Allied Community Programs

Our Mission – Provide individuals with disabilities or other challenges the opportunity to live and enjoy a productive, independent, and fulfilling life.

Our Vision – Creating Opportunities for People

Allied Community Programs was founded in 1962 by local visionary special education teachers and parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities who knew their children had worth and were of value to society. While we have undergone several name changes, most recently from Allied Rehabilitation Centers to Allied Community Programs, our mission remains the same. The founders became dedicated and persistent advocates for giving their children the right to be accepted within the community, to be educated, to attend day activities, vocational training, and an opportunity for employment, housing, and socialization within the community.

Today, Allied Community Programs is a community-based organization, and community is key to our success. We have used our community to create opportunities for people in our services to explore, experience, and learn. Allied Community Programs provides services designed to integrate people with developmental, cognitive, and physical challenges into the fabric of their communities. As a result, we ensure that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and other challenges live and enjoy a productive, independent, and fulfilling life.

Our caring, nurturing, and professional staff is highly trained and qualified to meet the needs of the individuals we support. Our diverse Board of Directors comprises local business leaders, advocates, and professionals, and they are strong advocates who help create a successful team.

Allied Community Programs supports more than 200 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and families throughout North Central Connecticut.

Our Values are a deep part of Allied’s culture and guide us every day – in how we think, in what we say, and in what we do:

• Excellence: Upholding the highest standards in all that we do.
• Respect: Treating all individuals with care, dignity, and respect.
• Innovation: Seeking continuous improvement by cultivating creativity, embracing change, and seizing opportunities.
• Diversity: Valuing and respecting the contributions and participation of all individuals.
• Collaboration: Working together to achieve the best results.
• Integrity: Being open, honest, and sincere in living our values, providing services, and conducting our business.
• Accountability: Achieving measurable results and ensuring responsible management of our resources.

Accomplishments in the Nonprofit Community:

In 2020, agencies supporting individuals with disabilities closed almost all their programs except for residential services. During this time, Allied Community Programs staff ensured that participants living in group homes or alone in apartments continued receiving required care. Our staff was Innovative in their service delivery, displaying Integrity and Excellence during these unprecedented times.

Today, our Allied’s Attic Thrift Store and Donation Center surpassed expectations having its best year ever. In our residential department, a five-bedroom single-story accessible home was built and housed five individuals. Our employment and day programs exceeded attendance expectations and are fully open to all participants. Multiple grants and donations were received from community partners for our unfunded sports and recreation program. The funds enabled the purchase of new sports equipment and uniforms and partially covered registration costs for Special Olympic events. The funds also allowed us to double our recreation group’s size and other additional outings.

How has TANGO Impacted your Organization:

Our TANGO partnership has allowed Allied Community Programs to network with many organizations to which we may not have otherwise had the opportunity to connect. As a nonprofit, we have utilized the TANGO exchange to obtain office furniture at no cost and also donated items through the donation depot.

In addition, TANGO offers many free training and other opportunities to our managers and directors. We have attended TANGO complimentary conferences with all-day trainings that, as a nonprofit, are invaluable. Allied Community Programs is committed to developing our employees, and our TANGO partnership enables us to access many valuable resources!