When Patrick Maynard joined I Am Boundless in 2015, the organization — then called Franklin County Residential Services — served about 800 adults. The new president and CEO initiated a vision and planning process that identified service gaps.
Maynard says people often face a number of challenges. For example, someone may have a developmental disability and also a behavioral health problem or substance use disorder.
“We needed to open up ourselves to the complex needs and multiple challenges that people have,” Maynard says.
Today, the nonprofit serves more than 3,000 people throughout Ohio, from birth to death. And as the organization has expanded services, Boundless has grown from a $25 million organization to $85 million.
“We went from being a local organization with a narrow line of services to becoming a statewide organization, probably soon to be multistate, with multiple lines of not only revenue but also services and programs,” he says.
Good at business
Some of that growth came from merging with Step By Step Academy – Behavioral Health Services, which ran a residential treatment center for children.
“That program met a huge need in the community, but like a lot of nonprofits, they were really good at mission and not so good at business,” Maynard says.
While the program gained national recognition, the organization was going over the cliff financially, he says. Boundless recommended Step By Step shut down and restart the program.
Ultimately, Step by Step asked to join Boundless, and the nonprofit stabilized the program, ensured the infrastructure operated effectively and grew it across the state.
Today, Boundless has completed another merger and expanded its business expertise to provide small nonprofits with back office services.
Future development
With the Step By Step acquisition, Boundless received the former Harding Hospital campus, and Maynard and his team have been looking at how to effectively utilize the Worthington site.
The buildings are in disrepair, and they weren’t built to be used in a way Boundless could use them, he says. For example, autistic children were housed next to a railroad track.
As of now, the plan is to break ground for a specialized Boundless facility for children with autism and spectrum disorder in three to five years. However, it doesn’t need all of the space, so it is hoping to partner with others to create a holistic campus.
After a targeted request for proposal process, the nonprofit is further exploring future partnerships with Worthington City Schools and National Church Residence.
“There’s mutual interest from all the parties to make this work, and we just need to figure out how to make it happen,” Maynard says.
Coming home
Maynard has 30-plus years’ experience working for social service organizations nationally and regionally. After living all over the country, he was looking to return to his native state.
“It was a mutual win-win, where they needed my skill set, and I found an organization where I’m needed,” he says. “We both get something out of that, and I’m excited to get out of bed every day and help this organization. It’s fantastic.”
