Ben Chmielewski and Veronica Zielinski started Ohio IPG out of necessity.  As Sarah Chmielewski became 21 and entered her senior year of high school, the realization set in that the terrific support she had received eight hours a day, five days a week, nine months a year during her public education years would no longer be available.  Ben’s previous success in posting employment opportunities at local colleges was no longer an option because area colleges no longer accepted “childcare” job postings, citing an inability to vet the source for safety.  The Chmielewski family tried using an agency a few times over the years with no success. It was time to reinvent the approach.

 

So Ben asked Veronica, who has been a provider for Sarah for five years and recently received her master’s degree in social work from CWRU, to partner in this venture.

 

Veronica has long felt a passion for individuals with disabilities, starting with the birth of her brother two decades ago. A young man with a genetic condition, seizure disorder, visual impairment, and autism spectrum disorder, Veronica struggled to find quality support outside their immediate family. This service gap was echoed in Veronica’s connections as a social worker in the field of developmental disability, as family after family confided their disappointments with care for their children. Collaborating with Ben progressed into the establishment of  Ohio IPG: a helping hand to recruit the exceptional care our loved ones deserve.