Building Disability Confidence
Starkloff Disability Institute
2025 Gratitude and Impact Report
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Students from St. Louis Community College won the first STL Design Week Universal Design Competition with their prototype app that thoughtfully applied Universal Design principles. The result was a beautiful interface without barriers for the user, with or without a disability.
Building and Sustaining Inclusion
Your partnership supports initiatives reshaping workplaces, schools, and communities:
- Strong, Disability-Led Programs: Over 1,900 people equipped with disability confidence, including students, professionals, and advisors.
- Universal Design Expansion: Building access and inclusion in the spaces we live, learn, work, and play every day of the year.
- Youth Empowerment: Dream Big Camp removes cost barriers, fosters peer learning, and transforms expectations for disabled youth.
- Leadership and Advocacy: Community partnerships and mentorship of emerging leaders expands our reach, ensuring disability is part of policy and planning at every level.
2025 Impact by the Numbers
52
people with disabilities built the skills and confidence for lifelong career success through 1:1 advising and peer support.
25
Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals gained confidence and skills to advance their careers.
500
members of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community were introduced to SDI as a resource available throughout their careers.
97%
of middle and high school students feel more welcome in the world as people with disabilities after Dream Big Career Camp.
Advancing Our Mission
Starkloff Disability Institute builds inclusion where we live, learn, work, and play through disability-led programs that advance economic opportunity and transform lives.
923
leaders, managers, and colleagues trained in disability allyship and inclusion for their workplaces.
97%
of workplace partners who trained with us reported increased disability confidence.
830
architects, designers, and planners learned about the power of Universal Design thanks to the newly expanded program.
83
college career advisors trained with us to help disabled students at their schools navigate barriers.
What kinds of careers do Dream Big students explore?
Dear Friends and Partners,
As we reflect on 2025, we are filled with gratitude for the incredible strides we’ve made together in advancing disability inclusion.
This year, Starkloff Disability Institute (SDI) empowered dozens of individuals with disabilities to thrive in their careers, communities, and lives, along with educating hundreds of employers and community members to recognize and remove barriers to access.
From groundbreaking programs to transformative partnerships, your support has been the driving force behind our success.
Highlights of 2025 include:
Dream Big Career Exploration Camp is now free for all families, thanks to your generosity, removing financial barriers for youth with disabilities to envision bold futures.
Universal Design (UD) expanded into a robust, year-round initiative to meet growing demand for beautiful design that welcomes everyone.
By sharing practical knowledge from national thought leaders and real-world case studies, the Starkloff Disability Employment Summit continues to grow in influence for the 11th year, advancing workplace inclusion throughout the Midwest.
You came together as the Starkloff DisCo (Disability Community) and raised over $100,000 in just one day, each gift tripled by matching donors, to power our mission so we can all thrive together.
These accomplishments are a testament to the power of collaboration and shared vision. Together, we are building a world where people with disabilities can thrive.
Thank you for believing in our mission and making this possible.
With gratitude,
Lori Becker
Chief Executive Officer
Starkloff Disability Institute
EJ’s Big Dreams Take Flight
There is nothing else like Dream Big Career Exploration Camp— a space where kids with disabilities are surrounded by peers and role models who know what it’s like to constantly navigate barriers, and where they aren’t skipped over when it comes to the age-old question: what do you want to be when you grow up?
EJ is a middle school student who came to Dream Big for the first time this year and absolutely fell in love with aviation during a visit to SLU’s Parks Department of Aviation Science.
When EJ was three, he was in Jefferson City with his family to visit his grandmother and had a respiratory attack. Thanks to an emergency airlift to Children’s Hospital back in St. Louis, he got the treatment he needed and recovered.
During Dream Big he got to meet students and instructors, ask questions about training and career possibilities, and even try out a flight simulator. Now EJ’s sights are set on becoming a pilot to help save other kids’ lives.
EJ's experience with Dream Big changed his course for the future. While exploring careers, he found a perfect fit in aviation. This opportunity to talk with current students and professionals put him on the right path to getting his pilot wings.
These new vehicles ensured we had safe, reliable, and comfortable transportation for all students.
We can start small, but we have to start now.
Universal Design is not a trend, it’s the future.
– SDI workshop Built for Everyone: The Future of Universal Design in St. Louis
Chris is a practicing architect who is also blind and a leading expert in UD based in California. In addition to many virtual program collaborations, when Chris was in town we got to connect in person. Several local architects joined Chris and SDI staff for practical learning about UD in the workplace.
Scenes from our 11th annual Starkloff Disability Employment Summit.
Disability Confident: A smart strategy for employers
Disability confidence is a leadership skill every workplace partner can build. It’s not about having all of the answers. It’s about equipping managers, colleagues, and teams (disabled and nondisabled) with the awareness and tools to engage confidently around disability so inclusion becomes part of everyday business, not an afterthought. And it’s a skill we can teach, just ask our standout workforce partners at NestléPurina!
Thank You
We are deeply grateful to the individuals and organizations whose generosity, partnership, and service amplified our impact in 2025.
The Max Starkloff Society
- City of St. Louis Affordable Housing Commission
- Anonymous (3)
- Ford Foundation
- Richard and Josephine Weil
- Adele Braun Charitable Foundation
- The Tilles Foundation
- William R. Orthwein Jr. & Laura Rand Orthwein Foundation, Inc.
- United Way of Greater St. Louis
- Emerson
- Trio Foundation of St. Louis
- American Direct Marketing Resources
- Carol Benoist
- David A. Blanton, III
- The Dana Brown Charitable Trust, U.S. Bank, Trustee
- Steve Degnan
- Enterprise Mobility Foundation
- The Four Leaf Clover Foundation
- Joe & Mary Kay Freund
- Guth Family Foundation, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee
- Sally Lemkemeier
- Jack & Kathy MacDonough
- Nestlé Purina PetCare
- Trent Barnes Phelps
- Productive Living Board
- Jean Raybuck
- St. Louis Office for Developmental Disability Resources
- Washington University in St. Louis
- World Wide Technology
- Bayer AG
- Centene Corporation
- Christopher Gaines
- Hugh & Janice Grant
- Sam Harding
- Kara Kopplin & Tony Krawat
- MilliporeSigma
- Regions Financial Corporation
- Regions Foundation
- Debbie Strobach
- Ameren Missouri
- Lori Becker
- Amy & Bryan Bird
- Maebelle Danforth
- Deaconess Foundation
- Edward Jones
- FleishmanHillard
- GadellNet
- Graybar Foundation
- Harvest
- Brooke James
- Eddie & Betsy Lawlor
- Christina & Bryan Lawrence
- Lewis Rice
- Metro
- Numotion Foundation
- Permobil Foundation
- Lynda & Steve Peyton
- Sue & Tom Terrell
- Hobart Truesdell
- Pete & Margaret Beck
- Gerard & Judy Buckley
- November & Mike Champion
- Anne & Bill Chao
- Brian W. Chao
- Charlie & Katie Claggett
- Cushman & Wakefield
- Yoshiko Dart
- Emily & Tyler Duddy
- James & Lionelle Elsesser
- Richard Engelsmann & Diane Buhr Engelsmann, Engelsmann Charitable Fund
- Karen & Lawrence Goering
- John Allan Love Charitable Foundation
- J.W. Kisling & Mildred A. Kisling Charitable Foundation
- Fabio Letieri
- Maggie Mahoney
- The McPheeters Family
- Ginny Orthwein
- Richard & Lisa Sedlak
- Special People in Need (SPIN)
- Marty & Susie Tendler
- John Vella
- Jean & William Wasko
- James Weiner
- Liz Wilmsen
- Jeff & Stephanie Zornes
- Anonymous
- Michael Bohnsack
- Mary Lou Chao-Shoemaker
- Marilyn & Dan Claggett
- Tom & Meg Claggett
- Lynne & Jim Clanahan
- Sally Coleman
- Rose Mary Dieckhaus
- Robert & Diane Duddy
- Kevin Erbs
- Natalie Fort
- Jennifer & James Gansner
- Margaret Gray
- Duane & Catherine Hagen
- Fred & Kathy Hanser
- Karyn & Charles Houston
- Suzanne & James L. Johnson, III
- Ladue Chapel Women’s Association
- Kelly Martin
- Emily Milford
- David & Merle Millar
- Paul Prifti
- Aimee Wehmeier & Phil Ruth
- Debra Allen
- Benjamin Aronov
- Richard & Iona Baldwin
- Ed & Ann Barnidge
- Marco Barrera
- Christine & Robert Barrett
- Gavin Barrett-Hayes
- Alli Beard
- Bruce & Karen Beard
- Dan & Connie Beard
- Jared Beard
- Courtney Becker
- David Becker
- Jim Becker
- John Becker
- Madeline Becker
- Mary Becker
- Margaret & Philip Beckley
- Sherri Bill
- Robert & Claudia Bommarito
- Tom Borcherding
- Hara Ann Bouganim
- Rachelle Branch
- Melissa Brickey
- Jo Ann Bringer
- Kimberly Bromeier
- Michele Bryan
- Catherine Buccat
- Linda & Bob M. Buechel, Jr.
- Mary Burns
- The Charity CFO
- Vineet Chauhan
- Phil Chicoineau
- Isabel Childs
- Sarah & David Chilenski
- Phoebe Claggett
- Elizabeth M. Clark
- Courtney Cook
- Anna Corbitt
- Joan & David Culver
- Mary Degenhardt
- Brian & Barbara Degnan
- Marianne Degnan
- Carol Dellwo
- Diane Doggendorf
- Tammie Donahue
- Timothy Dorland
- Janet Dussold
- Robert Eggmann
- Grace Eisenberg
- Thomas Ellston
- Amy Erbs
- Daniel Erbs
- Paula Erbs
- Todd Erbs
- Teresa & Jon Erickson
- Patsy & Dean Farmer
- James Fernandez
- Karen Fields
- Katie Fields
- Julie Finn
- Lance Finney
- Barbra Fite
- Donna Foelsch
- Laura Frances
- Madeline Frazer
- Harrison Friedman
- John Gagliardi
- Margaret Gagliardi
- Steve & Mary Alice Gallagher
- Jim & Susan Gamble
- Linda Garcia
- Michael Gentry
- Hillary Gerling
- Donna Jean Gibney & Vincent Zuck
- Amy Gilbertson
- Brenda Giuffrida
- Danielle Giuffrida & Paul Chicoineau
- Miranda Giuffrida
- Laura Goldmeier
- Rachel Goldmeier
- Bryan & Jackie Gott
- Shannon Grass
- Nikki Greggs
- Chuck Gulas
- Linda Gurr
- Arthur & Abby Hailand
- Jean Hamilton
- Ross & Debbie Hammond
- Thomas & Julie Harig
- Nick & Alix Hawes
- Windell Hebert
- Robert Heideman
- Dalya Heller
- Erin Herrera
- Robert Herrera
- Randy Hettenhausen
- Jane Hickenlooper
- Gina Hilberry
- Cole Hoffarth
- Jonah Houts
- Sarah Hudson
- Don Hulbert
- Leigh Hullverson
- Melody Human
- Janet Jansen
- Lori Jones
- Cynthia Kamler
- Melanie Kenny
- Tom Kerans & Mary Cox
- Mina Khan
- Brett Klosterhoff
- Michael Koesterer
- Ty Krewson
- Sarah & Andrew Krueger
- Jessica Lambrecht
- Bill & Alice Lampe
- Mike & Jeanne Lampe
- Ann Laney
- Eleanor Laney
- Elizabeth Laney
- Surraya Leavene
- Anna Leavey
- Julie Leeds
- Kathryn LeMon
- Jacob Lenard
- Leslie & Jeff Lewis
- Renee & Dave Limbrick
- Jesse Lipson
- Kevin Lee Luechtefeld
- Neil MacEwen
- Mary & Charlie Mack
- Kate Mahoney
- Mimi Newsham Mahoney
- Pete & Jenni Mahoney
- Christiaan Marais
- Lauren Markow
- Elizabeth Martin
- Sarah Martin
- Cheryl McAleenan
- Maribeth McAnany
- Sheila McCarthy
- Rose McCray
- Connor McDonald
- Con & Mary McGrath
- Tara McKeen
- Laurie McLiney
- Bob McMahon
- Matt Menietti
- Anne Messmer
- Robert & Anita Messmer
- Jessica Miller
- Matt Miller
- Rachel Moline
- Traci Moore
- Kerri Morgan
- Wendi Moseley
- Haley Moss
- Marybeth Neradka
- Kathryn Nixon
- Melissa O’Connor
- Laura & Todd Oesterlei
- Thomas Ott & Steven Koehler
- Bryan Parrish & Holly Cooksey
- Tom & Kris Pelizzaro
- William Piper
- Tabitha Porter
- Jim Pylipow
- Gitanjali Raghava
- Gary & Marilyn Ratkin
- Allison & Brock Reichart
- Kevin & Tricia Reis
- Tana Rogers
- Jack Rosenberg
- Todd Roth
- Wayne Ruth
- Ken Ryan
- Nancy Ryan
- Mitch Sasa
- Nicole Sauer
- Mackenzie Schaefer
- Lynette Schanuel
- Joanne Schlechta
- Bradley & Susan Schmidt
- Jim & Sheila Schnurbusch
- Debbi & Ed Schwarz
- William B. Sheldon
- David Shifflett
- Becky Shoemaker
- Sharon Silverstein
- Nicole Smith
- Adewalé Soluade
- Kathy Sontag
- Brendan Spinks
- Mackenzie Steiner
- St. Louis Regional Library Network
- J. Kennard Streett
- David Sweeney
- Carolyn & Daniel Teasley
- Colleen Tepen
- Jenny Terrell & Johnny Buse
- Luke Terrell & Andrea Schmid
- Claire Tessier
- Amanda Thomas
- Sarah Trulaske
- Linda & Andy Tucker
- Anthony Turek
- Conchita Valdes
- Jessica Valdes
- Jane & Tom Vickrey
- Roger & Christy Waxelman
- Shannon Weber
- Heather Wefel
- Dave Welborn
- Barbara Wheatley
- Josef Wibbenmeyer
- Sue Wiest
- Charles Williams
- Jessica Williams
- Allison Zuck
Thank you for helping disabled people thrive!
| New Partnership |
We are thrilled to announce that Starkloff Disability Institute has been awarded a prestigious grant from the Ford Foundation to advance disability inclusion and economic opportunity in Missouri!
This funding, $500,000 over two years, will power disability-led programs that tackle barriers in Medicaid and employment, paving the way for people with disabilities to achieve economic security and independence while transforming workplaces and communities into spaces of true belonging.
Financial Snapshot
For the fiscal year January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025.
Support and Revenue |
|
|---|---|
| Contributions | |
| Individual | $ 629,158 |
| Corporate | 334,007 |
| Foundation | 393,808 |
| Total Contributions | 1,356,973 |
| Professional Services | 111,906 |
| Other | 57,050 |
| Total Support + Revenue | $ 1,524,512 |
Please note that these are preliminary year-end numbers and that our annual financial audit is currently underway. The auditor’s report and a complete set of financial statements will be posted to our website when completed.
Expenses
Moving Forward
Your support makes it possible to expand our impact. Initiatives we have on deck for 2026 include:
- Dream Big Curriculum Expansion: Collaborating with schools to integrate our evidence-based curriculum into classrooms, meeting the students (and their teachers) where they are.
- Universal Design Summit 8: Hosting North America’s premier conference on inclusive design in St. Louis.
- Policy Advocacy: Add capacity to address critical issues that erode the foundation of our community’s full participation in the workforce and society, including Medicaid cuts.
- Career Services Growth: Filling key roles to provide transformational career support to more individuals with disabilities.
To our donors, partners, and supporters: thank you for your unwavering commitment to disability inclusion.
Your generosity has transformed lives and created opportunities for people with disabilities to thrive.
Together, we are building a more inclusive world.
We partnered with the Cardinals to spotlight and celebrate the disability community with a special theme night in July. The giveaway hat featured raised embroidery to spell Cardinals in Braille and the Disability Pride flag set inside the iconic STL logo.
