Judy Taylor, president and CEO of Journey 21, and Richmond Center director Heidi Hamilton updated the Oconomowoc Common Council on Nov. 18 about two-and-a-half years of local programming focused on adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Taylor said Journey 21 opened its enrichment center in April 2023 and has grown from three staff members to nearly 20, supported by more than 250 volunteers who logged about 1,700 hours in 2024. “We have over 300 participants from eight Wisconsin counties,” she said, and noted the organization runs roughly 340 programs and events annually.

Hamilton described three learning academies: a two-year Life Academy run in partnership with WCTC that places students in internships, a summer academy that expanded from about 40 participants in 2023 to 135 this past summer, and an 18–21 transition academy approved by the state Department of Public Instruction that implements students’ individualized education plans. Hamilton said those internships often lead to hiring by local employers, citing a participant who was hired after an internship at Bevco Engineering and another who was hired at Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital.

Taylor and Hamilton also described community partnerships with more than 100 local organizations, schools and businesses, and flagged a proposed residential project at Papp's Farms that Journey 21 plans to present to the council when details are ready. They invited council members and staff to tour the enrichment center and noted a holiday “Ability Showcase” open to the public this weekend.

The presentation drew praise from aldermen and residents who attended; the mayor thanked Journey 21 for returning with a progress report and for contributing to downtown revitalization. The council took no formal action on the presentation but accepted the update and an invitation to tour the facility.