Mission
We help people achieve their goals for independence.
History
Curative was formed in 1948 to help people with disabilities, including those with polio; initial services included occupational, physical and speech therapies. Here is a timeline of significant milestones and achievements over the past 75 plus years!
1940s and 1950s
1945 - The Brown County Welfare Council, Altrusa Club and other organizations established Curative Rehabilitation Center to provide physical and occupational therapy based on community need.
1948 - The Curative Workshop was incorporated on January 2 and opened doors at 1001 Cherry Street in July. Primary focus was to provide physical therapy to 200 individuals affected by polio.
1951 - Joe Collins joined the Curative Rehabilitation Center as the first director.
1955 - The Curative Workshop opened a new facility at 342 South Webster on June 5, expanding rehabilitation services to include all disabled groups.
1958 - Speech therapy and audiological services were added.
David Hall joined Curative staff in late 1950s; he was instrumental in developing Sheltered Industries.
1960s
1960 - William K. Nystrom, DPM, joined Curative Workshop on August 1 as its first Executive Director.
1961 - Occupational therapy and employment services were initiated along with Curative’s Sheltered Industries. Rapid growth required three relocations by 1966.
1963 - David Hall was recognized by President John F. Kennedy as the Disabled Person of the Year of 1962.
Late 1960s - The first adult day program was established for social recreation with the intent to decrease social isolation. It included people with significant disabling conditions who also used our therapies.
Sheltered Industries began subcontract work and added Vocational Evaluation, a Personal Adjustment Program, Job Training, On-the-job Training, and Placement to its services.
1970s and 1980s
1978 - A new facility was constructed at 2900 Curry Lane in Green Bay to house growing programs and services, under the vision of Curative’s then president Dr. William Nystrom. The focus was to house a variety of services at one location. The intent was to offer assessment services and recommend an array of concurrent service packages. The following programs were added: custodial training, nutrition, senior employment, and brain injury and dementia-specific services.
1980 - Curative began an independent living program.
A comprehensive, individualized head injury program and an Alzheimer’s day care program were implemented.
1985 - Small engine repair and word processing training programs were eliminated when public funding was discontinued.
1985 – Sheltered Industries broke $1 million in subcontract sales.
1987 - The Older Americans Program received the Exemplary Program Award, Wisconsin Division of Community Services, Eastern Region, by the Quality Assurance Committee.
1990s
Due to increased need, Curative opened a second dementia-specific adult day program.
1993 - William K. Nystrom retired after 33 years of service; he was succeeded by John Bloor as the 2nd President/CEO in Curative’s 45-year history.
1993 - Sheltered Industries broke $3.5 million in subcontract sales.
1994 - Curative’s head injury program received the “1994 Outstanding Rehabilitation Program Award” from Rehabilitations Facilities of WI.
1997 - The agency was selected to package the sacred sod for the “Frozen Tundra” sale and received more than $50,000 from the proceeds and reaped many benefits of this public relations bonanza.
1997 - Curative changed its name to N.E.W. Curative Rehabilitation, Inc. to separate itself from other organizations with similar names and to become more area specific.
1998 - Curative celebrated its 50th anniversary and ended a successful $2.6 million capital campaign to expand Sheltered Industries’ warehouse and Curative’s programming space.
Curative’s literacy program began and recognized its first GED graduate.
2000s
2000 - Curative added a new aquatic therapy pool.
2000 - In May, the Older Americans Program received the Organizational Award from the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Chapter Network.
2005 - Sheltered Industries received the first-ever “Friends of Manufacturing Award” from the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce.
2006 - A $1 million capital campaign is launched to purchase a building on Green Bay’s west side at 1538 Western Ave. In recognition of a major donor, the building is named the Cloud Family Care Center. Community-based supportive day programs and daily living skills programs are now Curative’s largest service areas, with 406 people actively receiving services in Brown and Door Counties.
2007 - The largest programs continued to be adult day programs, wraparound, and job placement. Due to an ever-increasing waiting list, the Alzheimer’s day programs were expanded by adding additional space for 12-18 people.
Curative expanded community services to include in-home assistance.
Adult day programs earned certification from the Veterans Administration (VA) and received certification for in-home and community-based program.
Curative purchased “Generations Elder Care” in Manitowoc, an adult day program.
2008 - Sheltered Industries changed its name to ProSolutions, Inc., offering manufacturing and packaging services.
2010s
2010 - ProSolutions Inc. was separately incorporated as a wholly owned for-profit subsidiary of Curative Connections.
Curative and a private investor started a new for-profit subsidiary called CornerBoard Solutions, which made corner posts used in manufacturing.
ProSolutions was honored with the “Friends of Manufacturing Award” by the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce.
Ready, Set, Life program was created to help people with disabilities develop daily living skills.
2010 - Mind Movers began serving people with early memory loss, promoting brain health through social, physical, creative and cognitive activities.
An additional adult day program was opened in Luxemburg.
2012 - John Bloor resigned as president after 19 years; he was succeeded by Steve McCarthy as the 3rd President/CEO in Curative’s 64-year history.
2013 - Curative celebrated its 65th Anniversary, while ProSolutions celebrated its 50th Anniversary.
2015 - Curative took over the Specialized Transportation Service from the Red Cross. This increased its budget by more than $750,000 and added many new members and more than 100 volunteers. This program increased community awareness with cars, buses and vans traveling through-out the county.
2015 - N.E.W. Curative Rehabilitation Inc. changed its name to Curative Connections, Inc. based on feedback from a wide variety of stakeholders, who believed the name, “Curative Connections” more clearly reflected who we are, what we do and why we do it.
2017 - ProSolutions purchased Quality Mail Marketing, a mailing and fulfillment company in Kaukauna.
2018 - Curative Connections’ Rising Tide capital campaign surpassed its $8.5 million goal to renovate 65,000 SF, which doubled its service capacity at Curry Lane and added at least $500,000 to its endowment.
2020s
2020 - The COVID-19 pandemic posed an existential threat to Curative Connections, both the people served and the staff employed. Curative partnered with Prevea and other health professionals to implement evidence-based safety protocols. Several policies and procedures were implemented to reduce the threat of COVID. Government and philanthropic support enabled Curative Connections to survive organizationally. The number of people Curative provided services for dropped by one third.
2020 - The Specialized Learning Program (SLP) designed to provide an individual learning environment was launched.
CornerBoard Solutions was sold to Alliance Plastics.
2021- ProSolutions, Inc. received the “Community Partnership Award” from the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce.
2021 - Steve McCarthy retired from Curative Connections after 9 years; he was succeeded by Jeanne Stangel as the 4th President/CEO and first female leader in Curative’s 74-year history.
2022 - Curative Connections’ participation in the Green Bay Packers Give Big Green Bay raised $168,000 in 24-hours of community giving.
2022 - In February, Curative Connections launched its Yesteryear Village $3.5 million capital campaign to renovate the Cloud Family Center on the west side for Adult Day Services – an innovative concept for reminiscent dementia care.