Nonprofit Spotlight: Vocational Guidance Services

Our nonprofit partnerships play an important role in helping build stronger communities. Through this Nonprofit Spotlight series, we will recognize the organizations we support and the amazing work they do in our communities. By sharing these stories, we aim to recognize the organizations making a difference and reinforce our commitment to giving back as a responsible community partner.

A Long-Standing History

The story of Vocational Guidance Services (VGS) begins 136 years ago when a group of young women known as the Sunbeam Circle joined together to support patients in Lakeside Children's Hospital. The Sunbeam Circle established the first kindergarten for children with disabilities. By 1925, services expanded to include all individuals with disabilities.

By 1926, the organization became the Cleveland Rehabilitation Center and moved to a new building to house all services for individuals with disabilities. These services included physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, social services, group and case work, recreating, industrial rehabilitation and various workshops.

By 1986, their mission had expanded, renaming to Vocational Guidance Services, merging with the Cleveland Rehabilitation Center and providing services for adults with disabilities looking for assistance in the job market. These expanded programs included work evaluation and adjustment, skills training and transportation.

The VGS Mission and Guiding Values

In those 134 years, VGS has stayed true to its mission: creating pathways for individuals with disabilities to engage in the community, achieve greater independence and attain employment.

"Our mission is to help people with disabilities fully participate in their communities by building independence and accessing meaningful employment. We support more than 1,000 people across Ohio each year, tailoring our approach to each individual's strengths, goals and interests," said Susie Barragate, President and CEO at VGS.

For Susie and the team, working with individuals with disabilities is working to ensure they feel they are empowered.

"At the heart of our work are trust, advocacy and inclusion, empowering people to make decisions about their own lives and be heard, respected and connected to their communities."

VGS works to break down the systemic barriers that prevent individuals with disabilities from succeeding in the workplace.

"People with disabilities face significantly higher unemployment rates, not because they lack the desire or ability to work, but because of systemic barriers like transportation challenges, limited training opportunities, and misconceptions about accommodations. Our role is to help remove those barriers," said Susie.

The VGS teams meet individuals where they are, working with them to ensure they have the best ability to succeed.

"Support looks different for every person. We start by understanding their interests and goals, then provide personalized coaching, feedback, skill-building and on-the-job support to help them succeed and grow in the workplace."

For participants in VGS programs, this means financial freedom, helping support their families and independence.

"Meaningful employment can be life changing. For some of the people we serve, earning a paycheck is a first-time experience that brings independence, confidence and the freedom to make choices about their own lives."

A Difference in the Community

The difference that VGS makes doesn't just affect the participants; it affects the community as a whole.

Zachary is a young man with a disability who faced challenges transitioning from high school to the workforce after losing the built-in supports available through the school system.

Initially, Zachary struggled to stay focused at work and felt discouraged about his future employment prospects. He joined a VGS custodial crew at the local YMCA, where a job coach worked closely with him to identify his strengths, understand his work preferences and provide individualized support.

"His job coach took a step back and she just watched him work and she saw where he did better," said Jessica Hardesty, Director of Communications and Engagement at VGS.

Through this tailored coaching, Zachary developed confidence, learned how to advocate for himself and steadily improved his performance. Over time, he became a dependable team member and even emerged as a leader among his peers.

"He's taken on this sort of leadership role where before he couldn't even quite pay enough attention to do his own tasks."

Today, Zachary enjoys greater independence, financial stability and the opportunity to participate more fully in the activities and experiences that matter to him.

Beyond Zachary's personal growth, there has been an impact on the community. The custodial crew is fully integrated into the YMCA environment, and YMCA staff regard the VGS employees as colleagues.

This sense of belonging helps break down barriers between people with disabilities and the broader community, fostering inclusion, understanding and stronger relationships. VGS' work extends beyond employment support; it creates environments where everyone is valued and contributing toward a common goal.

The result is a win for everyone involved: individuals gain meaningful employment and independence, businesses receive quality work, and the community becomes more connected and inclusive.

Dollar Bank's Long-Standing Partnership

The relationship between Dollar Bank and VGS spans 22 years and has grown from financial support into a meaningful partnership.

"It started with initial financial support, and it's morphed into more of a deep commitment to our mission," said Susie.

In the past few years, not only has the financial support increased but the Dollar Bank Community Development team has expanded its reach to include volunteer opportunities, attending field days with the participants and has opened the doors for future financial wellness opportunities.

"VGS has always been a part of the communities we serve, but after meeting with Susie and the team last year and seeing their work firsthand, it became clear that this was a partnership we wanted to grow even further," said Dorothy Curtis, Vice President of Community Development in Cleveland.

When Ed Bailey, Assistant Vice President of Community Development in Cleveland, joined Dollar Bank, he was inspired by their mission and wanted to increase Dollar Bank's relationship.

"When I came into this role and started talking with Dorothy about VGS, they immediately stood out as an ideal partner. We look for organizations where there's an opportunity to build a true partnership and create long-term growth and impact for the people they serve."

Ed worked with VGS to collaborate on two volunteer field days recently, where Dollar Bank employees spent time with participants, played games and served lunches. To Susie and the VGS participants, this means everything.

"Providing that connection to the community for the people that we serve is one of the largest values. When employees from respected organizations like Dollar Bank come in, whether teaching a class, helping on field days, or participating during the holidays, it normalizes inclusion. It's a very powerful message. It makes people feel they are deserving of opportunities," said Susie.

Ed said what stood out most was VGS's collaborative spirit and commitment to the people they support.

"They're more than willing participants, bringing up ideas, brainstorming ideas and always making us feel welcome when we visit," he said. "It's not all about money. It's about the purpose. They serve a great purpose for everybody involved, the individuals, their families and the organization itself."

The partnership continues to evolve, with VGS opening the door to opportunities such as financial education and other skill-building experiences for participants and staff.

"They've opened the doors for us to come in and do financial wellness workshops for both their staff and the individuals in their program," said Dorothy.

Susie and the VGS team agreed, seeing Dollar Bank not just as a financial partner but as an organization that has embraced its mission.

"Financial support is incredibly meaningful, but what we value most is that Dollar Bank's leadership and employees have truly embraced our mission. The Dollar Bank team built real connections with the people we serve and have shown what meaningful inclusion looks like," said Susie.

According to Susie, those connections create impacts that extend far beyond employment opportunities.

"The people that we serve just want to be recognized and seen. Providing that connection to the community is one of the largest values of partnerships like this. It normalizes inclusion."

She added that when participants interact with employees from organizations like Dollar Bank, it sends a powerful message about belonging and opportunity.

Then, Now and the Future

For more than 136 years, VGS has been creating opportunities for individuals with disabilities to thrive in their communities, gain independence and achieve meaningful employment. From helping participants like Zachary build confidence and leadership skills to fostering inclusive workplaces and stronger community connections, VGS continues to transform lives every day.

Looking ahead, both VGS and Dollar Bank see opportunities to continue growing the partnership. Future plans include expanding financial wellness programming, creating additional opportunities for participants to build workplace and life skills and finding new ways to connect individuals with the broader community.

Dollar Bank and VGS' shared focus remains clear: breaking down barriers, expanding opportunities and building stronger, more inclusive communities.

"It's really about expanding what's possible for the people that we serve. The partnerships we have with places like Dollar Bank are so, so important to us," said Susie.

Thank you to Ed Bailey and Dorothy Curtis for being strong partners in the community and thank you to Susie Barragate, Jessica Hardesty and the rest of the VGS team for all the hard work you do making our community more inclusive.

About Dollar Bank

As the nation's largest independent mutual bank, Dollar Bank has been empowering the communities and customers we serve for 170 years. Our more than 90 locations throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio and Virginia provide a comprehensive range of personal, small business and corporate banking solutions. We continue to invest in our customers and strengthen our communities through financial education programs and partnerships with organizations who share our dedication to building opportunities for all. As of January 2026, Dollar Bank reported total assets of $12.5 billion, total loans of $9.6 billion, and total deposits of $9.7 billion. For more information, visit Dollar.Bank.