Legacy Endowment Community Foundation Grants St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center $7,162 for Program Support

El Cajon, CA, January 05, 2014 --(PR.com)-- St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center, the East County vocational day program for more than 400 adults with developmental disabilities, announced today the organization is the recipient of a $7,162 grant from the Legacy Endowment Community Foundation. The grant will be used to fund innovative programs that provide disabled individuals with an education, practical life skills and employment.

“Every penny we receive is immensely helpful,” said Debra Emerson, CEO of St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center. “We appreciate the Legacy Endowment Community Foundation’s contribution of these much-needed funds.”

St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center’s “Life Programs” provide students with the ability to achieve the highest quality of life possible. Students learn how to develop and maintain healthy relationships in both their personal and professional lives. The programs are made possible by the generosity of individuals, corporations and foundations like the Legacy Endowment.

The funds come from the Legacy Endowment’s Elisabeth Wilson Endowment Fund, which distributes annual grants benefiting programs for senior citizens and people with disabilities. This was just one of 11 grants the Legacy Endowment awarded in 2013.

“St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center was chosen because they epitomize the very core of donor Elisabeth Wilson’s passion; benefiting the disabled with a compassionate helping hand,” said Mark Polarek, Executive Director at the Legacy Endowment Community Foundation. “We at Legacy are honored to be working hand in hand with an organization that has such an impact on the community.”

Legacy Endowment Community Foundation is a volunteer-driven, non-profit public charity established in 1994 to serve donors, award grants, and provide leadership to improve the quality of life in North County. For more information, contact Executive Director Mark Polarek at mark.polarek@legacyendowment.org or 760-728-3304.

About St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center: St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center serves 400+ adults with developmental disabilities, ages 22 to 70+. Its mission is to empower its students to discover, experience and realize their full potential as members of the greater community. Developmental disabilities include autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and other cognitive disorders, for which there are no cures. Programs are offered on a staff-to-student ratio of 1:3 to 1:6, depending upon the level of each student’s disability. These programs include: Activity Center; Adult Development Center; seniors (for adults age 50+); Behavior Modification; Supported Employment; and Work Activity Program. Under these program areas, students can participate in the following activities: Sophie’s Gallery Art Program; Adaptive Computer Lab; Therapeutic Organic Garden and Worm Farm; Therapeutic Aquatics and Special Olympics Swim Team; Culinary Arts; Aerobics/Fitness/Yoga/Tai Chi; Dance (in collaboration with Malashock Dance Company); Theatre Arts; Music Therapy (on campus and in the community in collaboration with Rock and Roll San Diego in Point Loma); Reading; and Speech Therapy/Sign Language.

Sites: St. Madeleine’s has three sites: its main campus on the outskirts of El Cajon; Sophie’s Gallery and Gift Shop in Downtown El Cajon; and a satellite gallery, Sophie’s Gallery at NTC Liberty Station.