Russell Nesbitt Services and Watch (a division of RNS)
Contact Information:
Address:
RNS – 431 Fulton St
Wheeling, WV 26003
WATCH – 2600 Main St
Wheeling, WV 26003
Name of Programs Funded through UW: RNS residential transportation services and WATCH vocational transportation services
Contact Name: RNS: Tamika Jones, Executive Director. Watch: Lynn Wallace-Dick
Phone Number: RNS-304-232-0233 WATCH-304-232-1750
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.rns-watch.org
What are Russell Nesbitt Services and WATCH?
Russell Nesbitt Services provides support and services to individuals with developmental and/or intellectual disabilities.
The agency began as a cooperative agreement among parents who wanted to ensure their children got an education. The agency is named after its founder, Mr. Russell G. Nesbitt.
Russell Nesbitt had a son with disabilities who needed educational services. That need prompted Mr. Nesbitt to join with a small group of parents and supporters of children with disabilities to make an initial investment of $200.00 apiece. With this investment, The Ohio County Council for Retarded Children was formed in 1958.
Russell Nesbitt Services has grown from a small school formed by parents to a Behavioral Health Center to offering a variety of supports and services to individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. These services include residential and vocational services, Case Management, Supported Employment, Behavior Support, and social interaction through our Peer Support program.
Our Mission:
To provide life opportunities for people with disabilities and enhance their career growth and potential for those who share their journeys.
Our Vision:
To embrace personal care and quality consumer services while maintaining our financial wellbeing within constraints of the service delivery system, be compassionate are to the needs of the consumers and their families while promoting employee growth.
How does the United Way support RNS and WATCH?
United Way funding enables Russell Nesbitt Services to participate in a lease program for vehicles in our residential and vocational programs. This funding ensures the individuals we serve are provided safe, dependable transportation to and from all activities of daily living. This funding is critical as West Virginia does not fund vehicles’ purchases and/or lease under the Title XIX Waiver Program. The budget defrays gasoline and maintenance costs for cars already owned/operated. Because of this lack of funding, many other providers require their direct care staff to provide transportation in their vehicles.
Individuals in our residential program depend on us to provide transportation to every community activity, such as physician and therapy appointments, visits with family members, recreational activities, employment, and day habilitation services.
Our Watch vocational program provides many individuals with transportation to and from community employment and prevocational services. Individuals are often picked up at the Watch location then transported to and from their worksites. Several others are also picked up at their home to participate in a variety of programs offered by Watch. Programs include document disposal through Watchdog services, Liberty distributors manufacturing, and workshop assembly for companies such as Silgan Industries.
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About the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley
The United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley supports Ohio County, Tyler County, Marshall County, Wetzel County, Brooke County in West Virginia, and Belmont County and Monroe County in Ohio. Donating through your local United Way is the best way to reach the most people in need.
The United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley is an organization that supports nonprofit organizations in our area through annual campaigns, payroll deduction fundraising efforts, and individual donations. These community-minded people combine donations from employees and businesses alike to help assist those who need it most. The support from the annual campaign is then allocated to nonprofit programs through our volunteer allocations panels. We support 40 programs (and counting) in the upper Ohio Valley that tackle the toughest needs in the Ohio Valley. Consider giving to the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley today.