Southwinds, Inc. is a company that believes in equality among men.  They believe that it doesn’t matter if you’re someone that has developmental challenges.  Everyone should live a normal life with the right amount of needed support.  The hold several events to help raise funds so they can set up homes for the developmentally-challenged so they can live normal lives.  For example, they’re setting up the Highmark’s Walk for a Healthy Community that aims to raise $20,000.  Read on to know more about the organization and to know how you can help.

-What is your organization's name?
Southwinds, Inc.
-What is your name and what is your affiliation with the organization?
Julie Boyce-Kuna, Director of Development and Marketing
-Please tell us little bit about you.
Julie joined Southwinds, Inc., located in Pittsburgh, in 2007.  She was recently promoted to 
Director of Development & Marketing (2010).  She is responsible for creating and 
implementing their annual development plan, achieving fundraising goals, engaging and 
cultivating donors and sponsors as well as leveraging key relationships with potential new 
funding sources.  Grant management is a key area of growth for this upcoming year.  She 
manages details of special events and meetings to ensure presentation and cost effectiveness 
and has successfully coordinated Southwinds' 25th anniversary gala, Southwinds' annual golf 
event and Southwinds' participation in the Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community 
walk-a-thon.  The public relation side of her job includes increasing public awareness about 
Southwinds in the form of public speaking engagements, magazine and newspaper articles, 
public service announcements and press releases.  She is a member of the Association of
Fundraising Professionals (AFP).
Before joining Southwinds, Julie worked at WQED Multimedia from March 2006 to August 2007. 
She also owned and managed her own consignment clothing store.  Julie has a Bachelor of 
Science in Human Development and Family studies from The Pennsylvania State University and 
a Masters of Science in Non-Profit Management from Carlow University.  Julie wed her husband,
Ryan, in August 2008.  They live in Bethel Park with their three your old hound dog, Rocco.
-How / why did your organization start? (Background, History)
Southwinds, Inc. had its beginnings with Parent to Parent South Hills, a group of parents of 
intellectually and developmentally disabled children who offered each other support in the 
special problems about in-home care for their sons and daughters.  In 1983, Parent to Parent 
broadened the scope of its activities, and a committee of fifteen began to study the problems 
faced by developmentally challenged adult children who require an out of home residence.  It 
was the committee's unanimous decision that the greatest need was for an increase in 
community residential facilities for persons reaching adulthood.  Such facilities, while providing 
much needed family relief would grant their sons and daughters, and others, the opportunity to 
develop their abilities and live in the communities where they had been living.
After working on the project for more than a year, Southwinds became a service provider in 
November 1983 with objectives and goals identified as:
*        Establishing 24-hour residential programs that protect individual dignity and health.
*        Serving as a base from which intellectually and developmentally disabled individuals can 
develop the skills necessary to lead productive lives in the least restrictive environment.
*        Enhancing the intellectually and developmentally disabled individual's self-worth, self-care
capabilities, interpersonal skills, and the understanding of the responsibilities of community 
living.
*        Maximizing the individual's integration into the community and use of services.
-What is your organization's objective? (What does it do?)
Southwinds' mission is to provide residences for developmentally challenged persons in the 
community, while enhancing their quality of life and offering opportunities for specialized 
programs, social involvement, and independence. Our focus continues to be breaking down the 
isolation and segregation experienced by the developmentally challenged, by providing them 
with extensive services that promote their independence, dignity and equality.
Today, Southwinds has 14 homes and serves 51 individuals.  We remain committed to the 
belief that all persons are capable of continuing development.  The following services assist 
each person in improving their skills for independent living.
*        Help for each individual to set and pursue goals for personal growth.
*        Implementation of personalized plans in daily living skills to supplement integration into 
the community.
*        24-hour professional staff at each home.
*        Transportation to employment, workshops, therapeutic activity centers, recreational 
activities and personal appointments.
*        Community relations and volunteer programs designed to assist in integrating individuals 
into their communities.
*        Public education in acceptance and support of these individuals as members of the 
community.
-How long has the organization been around?
28 years, we became a 501c(3) organization in 1983
-What kind of events / activities does your organization do?
*        The annual Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community walk-a-thon
*        An annual charity golf outing
-How can people get in touch with your organization (or you)? (website, email, telephone 
etc.)
http://www.southwindsinc.org/
julieb@southwindsinc.org
412-446-1080
2101 Greentree Road, Suite 201A
Pittsburgh, PA 15220
-Any messages to Greater Pittsburgh?
Thank you for the opportunity to tell the people of Pittsburgh about Southwinds, Inc. and the 
extraordinary individuals that we serve.