Give MICC 2021 supporting MICC — Minnesota Independence College and Community
Give MICC 2021

Challenge Grant

Our goal for Give MICC is to raise $75,000 to transform the lives of individuals and their families affected by the autism spectrum and learning differences. MICC is honored to accept a challenge grant from the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation to help us reach that goal. The Foundation’s mission is to strengthen and support education, health care, and human service initiatives. 

The challenge grant aims to raise $20,000 to be matched by the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation. You can support MICC’s challenge grant in the following ways: 

  • dollar-to-dollar match for gifts from anyone who did not donate to MICC last fiscal year 

  • dollar-to-dollar match for the amount above the gift a donor gave to MICC last fiscal year 

About MICC

Minnesota Independence College & Community (MICC) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, life and career skills training program for young adults on the autism spectrum and with learning differences. Our vision is a world where individuals on the autism spectrum and those with learning differences thrive and are valued.

Since our founding in 1996, MICC has remained dedicated to helping our participants make successful transitions toward independent, sustainable living. We believe our participants can live independent, self-sufficient, whole lives. Having learned the skills to open doors previously closed to them, the future of our participants is limitless. 

We are a long-term partner to individuals who learn differently. We are MICC. 

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We are all the same, we want a sense of purpose, an identity, and to be able to contribute to our community. Having a reason to get up each morning, and a place to go and to have someone be excited to see you is exactly why employment and community is so important." 

- Amy Gudmestad, Executive Director



MICC Participant Kari shares, “growing up was very hard. I didn’t have lots of friends and I really didn’t have any future goals." As Kari’s journey continues, you see that is no longer Kari’s experience, having learned the skills at MICC to open doors previously closed to her. She is living independently in a house with a roommate, has been gainfully employed with the same company for 13 years, and has a vibrant social life. In Kari’s words, she’s “beaten the odds”.

MICC helps participants, like Kari, achieve their goals and overcome obstacles. Current research reflects that only 1/3 of individuals on the autism spectrum attend any postsecondary education. Further, less than half of individuals on the autism spectrum hold paid employment within four years of graduating high school and 87% continue to live with their parents.

The outcomes for MICC participants are vastly different; they live independently and maintain their independence with support from MICC, as needed. College Program participants receive an average of 434 classes in independent living skills each year and Community Program participants receive an average of 50 hours of independent living services each month. Like Kari, 98% of work eligible participants are employed and our Careers Program increased the number of employers of MICC participants by 74% in the past year. 

We need people like you, who are passionate about the work MICC is doing, to invest in our vision of a world where individuals on the autism spectrum and those with learning differences thrive and are valued. MICC helps change outcomes for participants, and you can join us by making a gift today.