JAN/FEB
2019
Garden Center Services
The View From My Chair A MESSAGE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
you and your families a happy, healthy, and peace filled 2019!
Karen, Gerry & Margaret
INSIDE THIS ISSUE THE VIEW FROM MY CHAIR Page 1 SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT Page 2 SPEAK UP SPEAK OUT Page 3 AROUND GCS Page 4
2019! How can that be! It seems like it wasn’t that long ago that we were all preparing for the Y2K disaster! It’s been fifteen years now that I’ve been with Garden Center Services and I cannot believe how quickly the times goes by. So many good things have occurred over this period, and I cannot thank each of you enough that has contributed to the increase of the quality and scope of our services through your time, energy, labor, and financial support! For myself, my wife Cindy, and our Board of Directors, we certainly wish
Over this past Christmas season there were so many individuals, families, company groups, or fraternal organizations that came forward to volunteer their efforts to ensure that the persons we serve would experience a joyful holiday. We are so grateful to all of you and hope that you truly understand the huge impact that you have made on the wonderful individuals that attend our programs. Please be aware that as we head into these quieter winter months we continue to welcome individuals or groups that wish to contribute their special talents or skills towards enhancing our programs. The associations that represent us in Springfield have already begun communicating with the Pritzker transition team and making them aware of
the needs of the disability communities and the agencies that serve them. We are hopeful that Governor Pritzker will work with the Illinois’ legislature to establish a budget that will contain a decent rate increase for agencies like ours that have not received rates reflecting the growing costs of doing business for many years! As we need help garnering support for the passage of certain bills, we will be reaching out to you. Enjoy this edition of the Leaflet, and the articles and pictures that demonstrate the many ways that we are collectively enhancing the lives of adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities! Take care,
GARDEN CENTER FAMILY MORE GOOD NEWS FROM GCS’ SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM GCS now has ten Employment Program participants working jobs they love in their communities! Marlon, who attends GCS’s State Road program, recently started a janitorial position with GenCorr Packaging in Alsip and couldn’t be happier!
Marlon poses with Vince Baratta & Tom Beemsterboer, Managing Directors of GenCorr Packaging
We need your help so even more people we serve can find their dream job. Janitorial work, stocking shelves, hostessing, stuffing envelopes, printing/copying, collating & mailings are just a few of the jobs we can do. If you have a business or know a hiring manager who is looking for reliable employees call Megan today! For more info contact:
Megan Valesey • 708.398.6534 • mvalesey@gardencenterservices.org
UPDATES FROM THE FUND DEVELOPMENT TEAM We are so grateful to everyone who helped us with our 2018 Giving Tuesday campaign! Those of you who donated, crowdfunded, forwarded our social media messages, and shopped Crew of Pop’s on Kedzie presents a with our business Giving Tuesday donation to GCS partners, helped us reach our goal of $20,000 which was MATCHED by UMCMG for a total of $40,000!!!
Thank you to everyone who attended the 2018 GCS Gala. We had a wonderful time and raised over $100k ($78,000 net) for services! Over 400 event tickets purchased this year!
If you haven’t already, take a minute to check out the great photos of the event on our Facebook page.
Be sure to keep an eye out for news about the 2019 ANNUAL GCS GALA coming soon! These events and the revenue they generate allow us to help people live lives of connection, contribution and meaning. Thank you for being a part of our mission.
THANK YOU! A special thank you to our Giving Tuesday Partners who donated a portion of their sales for the day to GCS.
FAMILY INFORMATION 2019 MEMBERSHIP DUES
GCS works diligently to keep you up-to-date on all news and GCS events. We request Annual Membership Dues of $100.00 from each family to help offset the cost of meetings (like our quarterly Family & Friends Forum), materials, mailings, email service, automated call service and the other technology we use to keep you informed.
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Please watch the mail for your Membership forms in the next couple of weeks. Thank you!
FAMILY & FRIENDS FORUM
Saturday, JAN 19 10:30am to noon State Road Program 8333 S. Austin
GCS PARTICIPANTS SPEAK UP AND SPEAK OUT! This past October, Donna, Chris, Patrick, Victoria, and Jonathan joined over 500 attendees at the Illinois Arc’s 10th annual Speak Up/ Speak Out Summit in Springfield, IL. Participants attended breakouts on self-advocacy topics including, “Expect the Best: How to Get the Most Out of Your Support Staff”, “Attitude is Everything...Is Yours Worth Catching?”, and “You’ve Got to Fight for Your Rights to Work”. Of the conference, Jonathan said, “It was good. We met a lot of nice people there.” He went on to explain that the group planned to return next year with even more Garden Center participants. The Garden Center attendees also decided to start their own advocacy group at Garden Center in 2019 and plan to apply for membership with the state-wide The annual costume advocacy team in Illinois, the dance was a highlight Illinois Self-Advocacy Alliance. of the event e im t t We can’t wait to see what great a grea Having -day summit things come from this group in 2019! he 3
at t
“EVERYTHING BUT THE HOUSE” HELPS GCS! Everything But The House (EBTH) is an online auction website that, like the name suggests, sells pretty much everything you can imagine. Former GCS Board Member, Mary Beth Herr, works with EBTH and has helped GCS earn more than $5,000 over the last few months through online auctions of items acquired through GCS’s Second Chance Thrift Shoppe. Soon GCS will have a special online event with our own page of items on the auction website. POPULAR AUCTION DONATION IDEAS Keep an eye out for more information • Cameras & Equiptment • Sterling Silver on this event in February. Fur coats are a popular item on the site
If you have items you’d like to donate, please contact: Karen at Second Chance Thrift Shoppe 630.243.1279.
Mark your
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Community Bulletin Board
calendar...
Jan 21
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
•
Furs
A HUGE THANK YOU
to the Hall Fam ily!
Stephen & Joy Hall gave $50 to each Garden Center Staff for Christmas!
GCS DAY PROGRAMS WILL BE CLOSED Monday
Coin & Stamp Collections Fine Dishware
Staff were presented with the generous gift at our holiday party. We are grateful for the Hall fam ily & their generosity during the holidays and throughout the year.
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THANK YOU! as the Christm ng GCS staff at ri ea after h party react l family gift al H e about th
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Growing dignity
AROUND GARDEN CENTER
and independence 8333 S. Austin Ave. Burbank, IL 60459 10444 S. Kedzie Chicago, IL 60655 phone 773-941-4151 email info@gardencenterservices.org web www.GardenCenterServices.org
BOARD OF DIRECTORS President
Paul Krutulis
Vice President
Joan Strainis
Treasurer
Anthony Di Miele
Secretary
Florence Head
Members:
Tom Beemsterboer
the g fun at arty in v a h m P ea Kedzie ttaff Christmas S S C G
A BIG THANK YOU to the many families, like the Wegners, who helped out at houses enabling more staff to have some time at our Christmas Party
Shannon Benaitis Donna Blair Representative Fran Hurley Dave Rauen Ava Rhodes - Smith
Joshua, Lisa, Jonathan & Steven at the GCS Consumer Christmas Party
OUR MISSION Advancing lives of connection, contribution, and meaning for persons with developmental disabilities and the individuals that support them.
Karen, Diane & Jan Celebrate at the Thrift Shoppe Christmas Party
GET A FREE INSURANCE & FINANCIAL REVIEW and earn $20 for GCS!
Our friend, Joe Voves, at Countryside Financial has a great offer that benefits GCS & you! For every person who schedules a FREE insurance & financial review with Joe before MARCH 15th, Country Financial will donate $20 to GCS! Shannon, Carla & Joe
See the flyer in this newsletter for more information and schedule your appointment with Joe today!