When Barbara Yun's children were young, she worked a series of part-time jobs so she'd be able to care for her kids. When they got older, Yun took a job in the developmental disabilities field and "fell in love."
Now the owner and CEO of KBY Services LLC, Yun offers day services and other opportunities for those who are developmentally disabled. The company, which once operated locations in Canton and North Canton, now has a single, larger site in North Canton.
Yun said she got into the DD field because she wanted to do something to help others. She said she enjoys being able to offer activities, trips, outings and other experiences to those who might not get the chance any other way.
A McKinley High School graduate, Yun attended Malone College and Stark State College.
"I worked at the North Canton YMCA, General Rental for years while my kids were young and in school," Yun said. "When my kids became older, I needed to work full time, and I applied to work in the DD field. I started working and fell in love with the work immediately. I worked with individuals with various needs."
After 10 years, she went on her own.
"I worked for over 10 years learning and running day programs until I decided to branch out and do my own thing," Yun said. "In March of 2020, I opened my first day program offering services during the day along with after-work activities that participants could join in with their friends."
Yun and her husband, Kevin, have married for more than 25 years, after meeting in high school. The couple, who live in North Canton, have two children − daughter Kaitlyn, 25, and son Zachary, 21. They also have an 11-year-old black pug named Izzy, "who we all love and is the boss of the house."
Zachary Yun works at KBY Services, where his mom says he is learning the business and helping to grow the company.
MEET BARBARA YUN
How would you summarize the services offered by KBY Services?
"We offer vocational and day habilitation services for adults with disabilities. We offer training on social skills, vocational skills, soft skills, cooking and independent skills while offering outings in the community throughout the day. We also offer after-work activities and trips. We have taken our adults on a cruise, to COSI, to Kalahari, camping and Splash Lagoon in Erie, Pa. We have many more trips and outings planned for the upcoming year."
Why are adult day services so vital to our community?
"Many adults with disabilities, after they graduate from high school, are not ready to join the workforce or have no interest or are unable to attend college. These programs help them work on the skills needed to become more independent and help work on skills for community employment. It gives the adults a place to go and a sense of belonging, no matter what their needs are."