For 40 years, Service Enterprises, Inc. (SEI) has been helping people with disabilities, through employment opportunities, training, personal care and leisure programs and other services, to achieve their employment goals and be as independent as their abilities allow.

On average, 60 people receive services daily at SEI through our center-based program areas while others are at work in the community. Individuals who spend all or part of their days in center-based programs at SEI are transported from residential group homes, schools, family homes and individual residences.

Morning and afternoon drop-off and pick-up times can be chaotic as a host of cars, mini-vans, suburbans, min buses and a full-size school bus shuttle people to and from SEI. Presently, the vehicles unload passengers and must reverse to leave the parking lot. At times there are other buses or vehicles waiting and the area can get congested. Safety of the clients and drivers is a constant concern.

As we look to the future, the clientele we serve through our center-based programs will continue to age and the number of people with mobility impairments will continue to grow. The proposed entranceway project includes the construction of a canopy over the loading and unloading area to shield it from the elements to ensure safer entry to and exit from the buiilding. The project also includes the addition of automatic sliding doors and a gathering space for clients to wait for transportation.

Many of these individuals have been receiving services through SEI much of their adult life. The services have changed to meet their changing needs. Updating our facility and client entrance to assure people's safety will help Service Enterprises to continue to serve these people in our programs well into the future.