In 1993 a small group of CEOs from Northern NY, USA and Southern Ontario Canada, of Organizations providing services to persons with special needs, met for the first time. This group later became the cornerstone of the 1 world foundation.

1995-1997: Job shadowing was the focus of this period. Through clinician to clinician direct communications, and observation visits, valuable information was exchanged regarding similarities and differences between the US and Canadian systems.

January 1995: Staff from Southeastern Ontario agencies and staff from Northern New York agencies met in Alexandria Bay, New York for an information exchange, including tours of each other’s work sites.

October 1995: Robert Seaby, Executive Director of Ongwanada presented to Executive Directors of Disability Services agencies in New York State and to the New York State Family Support Council.

November 1995: Conference on grieving and individuals with developmental disabilities was held in Kingston, 3 employees from New York State attended.

February 1996: New York agency representatives participated in a presentation on Cooperative Initiatives Utilized in Ontario.

April 1996: Two Canadian Physicians and Ongwanada staff member presented at the New York Aging Conference in Lake Placid, New York.

June 1996: Sunmount DDSO staff presented in Toronto to the Great Lakes Society (physicians) at their Annual Meeting on the topic of Individualized funding.

August 1996: Ongwanada staff members toured Day Services Programs in New York.

October 1996: Administrators and Executives from Ontario and New York met in Albany to participate in an exchange and to learn about the legislative process and funding for services to individuals in New York.

June 1997: Administrators and Executives from New York and Ontario met in Toronto to participate in an exchange and to learn about the provincial process and funding for services and individuals in Canada.

December 1997: Staff from Southeastern Ontario Agencies along with Northern New York state agencies met in Alexandria Bay, New York for an exchange on direct care staff issues and tours of each other’s work sites.

1998: The 1 World Foundation was incorporated in the United States and Canada.

May 1998: Staff from Northern, Central and Western New York agencies along with Southeastern Ontario agencies met in Belleville, Ontario for an information exchange on direct care staff issues and tours of each other’s work sites.