Progress' SMART! Holds First Donation Day -Oct. 2.

Progress Inc. will soon open an innovative social enterprise called SMART! - Scrape Made Art. On Oct. 2, you can help this new green business by coming by Progress and donating useful, recyclable items.

WHAT IS SMART!?

SMART! will be an art reuse center where artists, school teachers, craftsmen, seamstress and anyone in between can purchase unique, recycled items for any arts and crafts project. Customers will be able to purchase these recyclable items - from Popsicle sticks to plastic water bottle tops - in bulk for their projects at affordable prices. Along with providing a cool new art store for Nashville, SMART! will benefit Progress Inc.'s mission of giving adults with intellectual disabilities meaningful employment opportunities. The clients we support will eventually work at SMART! with the assistance of management staff.

Here are some neat examples of art created from recyclable items found across the web: 

Mini Magnet Craft Courtesy of letsgochipper.wordpress.com

Balls of string created with newspapers Courtesy of news.softpedia.com

How can you help get SMART! going?

SMART! Project Manager Kelli Monday has devised a list of items that will be needed for SMART!'s inventory. 

We welcome anyone and everyone to bring the items (listed below) in bags or boxes to Progress' office, 319 Ezell Pike on Tuesday, Oct. 2. It will be the first of many donation days, where Kelli collects a variety of items that will be used for future works of art. If you have questions or want to know more about SMART!, please contact Kelli Monday k.monday@progress-inc.org. 

SLIDESHOW: HCA CARING COMMUNITY DAY AT PROGRESS

We cannot thank David Cannady and his crew of HCA employees enough for all their help during the HCA Caring Community Day 2012.  The annual event has helped Progress in so many ways. This year, the employees moved furniture, filed documents, helped assemble emergency kits that will be used at the homes of our clients, gardened and spent time decorating pumpkins with our day program clients. Please view our slideshow dedicated to the day of volunteering.

Progress Inc. 4-miler Coming to East Nashville Nov. 3

Progress Inc. is gearing up for the inaugural E.N.D. East Nash Dash - a 4-miler and bash that will benefit the programs that support seniors and adults with disabilities. There will be free food, drinks and music from East Nashville's favorites.

Please learn more and register for the 4-miler at www.eastnashdash.org and take a peek at the video from our PSA shot in the heart of Five Points last week.

DIDD Commissioner Jim Henry visits Progress Inc.

2012 Employment Idol Winner and Progress client Robert Page and DIDD Commissioner Jim Henry.



Henry and Progress Inc. Executive Director Donna Goodaker after his visit at Progress.

DIDD Commissioner Jim Henry made a visit to Progress Inc. this week.
Each of our directors in accounting, quality assurance, day programs and residential programs were able to share some insight with the commissioner about what is working and what has become challenges for our agency.

Commissioner Henry had glowing remarks about Progress' quality programming over the last several years. Since more than 20 percent of our clients are employed, we stand out as one of the top agencies in the state, he said. The commissioner introduced an initiative this year encouraging provider agencies in Tennessee to employ at least 20 percent of their clients.

We appreciate the commissioner taking the time to speak to us, tour the campus and share some updates about the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

Progress' Robert Page to be featured in The Tennessean

Robert being interviewed by Tennessean reporter Dawn Wyatt as his dad Les listens.

Robert Page's Employment Idol success has led right into the summer. He will be featured in The Tennessean's Davidson A.M. on July 4th! Please pick up a copy of Wednesday's paper and check the story out online.

His endearing story of being a dedicated, hardworking teacher's aide at Harris-Hillman for 15 years garnered the attention of reporter Dawn Wyatt. His Employment Idol video, which now has nearly 400 views on YouTube, was a fan favorite, but it also inspired some of the other contestants in the Tennessee Disability MegaConference video contest.

One of the competing videographers Walter Dodd from the Hilltoppers agency in Crossville shared this message on YouTube: "Congrats, guys. Robert won first place. We all were there and Brian (another contestant) and our group voted for Robert as well. He really Deserves it please tell him CONGRATS from everyone at our agency."

We appreciate the support from other agencies and the coverage by The Tennessean.

 Sharing the Progress' Story

Robert could not have become Tennessee's Employment Idol without social media outlets like Facebook and Youtube. Many Progress supporters shared links to the videos, Facebook posts and told their friends about the competition.

Just as that support helped Robert, it would help Progress if all our readers, Facebook fans and others shared the stories posted here at Pressing Forward With Progress and on our Facebook Page. According to a recent research provided by Facebook, 92 percent of people on social media sites shared and read stories that their online friends talked about or shared online.

Invite your friends to like and read our blog posts and like our Facebook page. There are so many great stories, photos and videos that give a glimpse into Progress' story.

Thanks for all the support!

Vote for Robert Page in the TN Employment Idol Video Contest

YouTube Video on What Makes Robert Page a TN Employment Idol.

Robert Page doesn't sing or play the guitar, but he is hoping to win your vote as an "idol" - Tennessee's Employment Idol that is.

The Tennessee Disability MegaConference called for video submissions earlier this month that highlight the employment success of an individual with intellectual disabilities. Online voting began Tuesday, and it ends today. During Thursday morning's MegaConference, a studio audience will also vote on the seven Employment Idol videos.

How to Vote for Robert's Video:

1. Sign into your Gmail, YouTube or Google+ account
2. Open this link in another tab.
3. Watch the video on Robert
4. Click the like button on the video

Robert has been a dedicated employee at Harris-Hillman for 15 years. He began as a volunteer at the school, but soon became a paid employee. When budget cuts threaten his employment, the school principal and Metro School Board fought to keep his position paid.

He loves earning his own money, but, most of all, he loves interacting with the students. He shows the students at Harris-Hillman, who also have disabilities, that there can be a full and prosperous life as an adult with disabilities.

He lives out the Progress mission of "moving forward with abilities."

Please take a few moments to view his video story and vote for Robert!

Check back here to see if Robert nabs the title.

Progress & Rochelle event will feature golf, food and FUN challenges

Daron Hall, Congressman Jim Cooper and dozens of business including Pinnacle Bank, Walgreens, Bass Tires, Zaxby's, Shoney's, Del Mar Medical and others will come out Thursday for a daylong golf tournament at the Pine Creek Golf Course.

The event is an inaugural collaboration between Progress Inc. and Rochelle Center, two Nashville non-profits that have been committed to providing day programs, employment and other support to adults with intellectual disabilities for more than 40 years.

Golfers from across the area will take on challenging contests and games at many holes, so, in part, they have a glimpse of the daily challenges some of the folks we serve face. Proceeds from the event will help subsidize programs that enrich and enhance the lives of adults with disabilities.

A recent Progress Activities Day with staff and clients gave our folks a chance to play everything from volleyball to Frisbee.

Along with the interesting challenges, including rating the golfer with the "worst" drive and the golfers who drive their balls closest to Pine Creek Golf Course's beautiful creek. The scramble across the 18-hole golf course will benefit two great organizations, but we also hope the golfers will indeed have a "A party at every hole..." Golfers will have goodies from Jonbalaya Food Truck, Corky's, Shoney's, Sonic's, Zaxby's and many others.

Check back here for photos from tomorrow's event!