SSM Health is giving $8,050 to The Arc Fond du Lac to support a three literacy workbook series designed to help participants learn to read or enhance their existing literacy skills.
The gift will also help fund a three-year subscription to AccessiBe, an AI powered tool designed to enhance The Arc website navigation and usability for individuals with disabilities.
The Arc Fond du Lac provides services to more than 250 individuals and families each year in Fond du Lac, Dodge, and Winnebago counties. The team cares for ages ranging from five years of age to end of life. All programs are person-centered helping members achieve their personal goals.
In July 2024, the Fond du Lac Census Bureau reported that 10.6% of Fond du Lac County residents have one or more visual, cognitive, or physical disability.
“It is essential that our website be fully accessible to the community we serve, ensuring that everyone is given the same access to information,” according to Dawn Scannell, The Arc Fond du Lac executive director. “With AccessiBe, users will have access to customizable accessibility widgets that offer features such as content adjustment, color and display modifications, navigation enhancements, screen-reader capability, and keyboard navigation support.”
At this time, 30 The Arc Fond du Lac participants are interested in developing or strengthening their reading abilities.
“Through engaging exercises, discussion prompts, comprehension checks, and listening activities, our participants can improve their literacy in a supportive and interactive way, empowering them with greater independence and confidence in their daily lives,” Scannell shares.
“We’re happy to support The Arc Fond du Lac County as team members are playing a crucial role in providing essential services and being able to deliver these resources to empower individuals and families,” according to Tami Schattschneider, SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital VP Patient Care Services/CNO. “These services help support individuals through immediate assistance while fostering a more inclusive society.”
To learn more, call The Arc Fond du Lac at 920-923-3810 or visit arcfdl.org.
In 2024, SSM Health’s local community benefit ministry totaled more than $568,000 across the communities it serves. This investment helps ensure access to health care for patients who are uninsured or underinsured, train the next generation of health professionals to care for those in need, and fund programs to address the most pressing health needs of our communities.
Tami Schattschneider (left), SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital VP Patient Care Services/CNO; Sara Kaiser, SSM Health Treffert Studios supervisor (third from left); and Shane Smith (center), SSM Health Fond du Lac Market president, present a $8,050 gift to The Arc Fond du Lac representatives, including (left to right) Trinity Craft, Kasara Turnbull, Linda Branshaw, and Dawn Scannell.