Connect to Community

Services

Employment

Using a team concept, CTC seeks to partner with local businesses and civic organizations to create customized employment opportunities for special needs adults. We believe that with the right job and proper supports, everyone can work, regardless of the type or level of their disability. Employment services will revolve around a two-part discovery process: reaching out to area businesses to assess their employment needs and interviewing / observing job-seekers to identify their strengths, skills and interests. We will be seeking paid positions that will be a win-win, benefiting both the employer and the employee.

Social Activities

In order to promote positive social interactions, Connect to Community will plan and facilitate a variety of client-driven activities. Whether it’s a recurring program such as a bunco club or movie group or a special event like a Cubs game or train trip, our goal is to fully integrate our clients into the community in whatever manner they choose.

Educational Outreach

With the understanding that knowledge is power, Connect to Community will partner with local school districts to sponsor educational seminars designed to provide parents and families with a variety of transition-related information. We will also host a series of informational tours highlighting creative adult programming and employment options both in our area and in surrounding communities. Finally, CTC will serve as a resource and support system for families as they plan for and adjust to life after age 22.

Creative Day Services

While paid employment is our primary objective, we realize that a full-time job may not be the goal for all our clients. Therefore, we would like to create other options for a fulfilling day. We aim to provide a menu-based program that would allow clients to participate in recreational, social and volunteer activities according to each person’s interests.

 

Resources

  • CTC Video Library — YouTube videos from our monthly Friday Forums and Transition Summit seminars.  Click here to view.
  • IPADD-Unite (Illinois Parents of Adults with Developmental Disabilities, Unite!) Facebook Group – A fantastic resource! Gives Illinois parents, self-advocates, adult sibs and others who care about adults with developmental disabilities a dedicated online platform for networking, advocacy and information-sharing. Primary focus areas are: Employment, Community Service, and Rec/Leisure; Effective Transition Planning; Housing; Transportation; and how to pay for all of it.

  • Stay informed! To receive informational bulletins from DHS/DDD, add your name to their email database at http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?module=17&item=110637&surveyid=1458

  • Acronyms You Should Know. Click here to view

  • Ed McManus Newsletter – A monthly publication focused on disability topics in the State of Illinois. Very informative and to-the-point. Subscribe by emailing Ed at mcmanus06@comcast.net.
  • ARC of Illinois – Advocates for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. www.thearcofil.org.
  • NSSEO Parent Education Resource Center (PERC) — Open to all, the PERC is a place where families can learn and grow as they navigate the complexities of special services, community support and transition. For more information or to receive notification of upcoming PERC learning opportunities and events, contact Greg Ciufo at gciufo@nsseo.org.
  • Family Support Network – Unifying individuals with disabilities and their families to advocate for funding, services and community resources. www.familysupportnetwork.org.
  • IDHS Consumer Handbook for Home-Based Services — https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=101181
  • The Voice Newsletter by The Special Needs Alliance – SNA is a national, non-profit organization of attorneys dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities, their families, and the professionals who serve them. Sign up to receive The Voice newsletter at www.specialneedsalliance.org.
  • Work Incentives Planning & Assistance (WIPA) – A federally funded program created to help individuals receiving SSI/SSDI make informed choices about going to work. https://www.voaillinois.org/wipa-work-incentives-planning-and-assistance
  • Association of People Supporting Employment First – www.apse.org
  • Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities – www.state.il.us/agency/icdd
  • Northwest Suburban Special Recreation Association (NWSRA) – www.nwsra.org
  • Illinois workNet – www.illinoisworknet.com
  • Emergency Preparedness Checkup for Special Needs Families – http://www.september26.org
  • Devices 4 the Disabled (D4D) – An organization that collects and redistributes used durable medical equipment to people who need it. https://devices4thedisabled.org