An Affiliation of Openness and Truth-Seeking

The Kendal idea relies on a culture of openness and truth-seeking among volunteer board leadership from a wide range of states from Maine to Florida and Ohio. The federal-style system calls for autonomy for each Kendal community combined with the centralization of specific activities and programs for the advancement of the Kendal system as a whole.

Kendal strives to recruit board members who will be constructively challenging to staff, and who take seriously the fiduciary responsibility of the organization for the long term.

Collaboration, Mutual Learning

Kendal is a system of affiliates working cooperatively. Governance restructuring for the Kendal system took place in the years 1995-98. This new Kendal organization calls for a designated seat on The Kendal Corporation Board for each affiliate, and one member of the corporate board to serve on each community board. The corporation remains a supporting organization for all communities, and is responsible for corporate services and the development of new projects. In 1998 the Agreement Between The Kendal Corporation and its Affiliates: Mutual Expectations, System Services, and Financial Understandings was approved by The Kendal Corporation Board and signed by all Kendal affiliates. The affiliation agreement assures support and experience as individual communities continue to grow and expand their services.

The Kendal Corporation Board of Directors meets in January, in April in conjunction with All Communities Gathering (a meeting of corporate staff, affiliate executive directors, and affiliate resident association people), and also in July and October. Furthering the spirit of collaboration and mutual learning, the Leadership Team, comprised of key corporate staff and the executive directors of all Kendal affiliates, meets quarterly to strategize, learn, and share progress and challenges.