In a worrying sign signalling the beginning of a series of closures that disability advocates have been warning about, two different disability service providers in rural Minnesota communities have voted to dissolve their non-profits.
It is important to note that day programs and employment services have largely gone without any state emergency funding during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Harlan Madsen, the chairman of the board of directors of Kandi Works Development and Activities Center in Kandiyohi, said in an interview that losses during the shutdown to slow the spread of COVID-19 compounded the financial stress many organizations already felt.
The board voted Tuesday to dissolve the non-profit.
“We feel, and felt, very strongly after intensive conversations as a board that it is irresponsible of us to continue to use our resources and reserves and just simply burn them up,” Madsen was quoted as saying. “It is a very gut-wrenching decision.”
