Upward is dedicated to serving severely disabled and/or medically fragile children and their families. At Upward, we make skills development, learning and therapy fun. We are bringing hope and joy to the children we support and helping them achieve their highest potential.

1. Lifting Children Upward
Building a real home for our families with special needs

2. History & Mission
• Founded in 1958 as Arizona Preschool
• Incorporated in 1969 as Upward Foundation
• Mission - to help children and adults with
special needs to reach their highest
potential while empowering their families to
thrive
• Arizona’s primary provider of education,
therapy and childcare for children and young
adults with developmental disabilities or
those who are severely medically fragile

3. Who We Serve
• Children and young adults who suffer from:
– Severe birth defects and genetic disorders
– Near-drownings, shaken baby syndrome, fetal
alcohol syndrome and other early childhood
traumas
• We focus on four program areas:

4. Special Education
– The only private school in the Valley
serving children and young adults
from age 3 to 22 years
– Special needs, sensory based pre-
school for ages 3 to 5
– Individualized education program for
each student
– PK-12 special education for up to 55
students from school districts across
Maricopa County

5. Calista
Calista suffers from seizure disorder. Since age three, she has
attended UPWARD’s special needs preschool and our inclusive
childcare program. This allows Calista's working parents to pick
her up at the end of the day, instead having to take time off
work to transport her from one program to another.
When Calista arrived she was not signing any words, was non-
verbal, and could not sit up by herself. After a year Calista was
signing 15 different words! Today, at 11 years old, she is very
vocal, especially during Music Therapy and is now able to pull
herself up to a sitting position from lying down. Imagine the joy
that brought to her family.

6. Pediatric Outpatient Therapy
– Occupational therapy
– Physical, speech and language therapy
– Feeding and swallowing therapy
– Music therapy
– UPWARD subsidizes this program with
up to $250,000 per year

7. Emma
“Emma was born in 2003, a healthy, happy and normal functioning baby. When
she was 11 months old, she was a victim of Shaken Baby Syndrome and blunt
force trauma. The CT scan showed bleeding on her brain and she needed
emergency surgery.
“She lost part of her right frontal and parietal lobes. In addition, most of the right
hemisphere is damaged and so is part of the left. She had retinal hemorrhaging in
her right eye. She also lost the function of her left arm and leg. She had seizures.
She did not react to light or sounds and was in a coma for 3 weeks, after which
she spent a month in intensive care and another month in neuro-rehabilitation.
“Since 2008 she has worked with therapists at UPWARD who have done some
amazing work and know she can do more! Emma is now 11 and she can talk... a
lot. She walks too. She has a limp and wears a brace but it doesn't stop her from
dancing. She still doesn't use her left arm, but we are working on it. If it wasn't for
the awesome therapists in her life, Emma would not have made the gains she
has. In 2004, she was a baby who suffered a very serious head injury. Now she is
a rambunctious, precocious and endearingly feisty 11 year old who loves to give
her therapists, doctors, and teachers a run for their money. She likes to see if you
can keep up with her.”

8. Jose
“Jose came to UPWARD when he was three years old. He was
diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, seizure disorder, Hydrocephalus, cortical
visual impairment and a chronic lung problem. He has both a feeding
tube and trach tube. As result of surgery on his leg tendons, he cannot
bend his knees. UPWARD’s therapists help him to stretch his legs so that
he can relax.
“When he arrived he could not move or raise his arms or open his
hands, nor could he tolerate his teeth or mouth being touched. Now at
age 15, he can move both his arms, and use his hands to hold toys!! He
has his teeth brushed every day and makes regular trips to the dentist.
Through music therapy, he has learned to make sounds through his
trach tube. He really enjoys that. UPWARD means the world to Jose. It
has made his life amazing!”

9. Inclusive Childcare
•The only multi-age and multi-ability
developmentally play based program in Maricopa
County
•Provides services to children ages 18 months to
age 5, with and without disabilities
–Allows siblings to stay, learn and play together
–Teaches children about diversity
–Saves parents multiple trips to multiple facilities
•An accredited Quality First Childcare Center

10. Jasov
Jasov is a four year old with Cerebral Palsy who attends
UPWARD’s inclusive childcare program five days a
week, as well as pediatric outpatient therapy. When he
first arrived, Jasov was unable to sit up without
assistance and struggled with a host of other
challenges. He can now pull himself up to sit and can
walk with a trainer. He recently took a therapeutic
horseback ride arranged by UPWARD. His mother says,
“UPWARD gives me piece of mind. Everyday the staff
members show how much they care for Jasov. I do not
think there is better daycare for my son to be in! We are
so grateful!”

11. Day Treatment & Training for
Adults
Children with severe disabilities grow up to
become adults with severe disabilities. In
response to growing demand, in 2010
UPWARD launched Maricopa County’s first
Adult Day Treatment program to serve
medically fragile adults. Focusing on physical,
social/emotional and cognitive needs,
UPWARD provides continuity of care once our
students age out of the PK-12 program. It also
provides respite for family and caregivers.

12. Jackie
“My daughter Jackie is a beautiful 28-year old
young lady who has multiple disabilities, including
cerebral palsy. She first came to UPWARD when
she was just two and a half years old.
“When UPWARD began its day program for older
kids it was a great relief to be able to have her go
“home” to the place she knows and loves, and
where they know and love her, too.
“I don’t know how many kids there are in the world
like Jackie, but I do know there is only one
UPWARD!”

13. Who We Are
• 30 plus therapists, nurses, teachers and support
staff
• One to three staff to client ratio
• Licensed and certified by Arizona Departments of
Education, Health Services, Economic Security,
and the Division of Developmental Disabilities
• All Teachers hold degrees in Special Education
• Average staff tenure is nine years

14. Operating Budget
50%
18%
15%
11%
3% 2%
2014/15 Revenue - $2,111,000
DOE-School
Districts
Private Support
& Grants
DES-DDD
United Way
Private Pay &
Insurance
Other Income

15. Strategic Plans
•Build capacity to meet increasing demand
For many families with school aged children with special needs,
there is only UPWARD
There are hundreds of children in Maricopa County who are not
receiving pediatric therapy
•Update disjointed and aging facilities,
some dating back to the 1970’s
UPWARD’s board of directors has committed to the construction
of a new campus
UPWARD purchased adjacent property increasing campus size to
2.2 acres in preparation for expansion

16. New & Upgraded Campus
The new campus will add 20,000 square feet of new construction bringing the
total campus size to 26,000 square feet. Only the existing therapy building will
remain.
The design will bring all program, outside play, nursing, storage and administrative
functions together in one coordinated quadrangle with each space specifically
designed for its purpose.

17. Impact of New Campus
• Double the capacity of our Day Treatment for Adults
Program to 16
• Two additional classrooms for school aged children,
increasing our capacity from 35 to 55 children
• Large dedicated therapy room offering group pediatric
therapy to serve up to 50 additional patients
• New program! Added space will provide care for up to 10
infants – not currently provided by any local agency
• Redesigned bus and passenger vehicle traffic flow and
dramatically improved safety for patients, families and staff
• Lower maintenance and repair expenses associated with
the current facilities

18. Lifting Children Upward Campaign
*Direct Hard Costs-
Building Construction $3,500,000
Design & Engineering Costs 200,000
City & Utility Company Fees 150,000
Other - including insurance 25,000
FF&E 180,000
Total Direct Hard Costs: 4,055,000
Land Acquisition
Purchase of Adjacent Lot 225,000
Direct Soft Costs-
Short Term Financing 180,000
Soft Cost Contingency 50,000
Program Expansion Startup Costs over 2 years $100,000
Total Direct Costs: $4,610,000
Indirect Costs-
Allowance for Pledge Shrinkage 255,000
Fundraising Costs 460,000
Total Indirect Costs: $715,000
Total Project Costs: $5,325,000

19. Chart of Gifts
DRAFT
Number Will Cumulative % of
of Gifts In the Range of Produce Production Goal
2 @ 500,000 - 749,999 = 1,000,000 1,000,000 20%
4 @ 250,000 - 499,999 = 1,000,000 2,000,000 40%
7 @ 100,000 - 249,999 = 700,000 2,700,000 53%
20 @ 50,000 - 99,999 = 1,000,000 3,700,000 74%
32 @ 25,000 - 49,999 = 800,000 4,500,000 89%
40 @ 10,000 - 24,999 = 400,000 4,900,000 96%
Many Gifts Under $10,000 = 200,000 5,100,000 100.0 %
105 Gifts of $10,000 and above