MICC's 20th annual gala was the place to be on Saturday, March 11, 2023, at The Depot in Minneapolis. But don't let the gala's location fool you! Even though it was snowing outside, guests arrived in their best beach attire, ready to party and support a great cause.

​The event was a smashing success, raising over $550,000 to help support MICC's amazing programming and services for autistic and neurodivergent adults. And let's not forget the real star of the show – the themed costumes! MICC's galas are never dull, and this year was no exception.

The social hour was filled with fun beach-themed games and a silent auction featuring incredible gifts, tickets, and packages from various supporters, including participant artwork and baskets from families. But the real highlight of the night was the live auction, which featured vacation homes, cabins, and condos in Lake Tahoe, Mexico, Daytona Beach, northern Minnesota, and the upper peninsula of Michigan, as well as a private chef dinner.

The party was kicked off by MICC's very own Rock Band playing "Surfin' U.S.A." by The Beach Boys while MICC participants entered the event to get the party started! MICC's Executive Director, Amy Gudmestad, and participant Josie Hargarten were the night's emcees. They started the night with a thank you to the band and honored MICC's founders, Bev and Roe Hatlen.

The program continued with powerful videos showcasing MICC participants, including the night's emcee, Josie, and her husband Jordan, and friends at various stages in their journey at MICC, providing a great side-by-side look at the growth that participants experience in the College and Community Programs.

MICC is committed to providing autistic young adults with programs to support independence, vocational training, and meaningful relationships. According to the Minnesota Department of Education, the need for these programs is growing, with the number of children diagnosed with autism who are receiving special education services in the public school system increasing by 138% since 2009. To meet this demand, MICC's Board of Directors approved a strategic plan prioritizing expanding MICC's impact while developing new programs to reach more in the autistic community.

Josie shared her story about being in MICC's College Program, meeting her husband, and how her life has changed. "I thought I'd live in my parent's basement forever and that I wouldn't have any friends. I thought my life would be lonely," Josie shared with the crowd of 750 attendees. "I learned how to live independently and still use these skills every day. I now have the tools I need to advocate for myself, and my life is nothing like I thought it would be." What a powerful testament to the importance of MICC's programs for autistic teens and young adults.

The night concluded with a dance party, but not before recognizing this year's graduating seniors who have shown nothing but resiliency as they learned to live independently, grow their social networks, and find employment in the midst of a pandemic.

The gala committee would like to thank everyone who made the night a success, including the sponsors, volunteers, and staff. And to all the participants who choose to share their stories with the world, thank you! Without you, events like this would not be possible.

Save the date for the 21st annual gala on Saturday, March 9, 2024. Until then, you can re-live the magic of this year's gala program here. Let's keep supporting MICC's programs and celebrating the amazing work done in the autism community!

One of the ways MICC recognizes students who demonstrate respect, responsibility, and resilience is through the Participant of the Month award. At the end of the year, all nominations are tallied, and the participant with the most is named Participant of the Year. This year's honoree is Camille W., a junior in the College Program, who said, "I was surprised being named the Participant of the Year." The award ceremony took place during Winter Formal, an annual event hosted by MICC's Social Program to celebrate everyone at MICC. Camille's award was presented by the 2021 winner, Dinah H., who shared a heartfelt speech about Camille's accomplishments.
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Camille's journey to becoming Participant of the Year was not easy. She faced several challenges, including personal medical issues, interpersonal conflicts among her peers, and classmates' transitions. Despite these challenges, Camille remained focused, positive, and collected, demonstrating exceptional resilience and adaptation to change. She exemplifies the core values of respect, responsibility, and resilience. Camille believes she was chosen to win because of her resilience and responsibility as a student.

Camille's work at Walgreens practicum demonstrated a great attitude, work ethic, and flexible mindset. She took the initiative to accommodate herself and still went over the top, earning recognition from staff for her resilience. Staff also commended Camille's responsibility, as she has not received any unexcused absences or tardies.

The Participant of the Year recognition system was developed by MICC's PBIS Committee, which was created in 2021. Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a framework for organizing strategies to enhance academic and social outcomes using databased decision making. The committee is made up of staff from across the organization, including Trista Willis (College Program Advisor), Megan Moriarty (Program Office Coordinator), Camille Prestrud (Social Program Manager), Casey Rawlings (College Program Advisor), Casey Conaway (Careers Program Instructor), Maddie Ayres (HR Generalist), Lauren Gunhus (College Program Lead Apartment Instructor), Sara Westman (Social Program Electives Instructor), David Marcis (Community Program Specialist), Catherine MacLaughlin (Community Program Wellness & ILS Supervisor), and Chrissy Cleveland (Assessment and Accountability Program Manager). They have worked tirelessly to ensure the success of all participants at MICC and recently graduated from Minnesota PBIS’s cohort 17 training.

​MICC focuses on the expectations and actions necessary for a healthy, independent, integrated life, rather than focusing on deficits or behaviors. Participants and staff are provided with clear guidelines to promote a positive environment which includes living the “3 R Expectations”. We are...

​The PBIS Committee has put in place a long list of program-wide events and engagement opportunities over the past two years, including marketing of the three Rs across campus, developed the Participant of the Month recognition system, planned and guided a Harry Potter themed week, supported staff engagement events, and worked to enhance working culture amongst staff, among other accomplishments.
 
The success of PBIS at MICC is a testament to the importance of providing participants with a positive and supportive environment to learn and grow. The PBIS Committee's dedication to implementing best practices and enhancing the participant experience at MICC is truly commendable.
 
Congratulations to both Camille and the PBIS Committee on their achievements!

Richfield, Minnesota - Minnesota Independence College and Community (MICC) has been named Nonprofit of the Year by the Richfield Chamber of Commerce at the annual Circle of Excellence awards ceremony on Tuesday, March 21, 2023. The award recognizes MICC's outstanding contributions to the Richfield community through its life skills and vocational programs for autistic and neurodivergent adults.
 
The event was sponsored by Friendship Village of Bloomington, Northwoods Promotions West, Aviator Studios, and Blue Hippo Bakery. In attendance from MICC included Amy Gudmestad, Executive Director, Anna Hilfers, Director of College Program, Aaron Carper, Director of Community Program, Anna Schenck, Careers Program Job Developer,  Amanda DeJong, Marketing Manager, and Grant S., MICC Student Ambassador.
 
The award ceremony began with an introduction by Kelsey Nagel, President of the Richfield Chamber, and the previous year's winner presented each award to this year’s recipients. The winners for each category were as follows:

It's time to break out the confetti and cheer because we are celebrating the March Participant of the Month, Jordan!

Participant of the Month is awarded by nominations from both peers and staff for individuals who have clearly demonstrated one or more of our three R’s: responsibility, resilience, and respect. Jordan has been recognized by both his peers and staff for his outstanding demonstration of responsibility, resilience, and respect at MICC.

Jordan's helpfulness towards staff has not gone unnoticed, with one staff member praising him for always being ready to lend a hand and lead activities in the Social Program. And it's not just staff that appreciate Jordan's company; his peers have praised him for always having a smile on his face and taking the time to catch up with everyone.

When asked why he thinks he was chosen as the Participant of the Month, Jordan modestly replied, "I'm just an all-around great person and I'm always ready to help with activities." And boy, is he ever! Jordan is a proud member of the MICC Rockband and loves to belt out tunes every day. He's also a self-proclaimed Jeopardy fanatic

Jordan has been a participant in MICC's Community Program and is a graduate of the MICC College Program class of 2010 (formerly MLC's Undergraduate Program). When asked about his favorite memory at MICC, Jordan lit up as he reminisced about the senior winter men's retreat, where they had breakfast burritos, went sledding, and spent time with Uncle Rich.

Congratulations, Jordan!