Prs Inc

I have been volunteering with PRS since 2008 and have been consistently impressed with how well managed the organization. PRS provides services that are critically important to our community, helping adults with mental illness, mild intellectual disabilities, substance use disorders, and autism spectrum disorders achieve their personal wellness, recovery, and community integration goals. The staff are caring and dedicated to the organization's mission and the clients thy serve. The leadership manages the organization's resources very responsibly.

PRS is a very impressive organization -- they have worked for 50 years within the Northern Virginia community helping those who need help recovering from mental illnesses - and helping them to being self- sufficient members of society. we should be proud to have them as part of our community!

PRS achieves impressive results in helping people with serious mental disorders work toward recovery and live independently. In 2011, for instance, 95 percent of all PRS clients remained out of the psychiatric hospital, and 99 percent of its clients who received custom-tailored life skills training and support were able to retain their housing and avoid eviction. The organization’s success is attributable to the dedication and professionalism of its management and staff. Wendy Gradison, PRS’ President and CEO, received an Excellence in Chief Executive Leadership (EXCEL) Award from the Center for Nonprofit Advancement. The NonProfit Times named PRS as one of the nation’s 50 Best Nonprofits to Work For. I feel that my annual donations to PRS make a profound difference in the quality of life of people with mental illness.

My involvement with PRS began over 20 years ago. In 1989, my then college-age daughter was discharged from the hospital following a psychiatric episode. Unable to return to college, hold a job, or remain alone unsupervised, I searched for the “what next.” After considerable networking with friends and colleagues across N Virginia and Maryland, I discovered PRS. Initially, my daughter was enrolled in a day program and subsequently moved on to develop the life skills necessary for getting her life back together. Today PRS operates 2 program sites—Alexandria and McLean-- serving over 800 clients annually with services such as helping clients balance a check book, take public transportation, maintain a clean living space, write a resume, prepare for a job interview or deal with symptoms on the job. Over the years, I have assisted with fund-raising, served on advisory grounds and helped to educate the community on the work of PRS.

PRS provides a vital service to the Northern Virginia community through the programs it offers for people with serious mental illness, and emotional and/or behaviorial disorders. The programs offer a range of services that are designed to help each client achieve their own personal recovery. The staff are innovative and compassionate professionals. I have been a volunteer with the organization since 2008, helping with the organization's fundraising efforts, and joined the board in 2010.