WESCO Industries: Building Gateways and Foundations, Regardless of Ability

From its Denison roots to a growing regional presence, WESCO Industries is helping people find independence, purpose, and support close to home.

When the team at WESCO Industries talks about their work, they do not lead with programs or service models. They lead with people: the members the organization serves, the families who rely on them, and the everyday wins that make the mission worth pursuing.

"We are a nonprofit community service provider, and we support individuals with disabilities and mental health diagnoses," said Aubrey Sholty, who serves in leadership at WESCO. "Our members are truly just like you and me. They want to work, they want to live a fulfilling life."

That people-first focus has defined WESCO for decades. What began in 1966 as a community response to a growing need in western Iowa has grown into WESCO Industries, a nonprofit now serving about 200 members across the area. Along the way, the organization has continuously expanded its services, broadened its reach, and adapted to meet the evolving needs of the communities it serves.

A Mission Built on Community Integration

Over the years, WESCO's model has shifted intentionally and deliberately toward full community integration. The goal is not to serve people in isolation, but to help them participate in community life as fully as possible.

"Our members were once primarily centered within one building," Sholty explained. "Over the years, however, community integration has become a major focus for WESCO. Today, our members are actively engaged in the community through day programs, employment opportunities, and independent living. WESCO is deeply rooted in community integration, ensuring members have meaningful opportunities to work, build relationships, and participate fully in everyday community life."

That shift reflects a deep organizational belief: meaningful support should not pull people away from their communities, but help them belong more fully to them.

Services built around real life

Each program at WESCO is built around the same core mission: helping members live as independently as possible while still receiving the support they need.

Residential Services Support for members living in waiver homes, with assistance in daily living, healthcare, transportation, and community involvement.

Supported Community Living Personalized support that helps members live independently in their own homes or apartments while staying active in the community.

Adult Day Services Structured daytime support focused on social engagement, meals, activities, and maintaining independence for older adults and members needing additional daily support.

Day Habilitation Community-based programming through WAVE that encourages learning, volunteering, recreation, and personal growth.

Employment Services Job coaching, career exploration, and workplace support that help members find and maintain meaningful employment.

Respite Services Short-term care and support for children and adult members, providing relief for families and caregivers.

Transitional Living Short-term housing and support for members experiencing homelessness, mental health crises, or other life transitions.

Next Step Living An innovative program combining technology and staff support to promote greater independence and safety.

Across all of WESCO's programs, members are encouraged to be active in the community through volunteering, shopping, dining out, employment opportunities, and social engagement. WESCO's day habilitation program, The WAVE, also provides opportunities for members to give back through activities like Meals on Wheels and hunger relief efforts.

"Our members love being part of the community," Sholty said. "They enjoy going out to eat, shopping, volunteering, and staying active."

For many members, those everyday experiences are more than activities. They are meaningful opportunities for independence, connection, and purpose.

Serving Rural Iowa

Serving a rural part of Iowa requires WESCO to think creatively about access and service delivery. With staff often traveling 45 to 50 miles a day to support members, the organization has developed a hub-based model designed to keep services close to the communities they serve.

"We've started building local hubs," Sholty said. "Denison serves as one hub, while Ida Grove and Holstein share another. We also have hubs in Carroll and Harlan."

The approach allows WESCO to operate more efficiently while ensuring members in rural communities can still access local support, especially in areas where the nearest provider may be many miles away.

Today, WESCO serves members across Crawford, Ida, Carroll, Harrison, and surrounding counties, and the organization continues expanding services where the need is greatest.

Growing in Harlan

WESCO's expansion into Shelby County has already made a strong impact. Although the organization has already been serving members in Harlan through employment services, the upcoming opening of a five-bed waiver home will mark WESCO's first residential home outside of Denison.

"We're opening our first residential home in Harlan within the next couple of months," Sholty said. "It will serve young women and came about after a local family approached us looking for support options for their daughter."

As WESCO continues growing in the area, the organization has focused on building relationships within the community through outreach efforts and pop-up events.

"We've had several pop-up events with great turnout," Sholty said. "It's given us the opportunity to connect with people who may need services and educate the community about who we are and what we do."

That community presence has already been recognized. In 2025, WESCO was named New Business of the Year by the Shelby County Chamber, an honor that reflects the organization's commitment to building trust and creating meaningful opportunities in the communities it serves.

WESCO has also received statewide recognition, recently ranking among the top three disability and support organizations in Iowa based entirely on Google Reviews.

"For us, that recognition belongs to everyone who has trusted and supported WESCO over the years," Sholty said. "It reflects the relationships we've built with our members, families, staff, and communities."

Next Step Living: Independence, Backed by Technology

One of WESCO's most significant recent developments is the launch of Next Step Living, a remote support program that combines smart-home technology with personalized care to help members live more independently than ever before.

Next Step Living combines technology with personalized remote support to help individuals live more independently while staying safely connected to staff and services. Through remote support technology, members can receive assistance, reminders, wellness checks, medication support, and emergency response in real time while maintaining their privacy, dignity, and independence.

Key features of the program include:

• GrandCare touchscreen systems that provide intuitive, easy-to-use communication and wellness tools
• Medication management technology to support consistent and safe routines
• Safety sensors that monitor the home environment without being intrusive
• Two-way communication supports that allow members to connect with staff at any time

The goal is not to replace human care. It is to enhance independence and create more opportunities for people to live the lives they want. For many individuals, Next Step Living can mean living in their own apartment or home for the first time, with the reassurance that support is always available when they need it.

"What makes this model so exciting is the freedom, choice, and flexibility it creates for the individuals we support," Sholty said, "while still ensuring safety and immediate access to help."

The idea emerged after WESCO leadership saw a similar model at a conference and visited another provider already using smart-home technology. "From there, we thought, 'This is incredible,'" Sholty said. "It really opened our eyes to how independent our members can be and the impact this could have on changing lives."

Aging in Place: Expanding the Vision to Seniors

WESCO is also working to bring the Next Step Living model to aging seniors through an Aging in Place approach. As more seniors want to remain in their homes longer, the team sees remote supports as a powerful way to provide safety, connection, and peace of mind for both seniors and their families.

The model can help reduce isolation, support caregivers, provide medication and wellness reminders, and allow older adults to remain safely and comfortably in their communities while still receiving personalized support when needed. It is particularly well-suited for seniors and families who may not need full-time care but would benefit from added safety supports, wellness monitoring, and ongoing connection to services.

WESCO believes this approach has the potential to transform how support is delivered across western Iowa, not only for individuals with disabilities, but for seniors and their families as well.

A Team with a Shared Mission

WESCO employs close to 150 staff members, including direct support professionals, assistant managers, and senior leadership. The organization is also CARF accredited, a distinction that reflects its commitment to quality, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Employee satisfaction at WESCO is strong, and a recent survey pointed to consistent themes: strong communication, supportive supervisors, recognition, and a sense that the work truly matters.

That culture is reflected in WESCO's employee recognition program, Thrive, a word chosen deliberately to capture what the organization wants for both its staff and its members.

What People Should Know

One of the most common challenges WESCO faces is simple awareness. Many people in the communities it serves do not yet know what services are available or that an organization like WESCO exists nearby.

"I still feel like there is a whole population here in Denison in Crawford County that does not realize that WESCO even exists," Sholty said.

WESCO wants more people to know that these services are for real people with real lives: people who may need help with disability support, mental health, aging, employment, or transitional housing. That also means helping families, schools, case managers, and community members connect with services, navigate funding, and take the next step when someone needs support.

"We just want to help and support people regardless of their ability," Sholty said.

Built for What Comes Next

WESCO's history is a long one, but its mission feels more current than ever. The organization has moved from centralized services to community integration, from a single location to local hubs, and now toward smart living, remote supports, and expanded residential care across western Iowa.

Through it all, the goal has stayed the same: help people live fuller lives with dignity, support, and a place in their community.

And with Next Step Living, Aging in Place, new smart living homes, and a growing footprint in communities like Harlan, WESCO is not just building on its past. It is building toward a future where more people, regardless of ability or age, have access to the support they need, right where they live.

Visit WESCO Industries at 415 S 11th St, Denison. Learn more at wescoind.org. Follow along on Facebook at WESCO Industries and Wesco Industries Group. Call +1 712-263-6141 to learn more about services, admissions, and ways to get connected.