Awards

Company Awards

  • TASH (The Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps) - Received award for “Exemplary efforts in assisting individuals with developmental disabilities to become an active part of our community.”
  • ARC of Racine - Recognition for dedicated services and inclusion of people with disabilities into the community.
  • BIAW – (Brain Injury Association of Wisconsin) - Education and Community Service Award 2005

Alpha Homes has presented at the Developmental Disabilities Network, Wisconsin Brain Injury Association Conference, and Long Term Care Network Conferences.

Exceprt from Article by the Racine Journal Times - 2005

Duffeck Honored for Work with Disabled

Valerie Duffeck of Racine, president and co-owner of Alpha Homes of Wisconsin, was honored with the Education & Community Service Award during the Brain Injury Association of Wisconsin's 17th annual Wisconsin Conference on Brain Injury April 26-27 at the Regency Suites & KI Convention Center in Green Bay.

Each year, the conference planning committee and board members present several awards to individuals and /or groups whom they feel have exemplified the mission of their organization. The Brain Injury Association of Wisconsin provides services in these core areas: information and resources, education, prevention, advocacy and Support. The Board of Directors and staff of the association are dedicated to serving the more than 50,000 Wisconsin residents with brain injuries and their families.

Duffeck, disability analyst and fellow, was born and raised in Ireland and then immigrated to Canada. She earned her undergraduate degree from Georgian College in Barri, Ontario, where she graduated first in her class. As a part of her undergraduate requirement, she had to work at Orillia, an institution for the mentally disabled. Following her graduation, she continued to work at Orillia, and it was there that her passion for working with the disabled grew. She was determined to better the lives of the disabled, taking on an individualized and community integrated approach to care.

In 1975, Duffeck relocated to Racine where she worked as a teacher's aide at Olympia Brown Elementary School. She then went on to become the executive director of Careers Industries, helping disabled individuals obtain jobs and access activities in the community.

In 1986, Duffeck and her husband, David, opened their first adult family care home, Alpha Homes of Wisconsin. They currently are developing their 17th adult family home and serve 30 people who live in their own apartments.