History

St. Cloud Area’s Opportunity Manor Inc. was established in 1980 by its parent company, Opportunity Training Center (OTC), to meet St. Cloud’s emerging housing needs for people with disabilities. During its first 13 years in business, Opportunity Manor Incorporated provided these services to 24 people served at two 12-bed Intermediate Care Facilities in the St. Cloud area of Stearns County. A shift toward smaller residential settings, introduced by the government in 1994, provided the necessary incentive for Opportunity Manor to expand its programs by adding four 4-bed facilities in Stearns and Benton County during 1994 -1995.

Opportunity Manor weathered a devastating blow in 1994, when OTC was seized by the Minnesota State Attorney General’s office for illegal conduct related to the financial handling of OTC and Opportunity Manor funds. This action resulted in OTC filing for bankruptcy and Opportunity Manor being burdened with the $240,000 in payroll tax debt OTC had failed to pay on its behalf and an $189,000 debt owed to the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

For the next six years, Opportunity Manor’s staff and board worked to turn the organization around. Payroll taxes were paid up, the Minnesota Legislature forgave the DHS debt, aggressive programming targeting crisis care services brought in much needed revenue and, through the whole period, not a single client was discharged from services. By 2004, Opportunity Manor was back on solid ground, operating 13 facilities across the greater St. Cloud Area. Opportunity Manor completed a final building phase when it reconfigured the funding for its two 12-bed facilities and opened up three additional 4-bed sites. The organization is now operating at their preferred capacity, serving 65 individuals at 16 sites.

Opportunity Manor could now afford to be more proactive in its residential growth management and scope of services so it expanded by offering day programming to its existing residential clients and clients from the larger community. In 2005, a new 7,500 square foot facility opened in Sartell to house Opportunity Manor’s administrative offices and Pathway to Opportunities (PTO). At PTO, highly personalized programming allows clients to learn essential life skills and experience community in a safe, learning environment. Families of people with disabilities access helpful support services allowing them to better care for and interact with their loved one.

In 2006, Opportunity Manor’s new facility incorporated another new program Golden Opportunities (GO). G.O, is an adult day service which hallmarks the use of Opportunity Manor’s care philosophy with seniors experiencing slight to moderate onset of memory loss/dementia.

 

  
1908 Kruchten Ct. S., Sartell, MN 56377 | 24 Hour Phone Number 320-240-1900
© Opportunity Manor Inc.