YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – In 1994, Jimmy Sutman had just earned his degree in journalism from Grove City College and worked evenings for WKBN-TV.
He never imagined he would go on to become president of The Purple Cat – an adult day program that he started for people with disabilities. He is also president of Iron and String Life Enhancement Inc. (ISLE) and director of operations for its nonprofit, Golden String Inc.
Through the years, Sutman has reached hundreds of local adults with disabilities, affecting their lives in areas where he saw voids to fill. He houses his businesses in eight buildings he owns in Mahoning County.
Sutman says two things influenced him: He grew up across the street from an individual with a disability, and his aunt had a baby with Down syndrome.
“I thought, maybe I have these connections with these folks and maybe Leonard Kirtz School would hire me in the daytime,” he says. “That’s how it all started – Leonard Kirtz is for children and they said, “’Would you mind working with the adults?’”
It was very difficult for the school to find males to work with the adults, says Sutman.
He found himself working days in a sheltered workshop and at WKBN at night. He quickly realized his passion was working with adults with disabilities.
“I was 22 or 23 years old at the time and there was one individual at the sheltered workshop and he has been our main influence,” Sutman says.
His name was Joe Gallagher. He had Down syndrome and died 12 years ago. Sutman recalls how their friendship lit the way for everything else.
Sutman says Gallagher took a liking to him and when his family needed help in the evening, they called and Sutman would pick him up.
“It got to the point where his caregivers were aging and one day they approached me and said, ‘Would you ever consider him staying at your place?’ ” he says.
Unmarried at the time and without children, Sutman decided to quit his job at Leonard Kirtz School and start some residential work for adults with disabilities – Gallagher being the first client.
“I had to take a couple of college courses. I got a license through the state of Ohio and bought a house in Struthers,” he says. “That’s how it all started.”
Soon after, Gallagher moved into the house on Center Street and the county moved in a couple more individuals – creating Sutman’s first supported-living home for adults with disabilities.
THE PURPLE CAT
When it came time to expand, he set his sights on Youngstown.
“I always was enamored with downtown Youngstown,” says Sutman. “In the late ’90s – that really may have been the darkest time for downtown Youngstown.”
Federal Plaza still existed at the time, Sutman says, but there wasn’t much going on.
“It was a good time to buy,” he says.
Sutman bought a building at 12 S. Phelps St. from the jeweler Charles Caroline.
The building became Sutman’s main offices, and later, the site of Golden String Radio and a Purple Cat location.
The Purple Cat was officially founded in 2003 – about five years after the founding of ISLE.
Up until 2004, all of the day programs, or “day habilitation” programs, were run by the state.
“We wanted to get out of that and privatization was occurring,” he says. “In 2004, we got our license for The Purple Cat to provide day programming.”
Gallagher also largely influenced this decision, says Sutman.
“Joe was approaching 60 [years old] with Down syndrome and he wanted to retire,” he says. “The county still wanted him to go to work because they didn’t want to have to pay for group home staffing for Joe in the daytime. This was a real problem.”
Through the creation of The Purple Cat, Sutman was able to give Gallagher options such as working fewer days and hours.
“It turned out there were a lot of other folks that needed a nontraditional day program,” he says. “That’s how The Purple Cat started and has grown.”
What started as a single residential site has expanded to 30 throughout Trumbull and Mahoning counties.
The Purple Cat also operates at Farmer Casey’s Ranch in Coitsville; Gallagher’s Lunch Bucket, Pearl Street Mission and Phelps Street in Youngstown; St. Lucy’s in Campbell; and a Boardman location.
The day program offers a calendar full of activities every month including field trips, events, parties, classes for daily-living skills and activities.
The Purple Cat also works with clients on vocational and training skills and offers a creative arts program, as well as The Feral Cats – a band made up of Purple Cat clients.
Sutman refers to the Coitsville farm as the “crown jewel.”
GROWTH IS EVIDENT
Sutman now oversees approximately 350 staff members. He says about 60% are full-time.
Among ISLE, The Purple Cat and Golden String Radio, Sutman has about 400 clients. About 260 of those clients are within The Purple Cat and 102 are residential.
Sutman is particularly proud of the Pearl Street Mission on the east side of Youngstown. The Purple Cat site serves some 50 adults.
“When I first bought that building, people told me I was crazy – that Pearl Street was a notorious crime street,” he says. “We have had very few issues. The East Side has since become more pastoral.”
Joseph Verostko is the father of two of Sutman’s long-time clients. After hearing about Purple Cat and Golden String, Verostko said he got his children involved.
“One of the things [Sutman] pushes through his programs is to make them feel as normal and mainstream as the next guy walking down the street,” he says. “They are adults. They are people just like you.”
The most notable thing Sutman has done for his children is give them opportunities they may otherwise not have, says Verostko.
“My youngest plays in the Feral Cat band and he actually plays the bass guitar very well,” he says. “He allowed them to be as normal as possible.”
Julia is more art oriented, says Verostko. The Purple Cat has allowed for her to create a variety of artwork and perform as an actor in plays.
Verostko says his children have found satisfaction in the productivity they feel after coming home from Sutman’s programs.
“When they come home from a day at Purple Cat, you can see it on their faces,” he says.
Pictured at top: A young Jimmy Sutman embraces Joe Gallagher, who he says was his inspiration.