Ray Graham Association Celebrates 75 Years of Service
President & CEO Kim Zoeller discusses our commitment to growth, including expanding behavioral health therapy and strengthening our community-based homes. Thank you, NCTV17, for spotlighting our work!
Ray Graham Association Celebrates 75 Years of Service
By: NCTV17 Staff, NCTV17
Founded in 1950, Ray Graham Association (RGA) serves nearly 2,000 people with disabilities and employs about 350 people. RGA enriches lives by empowering those they support and those who care for them to reach, grow, and achieve. Since 1997, the Council of Quality and Leadership (CQL) has accredited Ray Graham Association for their leadership’s vision of dignity, opportunity, and community for all people.
In 2023, RGA achieved the highest level of accreditation: Person-Centered Excellence with Distinction. Eighty percent of every dollar donated to the Ray Graham Association goes directly to people with disabilities. Services include residential, life skills, recreation, employment, and family support.
A personalized approach to empowering individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities
Ray Graham Association’s mission centers around providing people with intellectual disabilities—such as Down syndrome and autism—with the tools and support they need to thrive. Unlike a one-size-fits-all model, the organization crafts personalized, person-centered plans that help individuals set goals based on their unique preferences and abilities.
They focus on meeting people where they are, whether children or adults, and building a support system around them. This ensures that individuals can pursue a variety of paths to independence and fulfillment—be it through employment, housing, volunteering, or simply having fun and engaging in new experiences. A key element of this approach is involving families, recognizing that they play a central role in creating a supportive environment for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
Meeting the mental health needs of the community
A key area of growth for the Ray Graham Association in 2025 is expanding its mental health services. During the pandemic, it became evident that there was a significant need for quality mental health support tailored specifically to individuals with intellectual disabilities. The lack of mental health professionals trained to serve this unique group was a challenge the organization had been working to address for some time.
In response to this gap, the Ray Graham Association launched a behavioral health clinic. This clinic specializes in providing mental health care for individuals with intellectual disabilities, offering support in various settings that are comfortable and familiar to those receiving care. From in-home sessions to small group activities at local libraries, the clinic strives to meet individuals where they are, ensuring a more effective and accessible approach to mental health services.