Broadscope Disability Services

10/08/2026

Recently, our clients from Broadscope’s Independent Living Program and Employment Services Program had the chance to experience Milwaukee from a whole new perspective! 🚤

We enjoyed a Milwaukee River boat tour where we learned about the city’s history while taking in some incredible views from the water. We got to see the Milwaukee Art Museum, Jones Island, and the Milwaukee skyline along the way.

And, of course, Michael came prepared with his very own pirate hat! 🏴‍☠️

To wrap up the adventure, we shared our favorite parts of the boat ride and reflected on everything we saw and learned. It was a fun day of exploring, learning, and enjoying our city together!

10/01/2026

United Way Giving Season is officially here!

Did you know you can designate your United Way dollars to Broadscope Disability Services?

Your gift empowers individuals with disabilities and helps build a more inclusive community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Choose Broadscope Disability Services through your company’s United Way giving program and make your dollars count!

Together, we can make a difference.

09/24/2026

We’re incredibly grateful to the Jane Bradley Pettit Foundation for supporting Broadscope Disability Services and helping us create greater opportunities for people with disabilities.

The Foundation is committed to strengthening communities and supporting organizations that help individuals reach their full potential. Their support helps us continue our mission of fostering inclusion, empowering freedom of choice, and helping individuals reach their full potential at every stage of life.

Thank you, Jane Bradley Pettit Foundation, for investing in our community and helping us make a lasting impact!

09/23/2026

09/22/2026

A huge thank you to Roscoe and the Milwaukee Admirals for supporting Joe’s Run, Walk & Roll year after year! 🎉

Roscoe brought so much energy and excitement to this year’s race, and his enthusiasm is truly contagious! We’re incredibly grateful for the encouragement, smiles, and support the Admirals bring to our event every year!

Thank you, Roscoe and Admirals, for helping make Joe’s Run, Walk & Roll such a special day!

Milwaukee Admirals
Roscoe The Milwaukee Admirals Mascot

09/18/2026

We’re honored to share that Broadscope Disability Services has received a grant from the Green Bay Packers Foundation! This support helps us provide meaningful opportunities, services, and support for people with disabilities to live more independently and fully participate in their communities. Thank you to the Packers Foundation for investing in our community and helping us continue to make a difference!

Thanks, Packers Outreach!

09/16/2026

𝗔𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱, 𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱. 𝗔𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁, 𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗱.

Ricardo Thornton was sent to Forest Haven Institution in 1966 alongside his siblings. Yet for years, no one even taught them that they were brother and sister.

Forest Haven was not a place designed for people to grow. Ricardo witnessed abuse and, devastatingly, his sister had passed there. Her death became a turning point, inspiring Ricardo to speak up and advocate for others who could not speak for themselves.

In 1980, Ricardo was among the first group to leave Forest Haven and begin life in the community. He met Donna, another former resident, and when they decided to marry, people questioned whether people with intellectual disabilities should be allowed to marry. Ricardo spoke out against those barriers.

They married, built a life together, raised a family, and now have children and grandchildren.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲.

Today, Ricardo continues to advocate for people with intellectual disabilities. In testimony before the U.S. Senate, he shared a message shaped by his own experiences:

“I believe that people can do anything if they’re given the opportunity and support. We can’t go back.”

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝟯𝟳 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀.

Ricardo's story is one of many real, first-person stories in Disability Visibility, edited by Alice Wong. These stories invite us to look beyond assumptions about disability and listen to the people who have lived these experiences themselves.

Join us for our 𝘃𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄, 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁. 𝟭7, 𝗮𝘁 𝟳 𝗽𝗺.

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀. Come share your experiences, thoughts, and perspectives on disability visibility and the realities of disability all around us.

Come with your perspective. Come ready to listen. Come be part of the conversation.

Register to get the Zoom link: https://forms.office.com/r/ZT7vsUcGz8

09/15/2026

WHAT A DAY! Thank you to everyone who joined us for Joe’s 30th Run, Walk & Roll this past Saturday! !!

It was incredible to see the high spirits, smiles, and sweet encouragement that filled Hoyt Park as everyone crossed the finish line. After 30 years of coming together for Joe’s Run, it was especially meaningful to celebrate this milestone with our community and honor the event’s beginnings with Joe Lubarsky.

Whether your favorite part of the day was the race, raffle, cookout, sweet treats, photo booth, or simply spending time with the community, we are so grateful you came out to support Broadscope and our mission to foster inclusion, empower freedom of choice, and help individuals reach their full potential at every stage of life!

A HUGE thank you to our incredible sponsors who helped make this day possible:
SC Johnson, A Family Company
HeartSpace Acupuncture
D.A. Davidson Companies
Herzing University - Brookfield
Associated Bank
Permobil Foundation
HGA
Kwik Trip
R&R Insurance Services
Mississippi Health Care Association
Capital First Trust Company

Your support helps us continue creating opportunities for people with disabilities and building a more inclusive community.

Joe’s Run is more than a race; it’s a celebration of inclusion, community, and the incredible possibilities that come when we come together!

Thank you for making the 30th Joe's Run, Walk & Roll one to remember!

We can’t wait to do it all again next year!

09/11/2026

Joe's Run, Walk and Roll is TOMORROW at Hoyt Park! Registration is still open! The price increases to $45 tomorrow- you can register right at the park too! Kids fun run starts at 9:45 am, the 5K Run and 3K Walk start at 10 am!

Can't wait to see you there!

runsignup.com/joes

09/10/2026

Celebrate 30 Years of Joe’s Run, Walk & Roll with our 30th Celebration Raffle!🏃

You could win a prize package valued at $300+, all while supporting Broadscope Disability Services and the people we serve!

How to enter:
Every $30 donation = 1 raffle ticket. Donate $30 for one entry, $60 for two entries, $90 for three entries, and so on!

Donate Here!
https://runsignup.com/Race/Donate/WI/Milwaukee/JoesRunWalkandRoll

You do not need to be present at the race to win!

The $300+ prize package includes:

$100 Meijer gift card
Culver’s Custard for a Year
George Foreman Grill
$25 Lou Malnati’s Pizza gift card
$10 Panera gift card
And more!

Make your donation and enter the raffle, then sign up for the 30th Annual Joe’s Run, Walk & Roll this Saturday, September 12 at Hoyt Park!

Register today: runsignup.com/joes