Melwood - A Story of Empowerment

Melwood

A Story of Empowerment

The New Book By
Earl Copus, Jr.
with Marian Calabro

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In transforming the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities, a non-profit organization transformed itself into a social entrepreneurial success

With no reference manuals for guidance, and a piece of raw land with no plumbing, how would you begin to train people who were widely believed to be untrainable for any type of job? Here is the story of how Earl Copus and the organization he shaped, Melwood, met that seemingly insurmountable challenge and opened a new world of opportunity for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

When "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" finally seemed within reach for all Americans in the 1960s, few even considered those goals for people then known as "mentally retarded." For them, independence, homes, and jobs were not considered possible – or even worth pursuing.

It was the right time for Earl Copus, Jr., a 26-year-old Peace Corps veteran full of idealism, to tackle this problem. Before universities were teaching social entrepreneurship, or horticultural therapy was a common field of study, Copus had already gained a wealth of experience in both areas. When he devoted his talents toward training adults with developmental disabilities for successful employment, he became part of a revolution that is still reverberating today.

From humble beginnings as Melwood´s only full-time employee, Copus remained at the helm of the agency for four decades.  The story of Melwood reveals how innovation and sheer determination tore down barriers and proved that adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities are a vital part of their communities.

Melwood has grown into a $71 million organization that provides job training, employment, housing, and recreation to more than 2,100 people with disabilities.  Located in a Maryland suburb outside of Washington, D.C., Melwood has admirers from many places around the globe as a model of social entrepreneurship.

This book contains an abundance of information and inspiration that will resonate with families who have someone with an intellectual or developmental disability, organizations that serve a similar population, and more generally, those in the nonprofit sector that are seeking insight into the field of social entrepreneurship and horticultural therapy.

• "This book should be required reading for every person who has a loved one with developmental disabilities. You will identify with and cheer the wonderful people stories."
  - Lorraine Sheehan, Former President of The Arc of the United States
  
  
• Earl Copus had the natural leadership and charisma which enabled him to put together a team of employees and supporters to map out a strategy, gather resources, and make things happen…The American Horticultural Therapy Association is but one invaluable offspring of the Melwood legacy.
  - Professor Diane Relf, Co-founder of the American Horticultural Therapy Association.
  
  
• "I have watched Melwood grow from an idea into a modern day success. The story of Melwood is truly an inspiration, borne from the critical human needs of a community and forged by the vision and personal determination of Earl Copus, Jr."
  - Steny Hoyer, Majority Leader, United States House of Representatives
  
  
• "Lifetime Achievement Award" presented to Earl Copus, Jr. "Whose vision changed the paradigm for people with disabilities worldwide; whose outstanding enterprise practices delivered the organization’s mission."
  - Social Enterprise Alliance
  
  
• "Melwood is an inspiring example of how the dream of parents developed into an internationally respected organization, impacting thousands of individuals with intellectual disabilities."
  - Doreen Croser, Executive Director, American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities