In Community sheds light on the many issues and challenges people with intellectual and developmental disabilities face in their journey to leading fulfilling lives. It also focuses on Laura Baker Services Association’s efforts to build a supportive community that embraces all people.
February 15, 2024
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
We need our partners along for the journey – and we thank you, in advance, for continuing the journey with us. Read More
November 15, 2023
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
We look forward with hope and anticipation to striding purposefully into our next century! Together we can, and we do, and we will. Read More
August 15, 2023
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Everyday magic – seeing people blossom is the stuff dreams are made of. Read More
February 14, 2023
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
The Path Forward Finding Hope was the theme for the 2022 Gala and going forward in 2023. It’s also my personal goal this year. I recently had a conversation with someone, and they asked me how do I know if I’m finding hope? What does it mean for my physical… Read More
November 7, 2022
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Finding hope, finding the light, can seem more and more difficult in these crazy times. Community support, families who tell their stories and the good they see remind us that the work we do is life-giving, and that the people we work with deserve to be moved from society’s margins to receive the support they need and deserve. Read More
July 28, 2022
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
For me, finding hope is essential to continuing to work through the enormous existential challenges we face every day. Read More
February 9, 2022
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Challenges and Triumphs Well, it’s been an interesting few years at Laura Baker Services Association (LBSA) – and the challenges and triumphs continue into 2022. It’s messy. The pathway that once seemed relatively clear is now subject to unexpected twists and turns, or to disappearing in the forest with little… Read More
November 18, 2021
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Embrace the Mess, Every Step of the Way 2020 AND 2021 HAVE BEEN VERY MESSY YEARS. Both internally at Laura Baker Services Association (LBSA), and in the world at large. At LBSA, our biggest challenge continues to be finding enough staff members to support our services. We’re joining with other… Read More
August 17, 2021
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Expectations and Challenges So how about 2020? What a year! We’re all grateful to be able to be mostly done with quarantine and moving forward with our lives. At Laura Baker Services Association (LBSA), 2020 was about keeping people safe from COVID-19 (both clients and staff) and examining and adjusting… Read More
July 14, 2021
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Hope for the Future So how about 2020? What a year! We’re all grateful to be able to be mostly done with quarantine and moving forward with our lives. At LBSA, 2020 was about keeping people safe from COVID-19 (both clients and staff) and examining and adjusting our business model… Read More
January 29, 2021
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Gratitude. Unadulterated thankfulness that I don’t do this work alone. Navigating the COVID-19 landscape, often in small circles or alone, has made it clearer that we need each other: for social purposes, for mental health purposes, for emotional support, for recreation. We are social animals. Isolation is chafing. If you’re… Read More
November 16, 2020
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
The Pathway to Tomorrow Change, The Art of Possibility, Beacons of Hope – I’ve written about all of them over the years. We’re definitely in a sea of change. I am inspired by the people who are finding ways to adapt their businesses and personal lives to meet the changes. Read More
August 6, 2020
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Beacons of Hope It’s a time of uncertainty, heightened emotion – especially emotions we prefer to minimize: fear, sadness, fatigue. We struggle with our ability to feel a host of emotions at the same time: How do we hold fear and joy, sadness and pride, humility and anger? Instead of… Read More
June 8, 2020
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Standing Up Together I’m a little late to the support for the George Floyd/Black Lives Matter cause. Why? Because I want to be an authentic and appropriate voice for making meaningful systemic changes that are desperately needed in our society. For me, that takes thoughtful consideration. I – we –… Read More
February 12, 2020
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
The start of the new year provides an opportunity to refresh perspective on intractable challenges and to consider possibilities. Read More
February 3, 2020
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Possibility A friend of mine recently said, “… one of the strengths that Sandi brings to her role as Executive Director is a critical ability to see the possibilities. Honestly, I think it is her shield that she wears in this very challenging and, at times, very dynamic sector of… Read More
October 30, 2019
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Tornadoes and Whirlwinds While LBSA was largely spared in the tornadic assault on Rice County on September 20 (We lost a few trees, and had no significant property damage.), it seems that the whirlwind from the storm remains. Or maybe it’s been here for some time. I’m not talking about… Read More
August 1, 2019
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Let's Stand Together My pastor called me recently to provide support after the sudden loss of a long-time staff member. After we hung up, I paused to reflect on my mechanical responses. I was numb. And I realized that two years of unrelenting loss and challenges will do that to… Read More
May 3, 2019
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Let's Talk About the Value of Long-Term Care Did you see the recent Facebook post from the guy who has decided that he’s not going into a nursing home, he’s going to live at Holiday Inns in the twilight of his years? He’s done the math and determined that he can… Read More
February 1, 2019
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Heroes Who are your heroes? How do you decide who gets on the list? Defining my heroes was not something I thought much about. Then someone asked me who my heroes are. My first instinct was to consider celebrities – they must be a celebrity for a reason,… Read More
August 23, 2018
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Looking Beyond the Surface What’s below the surface? What exists beyond the first glance? In our hurry-up world, it’s easy to believe that a snapshot gives a three-dimensional picture. We can easily accept that rhetoric is reality. We want to have simple explanations to complex issues. In a world filled… Read More
August 21, 2018
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
The Power of Community In America, we receive constant messages that each person can do it all, be it all, do it all on their own. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities challenge that notion. Sometimes, they challenge it based on their need for our support. Sometimes, they challenge the… Read More
March 15, 2018
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Inspire. Unite. Build. Loneliness – it’s the newest public health crisis. Organizations as disparate as The Wall Street Journal, NPR, The New York Times, Fortune, and the British government are raising awareness of this issue and taking action to combat loneliness and the threat it poses to our ongoing health. Some studies indicate that… Read More
November 20, 2017
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Finding Supportive Partners Telling It Like He Sees It Thanks to two valued partners Charlie Sewich and Frank Grazzini we had the opportunity to host Senator Rich Draheim for a tour and visit of LBSA. Senator Draheim is our state senator, newly elected last fall. Generally, working with legislators, especially… Read More
July 18, 2017
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Housing and Ethical Governance Affordable housing is under attack. It won’t get better until we as citizens demand that those who govern address this critical need in practical and creative ways. We need to prioritize and demand housing solutions in the same way that we are demanding change in the… Read More
May 1, 2017
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Understanding the Safety Net Poverty in America. It’s a charged issue. Opinions about how and why people end up impoverished run a wide gamut. Those opinions greatly impact public policy designed to create a safety net for people. For as long as I can remember, we’ve debated in the state… Read More
April 20, 2017
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Celebrating Amazing Employees Together, the people we support and our employees are the life blood of Laura Baker Services Association. With no one to support, we don’t exist. Without adequate numbers of employees, our ability to support people is limited. As we look ahead to Employee Appreciation Week, April 23–30,… Read More
March 31, 2017
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Paving the Path, Together Community Building I love to think of the space between us as our gathering space … our agreement space … our community building space. It’s where the paths belong. This community building stuff is intense, hard work and wonderful. Defining the space between us is the… Read More
March 6, 2017
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
A New Perspective on Value-Based Payments I attended a conference recently on performance-based management. I was swimming in a sea of BIG ($500M+) corporate providers. In comparison, Laura Baker Services Association is a VERY small fish in this sea. At the core of the conference was how we pay for… Read More
February 3, 2017
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Civic Engagement in Today's World Wherever I go, I hear that Americans don’t trust: Government Churches Big business Schools Any entity big enough to reduce their needs to a number Why? Generally, because their needs are not being met by these entities. Losing Small-town America My parents live in a… Read More
December 21, 2016
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Changing Lives Together Our annual Gala and the graciousness of sponsors, donors and volunteers always reminds me of our incredible community of support. Through the tremendous time and treasures provided, we can continue to support the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and help them reach their dreams. Learning Lessons Stories… Read More
November 28, 2016
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
What Now? Step One: Ask Questions. The election is (finally!) over and it’s never been more important for you to advocate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their caregivers. We must be champions for choice and inclusion. We urge you to take action and ask your elected officials these… Read More
September 16, 2016
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Senators: Support Our Caregivers Written by guest blogger, Betsy Spethmann Dear Sen. Dahle and Rep. Bly, Many people with developmental disabilities rely on others for personal care . . . every day, every night, for their entire lives. This is not a choice for them. It is a basic necessity,… Read More
July 14, 2016
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Dear Legislator Dear Legislator, I’d like to talk to you about your failing grade for people who need champions. You can make it up, but time is running out. In the 2016 legislative session disability service providers and their advocates asked for a hand up – not a handout. You said all the… Read More
May 24, 2016
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
A Challenge What we need: Radical collaboration. Civic engagement. Civil discourse. Relationships and partnerships. Support for people with disabilities and their families. What We’re Facing The Minnesota Legislature refuses, again, to put people with disabilities and the people who support them on an equal footing with other service recipients. The U.S. Read More
April 22, 2016
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
What Keeps me Awake at Night Honestly, there are several work-related issues that keep me awake at night; the changes in how we provide services and support isn’t one of them. Although some of those changes are significant, we know that people need to be able to live the lives… Read More
March 22, 2016
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Supporting People With Disabilities and Their Caregivers Several months ago, my blog post addressed adequate compensation for our amazing caregivers. I’m not done talking about it yet. I pledge to continue talking about it until people with disabilities and their caregivers receive the respect and compensation they are due. You may… Read More
February 23, 2016
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Reading Mind Maps Do I Know What You Want? Recently, I spent time in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore to listen and contribute to the development of national public policy for people with disabilities and their families. While the policy discussions and determinations are vital, understanding and changing our human behavior… Read More
February 8, 2016
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Hopey Changey Most of us have heard the cynical question, “How’s that hopey changey thing working for you now?” My answer, every time I hear or see it? Actually, it’s working pretty well. What I Believe If I focus on a small slice of my life (today, for instance), I… Read More
November 24, 2015
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
The Untold Story: Hope is Essential We leave so much of every story on the editing room floor. Our attention spans dictate that we reduce stories to soundbites. I’m guilty of reading a headline and the lead paragraph, and then skimming the rest of the story. I miss important details every… Read More
November 11, 2015
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Helping All Vulnerable People A Facebook friend of mine posted a poll on his page: Yes or No? Homeless servicemen should come before any refugee. I say, “yes and yes.” I’m a fan of “what ifs” that look at the future and help us to imagine it differently. What if the… Read More
October 12, 2015
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Radical Collaboration Our housing and employer forums, reverse job fairs and family meetings connect us to the community in new, important and interesting ways. I gained new insight into these connections at a recent Charities Review Council conference called Radical Collaboration. One of the nuggets I gleaned from this rich… Read More
September 22, 2015
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
We Are Community And, if we are community, what is community? The Minnesota Olmstead Plan and the Federal Olmstead decision ensure that people with disabilities are not denied access to the community because of their disabilities. The Supreme Court ruling stated that people with disabilities must receive services and supports in the community as appropriate… Read More
August 12, 2015
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Extraordinary Caregivers A young girl with developmental disabilities lives with her family. Her ability to process information and complete tasks is similar to a 17–19-month-old child; she is a toddler in an adolescent’s body. Others make most of her decisions, and she communicates her desires through very simple means: gestures,… Read More
July 28, 2015
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
A Win for Choice Congratulations to the Olmstead Sub-Cabinet in persevering and allowing people with disabilities to make their own choices. This journey is one fraught with opportunities and/or obstacles. Thank you for your persistence in listening, shaping and path-making. Policymakers have an opportunity to learn much from this group… Read More
July 14, 2015
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
Preserve Self-Determination The Olmstead Sub-Cabinet is charged with a momentous task – to ensure that all Minnesotans have access to lives of their choosing. The issues are complex and involve coordinating systems statewide. The state is also charged with finding cost-effective, reasonable plans for change. I have deep respect for… Read More
July 6, 2015
By Sandi Gerdes
Executive Director
This Independent Life On June 15, a 25-year-old woman invited 12 of her closest friends to attend a conversation about housing for young adults with disabilities. Their parents were invited to a separate and similar conversation. This young woman currently lives with her parents. She would like to move out… Read More
