Creating Community and Culture for Adults with Disabilities at Club 1111 – A Sustainability Plan

Abstract

Adults with disabilities are often not perceived as a community that participates in social and cultural interaction. As a result, there is a severe lack of recreational programming that adequately addresses the disabled community’s social and cultural needs in the United States. One organization in Baltimore, Maryland has begun to address the absence of recreational opportunities by creating a program, Club 1111, that replicates a traditional night club experience. Designed specifically for adults with disabilities, Club 1111 includes two large dance floors, a game room, a lounge, and spa services. Because this program acknowledges and fulfills needs, which have often been overlooked within the disabled community, Club 1111 has experienced rapid growth and increased participation. However, challenges and opportunities have arisen that must be addressed in order for Club 1111 to be sustained and continue to have a deep impact on adults with disabilities in Baltimore. This thesis consists of a sustainability plan that has been written for the Club 1111 program. It includes an analysis of the challenges facing the program and offers recommendations to resolve those challenges. Furthermore, the sustainability plan contains a short list of best practices for Club 1111 to follow in order to operate as a sustainable program. The best practices were created based on research regarding programs similar to Club 1111 that exist around the world. By successfully addressing the challenges outlined in this plan and adapting best practices, Club 1111 can remain in operation and successfully attend to the social and cultural needs of the disabled community in ways that other programs in Baltimore fail to.