MAR/APR
2020
Garden Center Services
The View From My Chair A MESSAGE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Milan & Gerry
INSIDE THIS ISSUE THE VIEW FROM MY CHAIR Page 1 SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT Page 2 GCS BOARD ELECTION Page 3 AROUND GCS Page 4
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities deserve to live active, fulfilling lives as members of our communities. This March, we’re celebrating National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month – honoring the individuals with disabilities who enhance our communities on a daily basis. Over the forty some years that I have been spending time learning from and supporting persons with intellectual and
developmental disabilities I have witnessed the strides that have been made regarding how these individuals are interacted with and how they are supported. Thank goodness our society has moved to a much more person-centered, community based approach to services for this group of our citizens. That being said there is still much to be done for this group to lead full lives of connection, contribution, and meaning! I’m pleased that the current political environment in Springfield seems much more open to hearing and responding to our requests. Governor JB Pritzker has outlined a proposed FY21 budget
that gives priority to human services and seeks to revive the capacity lost during the budget impasse under the previous Administration. With this budget proposal the Governor has committed to a course that would ensure agencies such as ours would have the resources necessary to invest in the hopes of persons with disabilities, as well as the staff that support them. Our agency proudly continues to be part of the THEY DESERVE MORE COALITION that has fought for several years now to obtain increases in the wages earned by our direct care staff. Please be aware that the proposed budget acknowledges the continued on page 4