Adaptive Community Approach Program, Inc (ACAP)
Mission
ACAP’s mission is to encourage people with disabilities to achieve their highest potential and to acquire life-long skills that will enable them to become contributing and valued members within their communities.
Funding request details
The majority of our members use funding from Wisconsin's Family Care program, which draws from Medicaid monies, to attend our community-oriented day service programs and two enhanced programs. With so much uncertainty around individual funding in 2026, we are seeking investment in our mission and in our standard-bearing operations. There has been a lot of change and flux in our sector, and we simply hope to be able to sustain our current level of programming during a period of change and apparent reduction of resources. ACAP's reputation for excellent programming reflects four decades of program model refinement. We currently offer more than 70 classes per week to 90-plus members at two sites in the following: advocacy, the arts, education & enrichment, sports & recreation, and community service. Our programs are delivered by a stellar staff, the majority of whom have college degrees (relatively rare among organizations in our sector.) Donations to general operations help us continue to innovate and elevate the experiences we offer to our membership, and to maintain, cultivate, and attract our outstanding staff. They help us go above and beyond with community opportunities for members with physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities.
Specific funding needs
Amount needed
$50,000
How gifts at different levels would be used
$14,000: ACAP's Enhanced Program, the ACAP PlayMakers, is an inclusive theater troupe of actors, performing two full-length productions at Waukesha Civic Theatre.
$15,000: ACAP’s Enhanced Program, Art Links Works, develops member artists' talents while delivering experiences of self-valorization through contributing to art sold at our Art Links Shop.
$5,000: ACAP's new Community Garden, opening spring 2026, makes possible our robust year-round gardening classes at a new space, needing extensive preparation.
$3,750: ACAP seeks funding to bring four to six individuals with disabilities to the annual Self-Determination Conference to develop and exercise their self- and systems-advocacy.
$5,000: ACAP seeks funds to offset the costs of maintaining a small fleet of three accessible vans, which we use daily for programming.
Impact in action
"I like how there are a lot of options of classes we can do. If there’s something interesting, they figure out how to make it work for everybody. For instance, our Fandom class, with the sailing, I wasn’t too sure about that, but I got to see the sailboat up close, and I thought, 'I think that will work!' I’m afraid of water, I think, because I never learned how to swim, so I’m nervous, but I’m also excited to try it. I didn’t think I’d like scrapbooking because I’m not a very creative person, even though I’ve come to find out I might be. I’ve had friends that scrapbook, and I really liked what they came up with, and I’m like, ok, I finally wanted to try it. At that point, a scrapbooking class with Patty was being offered, and I’m like, ok, we’re going to do this, we’re going to try it with Patty, and the rest is history. The back porch at my house is half scrapbooking supplies!” -- Danielle Dums
