Your Generosity Opens Doors to Opportunity
August 14, 2026
CEO Corner: August 2026
Dear Friends, Stakeholders, and Supporters,
At its heart, generosity is about opening doors for others. At Homeward Bound, new doors are opening every day for the people we serve, creating opportunities for people with varied abilities to experience adventure, participate in activities, build friendships, and enjoy the simple joys that so many of us may take for granted.
Celebrating 30 Years of Generosity
This year, our community has once again demonstrated what is possible when people come together around a shared vision. The tremendous support surrounding our 30th Golf Classic and Gala Celebration Fundraiser is a wonderful example. For three decades, this event has brought people together to celebrate, invest, and help create opportunities that extend far beyond the event itself.
We are also finding new ways to share those stories. The launch of our new podcast gives us another platform to talk about disability services, highlight the experiences of the people we support, and introduce listeners to the dedicated staff, volunteers, partners, and advocates who make this work possible. Every story helps build understanding, and every story reminds us why this mission matters.
Creating More Opportunities Close to Home
Looking ahead, we are excited about our upcoming Made in the Shade event and the opportunities it will help make possible. Funds raised will provide flexible support at the individual home level, allowing residents and their housemates to participate in activities that are meaningful to them, whether that means participating in our bowling club, attending a sporting event, visiting the zoo, going to the mall, or enjoying a day at a state park.
Opening New Doors Through Adventure Club
We are also building support for Adventure Club, an exciting new opportunity to expand travel and recreation experiences for the people we serve. With your support, including at our Golf/Gala and Made in the Shade event, individuals will have expanded opportunities to travel to the Northwoods of Minnesota and experience the welcoming, accessible environment at our partner resort, North of North in Ely. There, people with disabilities can enjoy the outdoors, relax, explore, and experience the freedom of a vacation designed with accessibility and inclusion in mind.
And then there are the adventures that take us farther down the road, literally. Imagine residents with a variety of disabilities traveling with skilled staff aboard our Recreation Bus for a truly American road trip to the Black Hills of South Dakota, visiting Mount Rushmore and discovering the many experiences along the way.
The Opportunity to Say “Yes”
These opportunities are about much more than where someone goes or what they do. They are about having the opportunity to try something new, experience what life has to offer, and make memories that last. For the people we serve, having the opportunity to say “yes” to an adventure can be life-changing.
We are just getting started with Adventure Club, and we invite you to join us through your generous support.
As a leader at Homeward Bound, I am continually reminded that some of our greatest work includes not only the hour-by-hour, minute-by-minute services we provide, but also the creative ways we enrich lives by giving someone an opportunity they might not otherwise have had.
Thank you for helping us keep opening those doors.
With gratitude,
Rob Edwards
Chief Executive Officer
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