Milwaukee Center for Independence
2020 West Wells Street
Milwaukee, WI 53233
Howard Garber
President
2005 Honorable Mention / Charity Category
The Milwaukee Center For Independence is a non-profit organization that’s been serving children and adults with special needs since 1938. Its programs are as numerous and varied as the clients they serve.
The center offers more than 50 programs for infants through senior citizens. It includes programs for people with cognitive and physical disabilities or mental health issues, a charter school, in-home care for the elderly, and an employment service program with placement and training. About 10,000 people each year benefit from the programs at MCFI. In addition, the center has a number of small business that are considered extensions of its training programs, such as a food service program that serves 7,000 meals daily and a janitorial service that cares for approximately a million square feet of office space.
Because the people MCFI serves are considered to be so vulnerable and can be easily taken advantage of, strong ethics are absolutely essential at MCFI, said Dr. Howard Garber, president of the organization.
“It sounds a little bit romantic to talk about ethics nowadays,” Garber said. “But there are probably few industries that demand ethics like the social service industry and the kind of people it serves. The parents of the people that come here expect nothing less than that.”
While he considers the employees at MCFI exemplary, the organization is very careful about whom it hires. It carefully screens potential new hires and conducts background checks. It also wants employees to have experience dealing with special needs clients, because the job can be frustrating, Garber said.
“There are people who work in our organization who are absolutely the most wonderful people in the world,” he added. “What they are able to do and what they do on a daily basis is just remarkable.”
MCFI has received numerous awards, including the highest accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, the national review board for rehabilitation programs, for the past 15 years. Garber said that he thinks these awards, as well as the Better Business Bureau’s Torch Award for Business Ethics and Integrity, are affirming for MCFI’s employees.
“It’s important that recognition goes beyond this building and that the community can see examples of the good work we do,” he said. “And, it’s important to the families and the other organizations that work with us. It gives them great comfort.”
-Written by, Susan Bach – published Oct 2, 2005 Journal Sentinel Sunday edition