harrison became connected to IndependenceCenter in 1989 after his psychiatrist, working closelywith DePaul Hospital, suggested that the Center mightprovide a road to recovery as Damon struggled tosuccessfully manage his severe mental illness.He initially joined Midland House, IndependenceCenter’s former clubhouse facility located in St. LouisCounty.“I thought the people were great, they interacted welltogether and seemed happy,” Damon said.Damon, like many IC members and staff, moved withthe clubhouse to the new consolidated day programfacility on Forest Park Avenue.“I come to the clubhouse after work so I can touchbase with all the people at the Center. It makes mefeel good that they care about me and what I amdoing,” Damon said.Eventually, with strong staff encouragement, Damondecided to attempt a transitional employment position,successfully working at Bryan Cave for severalyears before starting his position at Stifel.Damon, like most Independence Center members,sought the Center’s assistance in securing employmentthrough the Independence Center’s transitionalemployment (TE) program.Transitional employment positions are part-time,entry-level, temporary (6-9 months) jobs designed tore-introduce Independence Center members to realwork experiences and serve as a stepping stone to acareer opportunity. The unique supports of TransitionalEmployment (TE) for both members andemployers ensure that it is, as the Wall Street Journalwrote, “A good deed that is also a good deal.”The process begins with an employer agreeing to hirean Independence Center member and hold a positionwithin their company for Independence Center. AnIndependence Center staff member learns the job inadvance and takes responsibility for training the IndependenceCenter member. The staff person chooses amember for the job based on their eagerness to work– 8 –

and the readiness skills they’ve demonstrated via theirinvolvement in the day to day activities of the Clubhouse.As members become more active in the day to dayrunning of the Clubhouse day program, staff recognizethe member’s willingness to work as well as theability to handle different tasks. The staff persontrains the member on the external employment positionuntil all parties involved — the member, the staffand the supervisor — agree that the member is readyto work independently. The Independence Centermember goes through the employer’s personnelprocess as an hourly employee but, as a part timeworker, does not require a benefits package.The Center guarantees absence coverage, either withthe help of members already working in the otherpart-time positions at that company, or when necessary,by one of the Center’s staff. If a member is notable to perform the job, he or she is expeditiouslyreplaced by a new member. Placements usually lastfrom six to nine months, at which point the workingmember moves to a new employment situation,finding their own position in the community, orreturning to school, and another member is trainedfor the job.Damon works closely with three IndependenceCenter staff who serve as his “placement managers”at Stifel, Elizabeth Gerleman, Audrey Pearson, andPaul Schoenig.Paul Schoenig recognizes many of Damon’s skills, withhis most notable being his customer service. “Damonis a great employee. He is conscientious and caresabout doing a good job. Perhaps his greatest strength,though, is his friendliness and great customer service.Everyone knows Damon at Stifel. Seldom have I visitedhim on the job and not seen him greeting people inthe break room, checking in on how employees aredoing, or just talking basketball with them before hisshift,” Paul said.Elizabeth loves Damon’s punctuality and his persistencedespite the challenges of his illness.“Damon is a pleasure to work with. He always bringsa ‘can do’ attitude when learning a new task for hisjob. One of Damon’s strength’s is his punctuality andconsistent attendance on the job. Damon arrives to hisjob site one hour before his shift actually begins. Whenasked why he arrives at work so early before starting hisshift, Damon’s replies that he wants to make sure he isnever late starting his shift. When Damon is strugglingwith symptoms of his mental illness, he still managesto attend work and complete all the duties his jobentails in a timely manner,” Elizabeth said.Damon knows he couldn’t be successful without thesupport of Independence Center’s team and the placementmanager model.“Independence Center staff are very supportive. Theyhelp calm my nerves when I feel like I am not doing agood job. They give positive feedback and guidanceon things that I sometimes get confused about, likewhen to replace the soda boxes. They also helped meby creating a check list or to do list, so I can prioritizemy work. They help me but they also give me someleeway to see if I can do it for myself,” Damon said.The partnership with Stifel is one that all IndependenceCenter staff and members cherish.“Stifel has been one of the most supportive andencouraging places I have managed TE placementsfor in my 16 years at Independence Center. RonKruszewski, Ken Blumberg and Delphina Poll havebeen wonderful partners with our TE program. Theircollaboration with Independence Center has given somany members a chance at getting started in a professionalwork environment,” Paul said.Independence Center staff person Audrey Pearsonagrees that the solid partnership with Stifel wasimperative to Damon’s success on the job.“Having Independence Center staff present the firsttwo weeks that Damon began his job was so importantin reassuring and encouraging him. Stifel did anexcellent job in allowing Damon to get comfortablewith his initial list of responsibilities before addingadditional tasks to his plate. Staggering responsibilitiesand accessing our support along the way hasallowed Damon and Stifel to have a great employmentpartnership,” Audrey said.Damon couldn’t agree more. “The position at Stifelis not stressful or high pressure, it’s the right level ofexpectations and it is realistic for me.”“We’re trying to provide people with a purpose,” saysRon Kruszewski, Chairman, President and CEO ofStifel. “Independence Center member employees arevery hard-working, and they do a great job.”Goals for the FutureWhen Damon isn’t working at Stifel or stopping in at theCenter after work, he enjoys hanging out at his apartmentin Maplewood, operated by Independence Center.“I’ve lived there for 10 years and I like it,” Damon said.Continued on page 12– 9 –

Remembering two pillars of theIndependence Center familyTaylor DeslogeIndependence Center lost two of its most loyalsupporters and dearest friends with the Februarypassing of Richard T. Stith, Jr. (Dick) and Taylor S.Desloge, who were cousins and close friends sincechildhood.Taylor was a graduate of St. Louis University Highschool and Saint Louis University with a degree ineconomics. Immediately following graduation, heenlisted in the Armyrising in rank to a secondlieutenant during WorldWar II, and eventuallycaptain before retiringfrom full duty whileremaining active in theArmy Reserves.Following his militarycareer, he completedan executive businesstraining program atHarvard University andentered the business worldas an insurance executive,eventually joiningthe team at General SteelIndustries, a leadingmanufacturer of rail rapidtransit equipment. Heretired in 1985, havingserved as General Steel’svice president, secretary,treasurer and a member ofthe board of directors.In addition to his professional achievements, Taylorwill be remembered for his work in the nonprofitcommunity in St. Louis. Active in the St. Louis HistoryMuseum for many years, he also helped organize thecommittee for the first National Senior Olympics,served as the chief financial officer of the VP FairFoundation, and graciously served on the board ofdirectors for the Museum of Transportation, St. John’sMercy Hospital, the St. Louis Psychoanalytic Instituteand Independence Center.His son, and former president of IndependenceCenter’s Board of Directors, Steve Desloge remembershis dad’s passion for Independence Center andits members. “As we spoke with dad about his desiresin terms of directing memorial tributes after hisdeath, Independence Center was the first name hementioned. He related to us often about his long andinteresting involvement with Independence Center,how he’d had so much funworking with the staff andboard especially in the earlyformative years. He’d watchedit grow into an important andunique part of the communityfabric. He enjoyed watchingIndependence Center developits capabilities and resources asit grew, and he always enjoyedvisiting, especially after themove to the new facility onForest Park Avenue. There he’dwitnessed high energy, activityand excitement about somenew development underway.He often spoke about IndependenceCenter to others,indicating how impressive theorganization is for what it’sbecome, and its exciting prospectsfor continuing growthand success.”Beth Brown, associate Directorof Independence Centerremembers Taylor’s warm and welcoming personality.“Taylor Desloge was one of the nicest guys. You werealways greeted with a big smile and a huge hello. Hehad a wonderful sense of humor and loved to crackjokes and cut up. He was forever teasing me aboutsomething or another. He was just a great person —warm, approachable and very caring.”Taylor’s personal life was just as fulfilling as hisprofessional career. He married Marian FranciscusFalk in 1950 raising seven children over their 62 yearstogether including their son, Stephen Falk Desloge– 10 –

and Dick Stith(Ann), of St. Louis, Marian (Lindsay) Desloge Guenther(the late Richard) of Wichita, Kan., MadeleineDesloge Kemp (Dennis) of Phoenix, Ariz., GeorgeTaylor “Tim” Desloge (Maria), identical twins AllanDesloge (Marybeth) and Phillip C. Desloge (Carolyn),all of St. Louis, and Judith Desloge Egan (Thomas), ofLibertyville, Ill. He is survived by his seven children, 19grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.Dick Stith and Taylor Desloge had a lot in common.Not only were they World War II veterans but theyshared a deepcommitmentto serving theircommunity throughpublic service andthe nonprofit sectorin St. Louis.Dick graduatedfrom Saint LouisUniversity in 1940and attended WashingtonUniversity’sLaw School. After ayear in law school,with the war againstHitler ragingin Europe andshortly before theJapanese bombedPearl Harbor,Dick signed up for the Naval Air Corps and headed toFlorida for training. Because he was in the top 10% oftrainees, he was able to switch to the aviation arm ofthe Marine Corp and eventually entered the PacificTheater as a Second Lieutenant, first piloting and latercommanding transport planes which delivered food,medicine ammunition to those fighting in the frontlines while picking up the wounded. His leadership andbravery earned him three Distinguished Flying Crossesand a dozen air medals. He rose to the rank of Majorbefore returning to civilian life in St. Louis when thewar ended in 1945. Just two years earlier, while homeon leave, he married Ann Carter See, whose fatherowned a life insurance and financial planning agency.Dick, who had an extraordinary rapport with clients,worked as a general agent alongside his brother-in-law,F. Russell Fetté, the agency’s financial expert. Aftertheir father-in-law retired, the agency was renamedFetté & Stith Agency of the New England Mutual LifeInsurance Co. Dick continued to work in life insuranceand financial planning until shortly before his death.As vividly described in Ann Carter’s 2003 memoir,“Lucking Out: Memories of a Happy Marriage,” theirlives were filled with great joy and tremendous heartacheincludingthe deaths oftwo of their sixchildren, one asan infant and theother as a youngadult. Anotherchild contractedpolio as a youngboy, but eventuallyovercame itsmost debilitatingphysical effects totravel the world,raise a family,and have a careeras a law professor.Far from losinghope in the aftermathof theseand other hardships, Dick resolved to dedicate himselfto helping others, whether they were relatives, friends,or members of the greater St. Louis community.Dick’s focus on helping others brought him into publiclife. In the early 1970s, Ann Carter convinced him torun for public office. Dick was elected alderman for theCity of Clayton in 1972. After five terms as alderman,Dick ran for Mayor, serving two terms from 1983 to1987. He then headed Clayton’s Planning Commissionuntil 1993.Dick’s keen interest in social service also led him toa lifelong commitment to the nonprofit and businesssectors. Shortly after returning from war, he helped– 11 –

Taylor Desloge and Dick Stith continuedfound and was the first president of the St. LouisChapter of the Marine Corps League. He was soonmade chairman of Saint Louis University’s first alumnifund drive. He became active in The Polio Societyafter his son’s diagnosis in the late 1940s. Throughthat organization, he met Dorothy Reilly, who hadadult-onset polio and could not find a job because sofew employers would hire someone in a wheelchair.Dick hired Dorothy as his secretary, a position sheheld for thirty years. Dick also served in various capacitiesin insurance industry trade associations, taughtestate planning for the American College for 18years and served on the board of Arundale, a plasticscompany. Dick served as the president of the board ofthe United Nations Association of Greater St. Louis,the Board of Trustees at the Clayton Library and waschairman of Confluence St. Louis (now FOCUS St.Louis). He was president of Hillcrest, his neighborhoodassociation, the Public Questions Club and thePsychoanalytic Foundation. He was treasurer of theInstitute for Theological Encounter with Science andTechnology and was a member of the Bequest andGift Councils of both Maryville College and BarnesHospital. He volunteered countless hours to theFamily Support Network, an organization dedicated topreventing child abuse, on whose board his wife AnnCarter served for many years.But no entity gave more meaning or purpose to Dick’slife than Independence Center, for which he was afounding board member in 1980. He had experiencedmental illness firsthand when Ann Carter wasdiagnosed with manic depression (bipolar disorder)and hospitalized for several weeks in 1955, whichshe described in her memoir. According to whatDick often told his youngest child, Rebecca Stith,watching those closest to him overcome the challengesof serious physical and mental illnesses — with thesupport and faith of others — convinced Dick thateveryone, if possible, should have the opportunity toachieve independent living and find fulfillment in life.When Dick had the chance to participate in the inceptionof Independence Center more than thirty yearsago, he grabbed it and never looked back.He served on the IC Board for over two decades andremained involved in an advisory capacity right upto his death. After Ann Carter passed away in 2005,Dick found love again with Marie Tramelli Morrison.Marie attended many IC events with Dick and becamea strong supporter of the organization.Beth Brown, associate director of IndependenceCenter, knew the secret of Dick’s success. “A warmthcame from Dick, the way he shook your hand, his kindface with those beautiful eyes,” Brown said. “He wasjust a really genuine guy.”Dick is survived by his four children, Richard T.Stith III (Rosemarie) of Valparaiso, Ind., Kate Stith-Cabranes (José Cabranes) of New Haven, Conn.,Laura Denvir Stith (Don Scott) of Kansas City, Mo.,and Rebecca S. Stith (Gen Obata) of Tacoma, Wash.;two “adopted” sons, Yabo Lin (Hong Mei) and MohanPhansalkar (Prachee), and ten grandchildren, twostep-grandchildren, and one great- granddaughter. Heis also survived by his companion, Marie Morrison.Biographical information for both individuals was obtained throughfamily documents provided at the memorial service, personal storiesfrom members of the Desloge and Stith families, and data fromarticles which appeared on stlbeacon.com.Damon Harrison cover story continuedHe recently spent a lot of his time after work enjoyingthe men’s final four basketball tournament. He’s alsoan avid music lover; his tastes vary from folk and discoto alternative and classical.What’s next for Damon? “I’d like to get anothertransitional employment job after Stifel, something ina clerical setting. For now, I am just happy that I amworking at Stifel,” Damon said.Elizabeth Gerleman, is grateful for the communityand corporate support. “We are grateful to our donorsand the corporate community, especially Stifel, fortheir continued investment in our TE program.This program helps create “real world” employmentopportunities for Independence Center members. Wecouldn’t do it without their support.”– 12 –

Spring ishere!Come see us for some beautiful plantsto spruce up your home for spring.Martha’s Flowers can design something thatwill fit perfectly with your decor and budget.INK OF MARTHA’S To order, call FLOWERS 314-880-5481 FOR YOUR FLORAL GIFTS!This spring Martha’s Flowers will befeaturing mixed floral bouquets and largehanging baskets to help decorate yourYour flowers will be waiting for you at our Clubhouse Shop.Credit cards accepted.favorite outdoor area. Whatever yourtaste, Martha’s Flowers can designsomething that will fit perfectly with your– 13 –decor and your budget! You can orderMartha’sFlowers…Where flowerschange lives.for your order. It’s as easy as 1,2,3 andbest of all... your flowers also made adifference in someone’s life.“Martha’s Flowers- Where flowerschange lives.”

Obtain YOP Tax Credits BeforeThey Expire September 30Independence Center was awarded Youth OpportunityProgram (YOP) tax credits through the Missouri Departmentof Economic Development. Donors providinggifts of $500 or more are eligible to participate in theprogram and the donations benefit individuals 18 to 21enrolled in Independence Center’s program and seekingassistance with employment and education.Any entity or individual who pays Missouri income taxand files a schedule A for itemized deductions mayreceive tax credits including individuals, corporations,partnerships, S Corps, LLC’s.A tax credit is a reduction of the taxes one owes theState of Missouri. When you donate to IndependenceCenter, you may be eligible to deduct the amount ofyour donation for your taxable income for the purposesof reducing your federal and state income tax bills. Thetax credits may be used for the tax year that the donationis made, or carried forward for five succeeding taxperiods. Federal and state charitable deductions arenot affected by contributions resulting in tax credits. Adonor has twelve months from the date of the contributionto submit the tax credit application. Tax credits willbe up to 50% of the value of any eligible donation to theannual fund. Donations of cash, stocks, and bonds areaccepted and eligible for tax credits.Eligible donations must be received between October 1,2011 and September 30, 2013.For more information on the YOP program, callLynn Huelsmann, Director of Development, IndependenceCenter at 314-880-5404 or lhuelsmann@independencecenter.orgIndividual Tax Bracket 35% 35% 35% 35% 35%Donation Amount $5000 $4000 $3000 $2000 $1000Federal Tax Savings $1,750 $1,400 $1,050 $700 $350Federal Tax Savings from YOP Credit Benefit ($980) ($784) ($588) ($392) ($196)Total Federal Tax Benefit $770 $616 $462 $308 $154Mo. Tax Cost Savings from YOP 50% $2,500 $2,000 $1,500 $1,000 $500Mo. Tax Cost Savings from 6% Deduction $300 $240 $180 $120 $560Total Mo. State Tax Benefits $2800 $2240 $1680 $1120 $560Net Cost of Donation $1,430 $1,144 $858 $572 $286theMarketat theFEATURINGST LOUIS' CREATIVE COMMUNITYJune 22nd - 23rd | 10 - 3 pm- Hosted byLaura Kathleenof Project Runway– 14 –

Demonstrate a Lasting Commitment to theCenter Through Our Buy a Brick ProgramSix years ago Independence Centerembarked on the most ambitious journey inthe program’s history, not only relocatingto an inspiring, new facility, but launching asubstantially new way of providing the rehabilitativeservices needed by our members– adults living with serious and persistentmental illness.Independence Center, in collaborationwith developers who specialize in renovatinghistoric properties, launched therestoration of a century old building tohouse our highly accredited program. Acreative financing arrangement involvedleasing the facility for a six-year term,before completing the purchase insummer of 2013. This allowed us the muchneeded time to raise funds through our“Rebuilding Futures, Restoring Lives”Capital Campaign. It also reduced our costs byroughly $1.5 million by qualifying for historic taxcredits. Most importantly, it allowed us to beginproviding innovative services years earlier than wouldhave otherwise not been possible.Our dreams were surely ambitious as we cultivated ourprogram in an environment radically different fromthat of our first twenty-five years. We were not contentperforming the same practices on a bigger scale, butchallenged ourselves to imagine new ways to workwithin the newly conceived space.It’s worked! Our average daily attendance hasincreased from approximately 170 to more than 245,and we now serve more than 1600 adults living withmental illness each year. We’re especially pleased withthe loft-like setting, outfitted with abundant and accessibletechnology, which has proven attractive to manyyoung adults affected by mental illness. It has becomemore apparent than ever that we reach young adultsearly in the diagnosis stage to serve them before theirillness takes a long-term toll.During our residence in our new home, we’veprovided tours to hundreds of visitors and hostedmany important community and professional groups.We often hear comments on how modern andBrick Prototypewelcoming the facility is, and how the layout complementsthe contemporary program that lives withinthese walls.After we fulfill the purchase agreement of thisremarkable facility this summer, we will still have amortgage, but our occupancy costs will be lower inabsolute dollars than those we lived with seven yearsago! That was our commitment when we undertookthis endeavor and we’re finally there, but weare equally dedicated to having the lowest mortgagepossible so as not to compromise services ourmembers so vitally need.This is why the Capital Campaign’s final fundraisingefforts are so important and why we’re asking for yourinvestment. We’d like to offer you the opportunityto “Buy-A-Brick” and help us close the gap on theremaining funds needed to complete the campaign,and thereby ensure a permanent facility for ourprogram, our members and those who’ll need us inthe future.A personalized brick to show your support, honor ormemorialization of a loved one, or salute a memberare possible. If you’d like to consider buying a brick,visit www.independencecenter.org or if you would likemore information please call (314) 880-5405, andBeth Brown will be happy to help.– 15 –

Non-Profit OrgU.S. PostagePAIDSt. Louis, MOPermit No 39284245 Forest Park Ave.St. Louis, MO 63108AUGUST 25, 2013Summer FusionIndependence CenterRooftop DeckJune 1, 201316 th Annual GibHecker MemorialGolf TournamentForest ParkJanuary 25, 2014Dancing with theSt. Louis Stars,a benefit forIndependence Center