Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Cook.
Hi Ryan , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Kathy Cook founded all R friends in 2009. Prior to that, she worked for 12 years as a job coach with Westerville City Schools, where she recognized a significant gap in quality services for her students after graduation. This need for continued support for adults with disabilities inspired her to create our organization, all R friends.
Kathy’s younger brother, Ralphie, who had multiple disabilities and passed away at the age of 27, was and continues to be the inspiration behind her work. The all R friends symbol is an exact replica of a drawing Ralphie made for Kathy shortly before he passed. It was his final gift to her. The “R” in all R friends was Ralphie’s legal signature, so the name represents all of “Ralphie’s” friends.
Despite the challenges he faced, Ralphie was a loyal friend to everyone he met. He had a big heart, lived life to the fullest, and touched many people with his kindness and love.
all R friends is lovingly dedicated to Ralphie’s memory and to every individual living with one or more disabilities.
What began in a small church in Westerville has grown considerably over the past 17 years. Today, operations are overseen by Kathy’s son, Ryan Cook, who serves as our Executive Director. We now operate six day program locations across Central Ohio in Dublin, Gahanna, Grove City, Lewis Center, Upper Arlington, and Westerville. In addition, we provide supported employment and supported living services.
In many ways, the spirit of Ralphie’s friendship and kindness continues to guide our mission of helping those with developmental disabilities find, fulfill, and enjoy their purpose in life.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
While all R friends is thriving today, with waitlists at every location, the journey has not always been smooth. When we first began, only five individuals were committed to participating. Even then, services could not start until we secured a suitable location and reliable transportation. Most banks declined to offer even a $10,000 loan for a van. Eventually, a local bank took a chance on all R friends, making it possible for us to purchase a vehicle and begin serving participants.
In those early days, our family’s church in Westerville agreed to provide space during the week. In return, we committed to completing an unfinished wing of the building. The partnership proved invaluable. Within the first year, enrollment began to grow rapidly, and it became clear that expansion would be necessary to avoid long waitlists. In 2010, we opened a second location in Dublin, the next largest community outside of Westerville where many participants lived. Just a year later, continued growth required another expansion, leading to the opening of a Delaware location in 2011, which was later relocated and is now our Lewis Center site.
Momentum continued. In 2013, we established our Westerville home office, which serves as our executive headquarters, training center, and a hub for supported employment services. That same year, we launched supported living services and opened an additional day program location in Gahanna. A fifth day program site followed in Upper Arlington in 2015, and in 2020 we expanded again with a new location in Grove City.
The Grove City opening coincided with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, presenting unprecedented challenges across every program. Our team adapted quickly, developing virtual services through Zoom and designing meaningful at-home activities so individuals could continue receiving support safely. These remote services continued for more than a year until in-person programming could fully resume.
Today, all R friends maintains waitlists at each of our locations. The challenges have shifted from simply getting started to thoughtfully managing continued growth while preserving the quality and personal connections that have defined our work from the very beginning.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
all R friends is a Central Ohio–based organization that provides day programs, supported employment, and supported living services for individuals with developmental and other disabilities. Our work centers on helping each person build practical life skills, develop meaningful relationships, and participate fully in their communities. We operate multiple locations throughout the region and partner closely with families to create individualized plans that reflect each person’s goals and abilities.
One of the ways we stand out is the balance we maintain between structure and flexibility. Our programs are thoughtfully planned, with coordinated activities and community outings designed to be both purposeful and engaging. Something that really differentiates us from other day programs is that within our day services, we offer two distinct groups. A blue team group that is focused on helping those who are more independent with finding employment and a green team group that is focused on individuals who require more one on one assistance to become more independent with daily living skills. We do this so we can effectively support individuals across a much wider range of needs. This range allows us to meet people where they are while still encouraging growth and independence.
We are also known for combining a warm, welcoming culture with strong operational standards. Families often describe our environment as family-like, while also appreciating the professionalism, safety practices, and consistency of our staff. Our employment services emphasize long-term success and proper job matching, and our supported living services focus on personal choice and independence rather than rigid routines.
From a brand perspective, we are especially proud of the meaning behind our name and symbol. The “R” represents Ralphie, whose spirit of friendship and inclusion continues to influence our culture and the way we approach every interaction. It serves as a daily reminder that belonging and respect are at the core of what we do.
Above all, we want readers to know that all R friends is built on both compassion and accountability. We work hard to grow responsibly, maintain quality across locations, and earn the trust families place in us. Our goal is simple but meaningful: to create environments where individuals are supported not just in their needs, but in their potential.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
If you are interested in working at all R friends, it is an extremely rewarding experience. Knowing that you are actively making a positive difference in people’s lives every single day brings a level of purpose that is hard to match in most careers. Team members are not just supervising activities, they are building friendships, encouraging independence, supporting employment goals, and helping individuals gain confidence in everyday life. Many of our staff share that the relationships they form with the individuals we serve become one of the most meaningful parts of their work.
all R friends also recognizes that caring for others starts with taking care of our team. We offer higher pay than most organizations in this field, along with benefits and retirement planning options that help provide long-term stability. Ongoing training, clear advancement paths, and consistent scheduling are additional priorities, allowing employees to view this not simply as a job, but as a career with growth opportunities.
Beyond compensation, our workplace culture is something we are especially proud of. Staff are supported by hands-on leadership, collaborative teamwork, and an environment that values respect, patience, and professionalism. Whether someone is new to the field or has years of experience, they are welcomed into a mission-driven organization where their efforts are noticed and appreciated.
For individuals who want meaningful work, strong support, and the chance to be part of a community that truly changes lives, all R friends offers both purpose and opportunity.
Pricing:
- all services provided by all R friends are covered by medicaid waivers
Contact Info:
- Website: https://allrfriends.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allRfriends.info/
