Questions about WESCO Industries
The Bake Shop and Café is one part of WESCO Industries. These are the questions people ask about WESCO, answered the same way Stan, our website assistant at wescoind.org, answers them.
Getting started
Does WESCO serve anyone, or just people with disabilities?
Anyone. Supporting people with disabilities is core to who we are, and WESCO has grown well past that one step. Today we also serve people working through mental health and addiction recovery at Stepping Stones, seniors who want to stay in their own homes through Stay by WESCO, and people looking for job support, day services, respite care, and community. Our line is simple: we have a step for anyone at any step of life. Start wherever you are, and we will help you find the next step. To talk through a specific situation, call 712-263-6141.
What does WESCO do?
WESCO Industries supports people in healthy communities across western Iowa, with residential services, day services, employment support, transitional living, respite, in home technology support, and services for seniors who want to stay in their own homes. Start wherever you are, and we will help you find the next step. Learn more at wescoind.org.
Where are you located?
Our main office is at 415 S 11th St, Denison, Iowa. We serve Denison, Carroll, Ida Grove, Holstein, and Harlan.
What are your office hours?
Monday through Thursday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, and Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
How do I reach a person?
Call 712-263-6141, or email info@wescoind.org.
Is WESCO accredited?
Yes. WESCO is CARF accredited and has served western Iowa since 1966.
What does CARF accredited mean?
CARF is an independent organization that reviews health and human service providers against quality standards. WESCO's accreditation means outside reviewers have checked our programs and found them measuring up.
What is WESCO's mission?
Empowering and supporting people in healthy communities. Our vision: we exist to build gateways and foundations regardless of ability.
Who leads WESCO?
Clay Adams is WESCO's Executive Director. Our main office number is 712-263-6141.
Why do you call the people you serve members?
Because the people we serve belong here. Member says community and belonging, not patient and not client.
Who do you serve?
People at any step of life: people with disabilities, people working through mental health and addiction recovery, and seniors who want to keep living at home.
What ages do you serve?
People across the lifespan. Respite serves children as well as adults, most WESCO programs serve adults, and Stay by WESCO serves seniors in their own homes. For a specific age or situation, call 712-263-6141.
Do you have anything for kids?
Yes. Our Adult and Children Respite, based at the 5th Avenue Fun Center, serves children as well as adults. Most of WESCO's other programs serve adults.
How does someone start services?
Call 712-263-6141 or email info@wescoind.org. One call reaches every program, and we will help you find the right next step.
How do I refer someone to WESCO?
Call 712-263-6141 or email info@wescoind.org. Case managers, families, and the person themself can all start the conversation.
How quickly can someone start services?
It depends on the program, funding, and current openings. The first step is a conversation; call 712-263-6141 and we will tell you honestly what the timing looks like.
Do you have any openings right now?
Openings change by program and by home, so we cannot give a live count here. Call 712-263-6141 for what is open today in the program you are asking about.
How much does it cost to start services?
It depends on the program and the funding a person has, so there is no single price we can quote. The first conversation costs nothing, and private tours are free. Call 712-263-6141 and we will talk through a specific situation honestly.
Can I take a tour?
Yes. Private tours are free. You can schedule one at wescoind.org/schedule-a-tour or by calling 712-263-6141.
Can a group take a tour?
Yes. Schools, churches, clubs, and other groups are welcome; call 712-263-6141 to arrange a group tour.
I live outside your towns. Can you still help?
Call us anyway. If a WESCO program is not the right fit where you live, we will help you find the next step and point you toward who serves your area.
What if my loved one does not want services?
Then we start with a conversation, not a commitment. A tour, a visit, meeting the team: small steps first, at their pace. Nobody is pushed.
My child is finishing school. What comes next?
That is one of the most common reasons families call us. Day services, employment support, and living options can all be part of life after graduation. Call 712-263-6141 and talk it through with us.
Who do I contact with a concern or complaint?
Call 712-263-6141 and ask for a member of the leadership team. We take concerns seriously and would rather hear them directly.
Can a person choose their own services and goals?
Yes. Services at WESCO are built around the person's own plan and goals, worked out with the person, their family or guardian where one is involved, and their case manager. Choice is not a slogan here; it is how a plan gets written.
What rights does a member have?
Members keep the rights everyone has: to be treated with dignity, to make choices about their daily life, to privacy, to visitors and communication, and to speak up about their services. If a member or family ever feels a right is not being honored, call 712-263-6141 and ask for a member of the leadership team.
Who is Stan?
Stan is WESCO's chatbot at wescoind.org, and the host of Star Mail with Stan, the video series where he answers real questions about WESCO.
Can Stan answer questions about my family member's care?
No. Stan answers only from WESCO's approved general answers and never discusses any individual's care or situation. For anything personal, call 712-263-6141.
How do I keep up with WESCO news?
Follow @wescoind on Facebook and Instagram and @wescoindustries on TikTok, and sign up for our monthly newsletter at wescoind.org.
Programs at a glance
What residential services does WESCO offer?
Group homes and supported living in western Iowa. More at wescoind.org/support-services/residential-services.
What is Supported Community Living?
Support that comes to a person's own home, including non 24 hour options.
What is Stepping Stones?
Transitional living in Vail for people rebuilding after addiction and mental health challenges.
What is NOVA?
Adult day services in Denison, weekdays 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
What is the WAVE?
Day habilitation, built around wellness, acceptance, voice, and empowerment.
What is respite at WESCO?
Adult and children respite, based at the 5th Avenue Fun Center.
What are Employment Services?
Job coaching and support for finding and keeping meaningful work. More at wescoind.org/support-services/employment-services.
What is Next Step Living?
Smart home technology plus on call staff, so a person can live more independently with help close by.
What is Stay by WESCO?
Help at home in Denison for seniors who want to stay in the home they love, including safety monitoring, medication reminders, and staff check ins. More at wescoind.org/support-services/aging-in-place.
What is THRIVE?
WESCO's recognition program celebrating members and staff.
Homes and supported living
What is a group home?
A group home is a regular house in a regular neighborhood where a small group of adults lives with trained staff support. At WESCO, members share a home, share daily life, and get the help they need around the clock or on a schedule, while staying part of their town and community.
How many people live in a group home?
WESCO homes are kept small on purpose, so a home feels like a home and not a facility. The exact size varies by house. Call 712-263-6141 and we can describe the homes with openings and what each one feels like.
Do residents get their own bedroom?
Bedroom arrangements vary by home, and personal space and privacy are part of how each home is set up. That is a good question for a tour, where you can see the home yourself. Call 712-263-6141 to schedule one; tours are free.
What is the difference between a group home and a nursing home?
A nursing home is a medical facility built around nursing care. A group home is a home first: a small household in a neighborhood, with staff who support daily living, routines, and community life rather than providing hospital style care. WESCO group homes sit on the home side of that line.
What is the difference between a group home and assisted living?
Assisted living is usually a larger building of apartments, most often for seniors, with help available in the building. A WESCO group home is a small shared house with staff in the home, built for people who need steady daily support. The feel is closer to a family household than to an apartment complex.
Are group homes licensed and inspected?
Yes. Homes and programs like WESCO's operate under state rules and regular oversight, and WESCO is CARF accredited, which means an outside organization reviews our programs against quality standards. If you ever want to talk through how a home is run, call 712-263-6141.
Where are WESCO's residential homes?
Across western Iowa: Denison, Carroll, Ida Grove, Holstein, and Harlan. Call 712-263-6141 for current openings by town.
Is staff with members around the clock?
In our residential homes, staffing matches each home and the people who live there, including around the clock support where it is needed. Supported Community Living also offers non 24 hour options, where support comes on a schedule.
Can family visit a member in a WESCO home?
Yes. Families are part of the team. Visits are arranged with the home's staff so they fit the household; call 712-263-6141 and we will connect you.
Can residents come home for weekends and holidays?
Yes. Members stay connected to their families, and visits home for weekends, holidays, and family events are a normal part of life. Families and the home's staff simply coordinate so everyone knows the plan.
Can a resident have a phone and personal belongings?
Yes. A member's room and life are their own: their belongings, their phone, their clothes, their routines where the household allows. WESCO homes are homes, and the people who live in them are treated that way.
How are housemates chosen?
Carefully. Who a person lives with matters as much as the house itself, so fit, routines, personalities, and support needs are all part of placement decisions. A tour and a conversation are the best way to see whether a particular home feels right. Call 712-263-6141.
What happens if a home is not a good fit?
Then we talk about it honestly and look at what would fit better, whether that is a different home, a different level of support, or supported living in a person's own place. Nobody is stuck with one option forever. Start the conversation at 712-263-6141.
What is supported community living?
Support that comes to a person's own home. Staff visit on a schedule built around the person's life, helping with daily routines, skills, and getting out in the community, while the person stays in their own place.
What is the difference between a group home and supported community living?
In a group home, members live in a WESCO home with staff support there. In supported community living, the person lives in their own home or apartment and WESCO support comes to them.
Can someone live alone and still get WESCO support?
Yes. Supported Community Living, Next Step Living, and Stay by WESCO are all built for people living in their own homes, with support matched to what they need.
Does someone have to move to get WESCO help?
No. Several WESCO services come to the person: supported community living, Next Step Living technology support, respite, and Stay by WESCO for seniors. Moving into a WESCO home is only one of the steps we offer.
How many hours of supported community living can a person get?
Hours are set in each person's own plan, based on what they need and what their funding covers, so there is no single number. Some people need a few hours a week; others need support every day. Call 712-263-6141 and we can explain how planning works.
What does supported community living help with day to day?
The everyday things that make a life work: cooking, cleaning, shopping, getting to appointments, managing routines, and getting out into the community. Staff support is built around the person's own goals, in the person's own home.
Can support come in the evening or overnight?
Support is scheduled around the person's life and plan, which can include evenings and, where a plan calls for it, overnight support. Non 24 hour options exist for people who do not need someone there around the clock. Call 712-263-6141 to talk about a specific situation.
Can supported community living help someone become more independent over time?
That is the point of it. Support is built around goals, and as skills and confidence grow, the plan can change with the person. Some people keep steady support for years, and others need less over time. Both are fine.
Who decides what support a person gets?
The person does, together with their family or guardian where one is involved, their case manager, and the WESCO team. It is worked out in a plan built around the person's goals, needs, and funding, and it can be revisited as life changes.
What is the difference between supported living and home care for seniors?
They sound alike and serve different people. Supported community living supports people with disabilities in their own homes, with staff who help build daily living skills and independence. Senior in home help, like Stay by WESCO, supports older adults in Denison with safety, reminders, and check ins so they can stay home. If you are not sure which door fits, call 712-263-6141.
Do you help pay rent or find apartments?
That is not one of our services. WESCO's residential services provide staffed group homes and supported living. If you are not sure what fits your situation, call 712-263-6141 and we will help you sort it out.
Money, waivers, and paperwork
How is WESCO funded?
Through a mix of public program funding, grants, and the generosity of donors, sponsors, and communities across western Iowa.
Who pays for a group home?
For many members, services are funded through Medicaid waiver programs, alongside a person's own benefits for their share of living costs. Every situation is different, and nobody should guess about money. Call 712-263-6141 and we will talk through a real situation honestly.
What is a Medicaid waiver, and does WESCO work with waivers?
A waiver is a Medicaid program that pays for services helping a person live in their home and community instead of an institution. WESCO works with waiver funded members across several programs. Your case manager can explain eligibility, and we can explain what WESCO offers at 712-263-6141.
What is the difference between Medicaid and a waiver?
Medicaid is the broad health coverage program. A waiver is a Medicaid program that pays for long term services and supports in a person's home and community, the kinds of help regular Medicaid does not usually cover, like supported living and respite. WESCO works with waiver funded members across several programs.
How do I apply for a waiver in Iowa?
Waiver applications in Iowa run through the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, usually starting with a Medicaid application and a conversation with a case manager. The steps depend on the person's situation. Call us at 712-263-6141 and we will help you understand where to start, even before any paperwork exists.
Does Medicare pay for group homes or long term supports?
Generally, no. Medicare is built for medical care and short term skilled services, not for long term daily living supports like group homes, supported living, or respite. Those are most often funded through Medicaid waivers or private arrangements. For a specific situation, call 712-263-6141.
Do families pay anything out of pocket?
It depends on the program and the person's funding and benefits, and there is no honest one line answer. Some costs are commonly covered by the person's own benefits, and some are not. Call 712-263-6141 and we will walk through a real situation rather than guess.
What is a case manager, and do I need one?
A case manager is the person who helps coordinate a member's funding, plan, and services across providers. Most people receiving waiver services work with one, and they are often the first call when life changes. If you do not have one and are not sure where to start, call 712-263-6141 and we will point you the right way.
What is an assessment, and why does starting services involve one?
An assessment is a structured look at what a person needs and wants, so support is built on facts instead of guesses. Funders use assessments to decide eligibility, and WESCO uses what we learn to build a plan around the person. It is a conversation and a review, not a test a person can fail.
Does WESCO help with the paperwork?
We help people understand the steps and what WESCO needs from our side, and we work alongside case managers who guide the funding paperwork. We cannot complete state applications for a family, but nobody has to figure out the order of steps alone. Call 712-263-6141.
What if someone does not have a waiver yet?
Call anyway. Plenty of people start with a conversation long before funding is sorted out, and knowing what WESCO offers helps a family plan and helps a case manager see the goal. Tours are free, and there is no commitment attached to asking. Call 712-263-6141.
Are services available without Medicaid?
Some services and situations can be arranged outside Medicaid funding, and others cannot. It depends on the program. Call 712-263-6141 and ask about the specific service you have in mind, and we will tell you plainly what is possible.
Does Medicaid or a waiver pay for respite?
Respite is one of the services waiver programs commonly fund, because giving family caregivers a break keeps the whole arrangement working. Whether a specific person's funding includes respite depends on their waiver and plan. Call 712-263-6141 and we can help you find out.
Day services
What is the difference between NOVA and the WAVE?
NOVA is WESCO's adult day services program in Denison. The WAVE is our day habilitation clubhouse, built around wellness, acceptance, voice, and empowerment. Both give the day structure, friends, and purpose; call 712-263-6141 and we can help you see which fits.
What does a day in day services look like?
Time with friends, activities, learning and life skills, and time out in the community, with staff support through the day. NOVA and the WAVE each have their own rhythm; a tour is the best way to feel it.
Can someone attend day services part time or only some days?
Schedules are planned around the person, and many members do not attend every day. What a week looks like is worked out in the person's plan, alongside work, appointments, and family life. Call 712-263-6141 to talk through options.
Can someone do both day services and a job?
Yes, and many people do. A week can hold both community employment with job coaching and days at NOVA or the WAVE. The mix is built around the person, not the other way around.
Respite
What is respite care for, exactly?
Respite gives family caregivers a real break while their loved one spends time with WESCO staff and friends at the 5th Avenue Fun Center. Breaks can be planned ahead, for a few hours or longer stretches.
How do I schedule respite care?
Call 712-263-6141 or email info@wescoind.org. Respite is based at the 5th Avenue Fun Center and serves adults and children.
Can respite be overnight or for a weekend?
Respite is planned around the break a family actually needs, which can be a few hours, a day, or a longer stretch arranged in advance. Call 712-263-6141 or email info@wescoind.org and tell us what you need; we will tell you honestly what we can do.
Is it normal to feel guilty using respite?
Very normal, and very common. Taking a break is not letting anyone down. Caregivers who rest last longer, and respite members get time with staff and friends in a place built for them. Most families who try it wish they had tried it sooner.
Can respite help in an emergency?
If a family emergency leaves a caregiver suddenly unable to provide care, call 712-263-6141 and tell us what happened. We cannot promise an instant placement, and we will tell you honestly what is possible and help you think through the next step.
Employment
Will WESCO help someone get ready for a job?
Yes. Employment services helps a person find the right fit, prepare for the work, and get coaching once the job starts, so the job lasts.
Can WESCO help someone who already has a job keep it?
Yes. Keeping meaningful work is half the point of employment services. Job coaching support can continue after hiring.
What does a job coach do?
A job coach helps a person learn a new job on the job: the tasks, the routine, the workplace expectations, and how to handle problems when they come up. The coach is there a lot at the start and steps back as the person gains confidence, while staying available if something changes.
Are these real jobs in the community, or work inside WESCO?
Both exist, and the goal is real work. WESCO employment services focus on jobs with employers in our communities, with coaching to support them. The Bake Shop in Denison is also a WESCO workplace where members train and work. Call 712-263-6141 and we can explain both paths.
Do you work with local employers?
Yes. WESCO's employment services partner with area employers to place members in real jobs and support them in keeping them. Employers who want to talk can call 712-263-6141.
I am an employer. Why should I hire through WESCO?
Because you get a prepared employee and support that does not end at hiring. WESCO helps match the person to the job, and a job coach helps with training and questions on both sides, yours and the employee's. Employers who want to talk can call 712-263-6141.
Does the job coach stay forever, or does support fade over time?
Support is heaviest at the start and is meant to fade as the person learns the job and builds natural support from coworkers and supervisors. It does not vanish on a schedule; if the job changes or a problem comes up, coaching can step back in.
Stepping Stones
Is Stepping Stones a treatment center?
No. Stepping Stones is transitional living in Vail: a structured, supportive place to live while rebuilding after addiction and mental health challenges. It is not a treatment facility. Call 712-263-6141 if you are looking for treatment options and we will point you the right way.
What does Stepping Stones help with day to day?
A stable place to live, daily structure, and staff support while a person rebuilds routines and works on their next goals after addiction and mental health challenges.
Do you have to finish treatment before Stepping Stones?
Not necessarily. Stepping Stones is transitional living, a structured and supportive place to live while rebuilding, and people arrive from different points in recovery. Call 712-263-6141 and describe where things stand, and we will tell you honestly whether Stepping Stones is the right next step.
Can someone work or go to school while at Stepping Stones?
Yes. Rebuilding a life includes work, school, and daily structure, and Stepping Stones is built to support that, not pause it. Staff help residents build routines that hold a job, classes, and recovery together.
What happens after Stepping Stones?
The goal is a stable next step: a place of their own or another living arrangement that fits, work that holds, and support that continues where it is needed, which can include other WESCO services. Nobody is simply shown the door; the next step is planned with staff before the transition.
I am worried about someone right now. What should I do?
If someone is in immediate danger or crisis, call 911. If you are looking for help for yourself or someone you love and it is not an emergency, call WESCO at 712-263-6141 and tell us what is going on. We will help you figure out the next step, even if that step is not with us.
Seniors and technology
What does aging in place mean?
Aging in place means staying in your own home and community as you grow older, instead of moving to a facility. For most people it is about keeping their routines, their neighbors, and their independence, with the right help coming to them. Stay by WESCO exists for exactly that in Denison.
What help does Stay by WESCO bring into the home?
Safety monitoring, medication reminders, and staff check ins, so a senior can stay in the home they love in Denison with help close by.
Does Stay by WESCO serve Carroll?
Stay by WESCO serves Denison. Our other programs serve Carroll as well as Denison, Ida Grove, Holstein, and Harlan.
Is Stay by WESCO the same as home health nursing?
No. Stay by WESCO is not medical care and does not provide nursing. It brings safety monitoring, medication reminders, and staff check ins into a senior's home in Denison, so they can live at home with help close by. Medical needs belong with doctors and home health providers.
What happens if a senior falls or needs help fast at home?
That worry is exactly why in home support exists. Stay by WESCO includes safety monitoring and staff check ins for seniors in Denison, so changes and problems are noticed early and help is close. In any emergency, always call 911 first.
How does the remote support in Next Step Living work?
Next Step Living pairs smart home technology through GrandCare with on call staff, so a person gets reminders, safety monitoring, and a real person within reach while living more independently.
Can technology replace staff?
No, and at WESCO it is not meant to. In Next Step Living, smart home technology handles reminders, monitoring, and peace of mind, while real staff stay on call and involved. Technology stretches support further; people still provide it.
Is smart home monitoring private?
Privacy is a fair question and one we take seriously. Monitoring in Next Step Living is set up with the member around safety and support, not watching for its own sake, and what is used is part of the person's plan. For the details of how it would work in a specific home, call 712-263-6141.
Who is Next Step Living a good fit for?
Someone who wants to live in their own home and can do a lot for themselves, but sleeps better, and whose family sleeps better, knowing reminders, monitoring, and on call staff are in place. It sits between living fully on your own and needing staff in the home every day.
Careers and giving
Are you hiring?
Current openings are listed at wescoind.org/careers. Our employment contact is Chelsie Desy, cdesy@wescoind.org.
How do I apply for a job?
Apply online at wescoind.org/careers, where every current opening is posted. Questions about a posting go to our employment contact, Chelsie Desy, at cdesy@wescoind.org.
Do you have any job openings?
Current openings are always listed at wescoind.org/careers and the list changes as positions fill. If you do not see your fit today, check back, or reach Chelsie Desy at cdesy@wescoind.org.
How do I donate?
Giving options are at wescoind.org, or call 712-263-6141. WESCO Industries holds the Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency for 2026.
How do I volunteer or sponsor?
Call 712-263-6141 and we will connect you with the right person.
Where does my donation go?
Donations support WESCO's programs and the people we serve across western Iowa. If you want your gift directed to a specific program, call 712-263-6141 and we will set it up.
Can I donate items instead of money?
Often, yes. Needs change, so call 712-263-6141 first and we will tell you what would help most right now.
Are donations to WESCO tax deductible?
WESCO Industries is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so donations are generally tax deductible. Your own tax advisor can confirm how that applies to you.
What is the Duck Race?
The Duck Race is WESCO's annual fundraiser, one of the most fun days of our year. Watch wescoind.org and our social channels for this year's date and how to get your ducks.
The Bake Shop and Back 30
What are the Bake Shop's hours and location?
The Bake Shop and Café is at 1003 4th Ave S, Denison. Open Monday through Friday 7:00 AM to 4:30 PM, and Saturday and Sunday 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Phone 712-263-5552. Every cup creates a job: the Bake Shop trains and employs people WESCO serves.
Can anyone eat at the Bake Shop, or only members?
Everyone. The Bake Shop and Café is open to the public for breakfast, lunch, coffee, and baked goods, and every visit supports paid work and training for people WESCO serves.
What is Second Fridays at the Bake Shop?
On the second Friday of every month, the Bake Shop serves a prime rib night from 5:00 to 8:00 PM. Call 712-263-5552 for this month's details.
Does the Bake Shop have an app?
Yes. Search Bake Shop and Café in the Apple App Store or Google Play. The app carries the menu and our loyalty rewards.
What is the Back 30 Event Center?
An event space at the Bake Shop in Denison seating up to 70, with a full bar, for weddings, meetings, and celebrations. For rentals, contact Laine Miller at lmiller@wescoind.org.
What events can the Back 30 host?
Weddings, corporate meetings, private celebrations, and intimate receptions, for up to 70 guests, with a full bar. Contact Laine Miller at lmiller@wescoind.org for rentals.