Dear Friends and Family

All of you know our son Matthew and that he has attended Orange Grove Center for many years.  Orange Grove has been a wonderful blessing for Matthew, enabling him to gain needed life and work skills to prepare him for adulthood.

Karen and I would be honored if you would make a gift to the Orange Grove Center Capital Campaign that is currently underway.  We have made an inital donation of $10,000 and will match your donation dollar for dollar.  Donating through this website is simple, fast, and totally secure.  Thank you for your support, and feel free to forward this to anyone who you think might want to donate to Orange Grove Center as well. 

God Bless You!

Karen and Scott Ossewaarde

Here is more information on Matthew and the OGC Capital Campaign:

Matthew graduated from the school program last spring and is now receiving their employment services.  With coaching from Orange Grove staff, he is working at the Tennessee Valley Authority headquarters in downtown Chattanooga collecting papers from recycling stations around the office complex and bringing them to a recycling container at the loading dock.  He is very excited about his work and is a very dedicated worker.  He is proud that he can go to work everyday “just like Dad” and we are so proud of him.

We have found the Orange Grove staff to be caring and capable.  They work diligently to help Matthew and other students and clients at the Center develop to their fullest capabilities.  They have been a tremendous asset to the Chattanooga community since 1953.

Compounding the challenge of serving our children with developmental disabilities is the lack of funding from the Tennessee Division of Mental Retardations Services (DMRS).  There is a waiting list of over 3500 persons for services.  In addition, DMRS has announced a mandatory across the board 6.1% decrease in funding for all providers like Orange Grove Center.  These actions make maintaining even the most basic services difficult, and leave few resources to improve the Center’s facilities and capabilities.
 
Orange Grove Center has announced a $4,775,000 Capital Campaign to continue to grow and develop their extraordinary programs for those individuals like Matthew with intellectual disabilities.  Contributions to the campaign will support campus renovations, recycling center improvements, four additional homes for seniors, funds for extraordinary and supplemental services, and strategic planning for a collaborative community Autism Resource Center.

Thanks for reading, and thank you in advance for your gift to the Orange Grove Center Capital Campaign.

Karen and Scott