Customer Stories: The Arc Gateway
Jul 17, 2025
Patrick McKinney, Marketing Team Lead
✅ Customer Profile
Name: The Arc Gateway
Location: In & Around Pensacola, Florida
Size: 1,200+ Children and Adults across Five Unique Program Sites
Services Offered: Adult Day Programs, Community-Based Instruction, Enrichment Activities
How They Use Kibu: Live classes, educational videos, games, and lesson planning tools
At Kibu, we believe the best programs meet people where they are - offering choice, creativity, and connection. At The Arc Gateway in Florida, that mission comes to life each day. With a highly engaged staff and a vibrant group of individuals served, the team has embraced Kibu as a tool to empower both participants and direct support professionals (DSPs).
We spoke with Angela Villarreal (Program Coordinator), Rhonda Forster (Program Manager), and Cathy Lauterbach (Chief Operating Officer) to hear how Kibu is fueling fun, skill-building, and personal growth in their day programs.
👀 Discovering Kibu
The team at The Arc Gateway first discovered Kibu through their search for engaging, age-appropriate resources that could enhance both classroom learning and community-based activities.
“We were drawn in by the live sessions and the variety of content,” said Cathy. “There’s just so much there - from daily news and fitness, to life skills and games. It felt like something we could use right away.”
Angela quickly noticed how Kibu allowed for flexible planning and on-the-fly engagement. “I love that clients can rewatch the videos as often as they like, and they don’t get tired of them!”
🎲 Learning That Sparks Creativity
Kibu has become more than just a tool for ARC of Gateway, it’s a launchpad for creativity. Angela and Rhonda shared how the live streams and games have inspired new ideas across her program.
“Our group loves trivia. Seeing how much fun they had with Kibu’s trivia games inspired us to create our own. And when we saw the book club video for Holes, we went out, bought the book, and started doing live read-alouds.”
The excitement has extended beyond the screen. “Kibu has pushed us to think more creatively about how we structure lessons, engage with the material, and even stretch it further. It has inspired us to do more.”
Getting Kibu queued up for the day!
⏳ Time Saved, Engagement Gained
Kibu’s pre-built lesson plans have helped Angela and Rhonda reclaim time without sacrificing quality.
“The content’s all there - and it’s easy to pick up and run with,” Rhonda explained. “We’re not scrambling to find videos or build everything from scratch. And when someone’s out, it’s easy for another staff member to jump in and still lead a great session.”
The platform has also empowered DSPs to take ownership. Cathy added, “We let them choose what they want to teach with Kibu. It gives them confidence and autonomy.”
Even participants have gotten in on the action. “Some of our clients scroll through the Kibu site just like they would on YouTube,” Angela said. “They pick what they want to watch, and even remind us when their favorite live streams are coming up. One person checks every morning and lets us know what’s new!”
🎤 Confidence, Connection, and Community
Live streams, in particular, have unlocked powerful social and developmental gains.
“Public speaking, turn-taking, self-confidence - it’s all improved,” Rhonda said. “We’ve had folks who rarely participated now standing up and reading sight words to the group.”
And the coaches? “Our clients LOVE them,” Angela emphasized. “They know their names, where they’re from, and they feel seen. When Coach Gage or Colby gives them a shout-out during a live class, it means the world to them.”
That sense of recognition and belonging extends to other Kibu users as well. “They’re not just connecting with the coaches,” Angela added. “They’re starting to interact with other folks on the live streams too. It’s expanding their social world.”
Clients having a blast during a Kibu dance party 🕺
💡 Ideas for the Future
While the Gateway team is thrilled with Kibu’s offerings, they had a few suggestions to take things to the next level:
Progressive Learning Tracks: “We’d love to see lesson series where you can build on skills over time like simple math, handwriting, or history,” said Cathy.
Book Clubs with Live Discussion: Angela envisioned a more interactive book club format, where multiple providers could meet virtually for chapter-by-chapter discussions.
More ASL Lessons: “Our folks love the ASL content but they want more! Enough to form sentences and practice together.”
🤝 A Shared Mission
From day one, the Arc of Gateway team has been one of Kibu’s most collaborative partners - offering suggestions, sharing stories, and staying deeply involved.
“We feel heard,” Angela said. “You listen, you respond, and you create what we ask for. That makes our clients feel valued; that’s huge.”
Rhonda added, “We log on in the morning and get excited to see what’s new. There’s always something fresh.”
For The Arc Gateway, Kibu has become more than a tool. Kibu is their trusted partner in building a more dynamic, person-centered program.