THIS MONTH’S ISSUE The View From My Chair
01
Garden Center Family Spotlight
02
Someone You Should Know
03
Around GCS
04
THE LEAFLET ISSUE MAR YEAR 2012
The View From My Chair a message from our Executive director
A Time of Pruning & New Growth
OUR MISSION Garden Center Services is committed to supporting and empowering persons with developmental disabilities through innovative and person-centered services. Our commitment to the excellence of our programs is surpassed only by our devotion to the people we serve and the communities in which they live.
additional programming to our consumers next Several weeks ago the convent that we week. Our plan is to serve rent from St. Albert’s Parish and have consumers at the location for used as program & office space for the a few weeks to allow them to acclimate and past three years was broken into and feel comfortable before opening the “front ruthlessly vandalized. Administrators of door” to the gallery, café, and gift shop. the parish have expressed their belief Soon the studio will be offering classes that this heinous act was perpetrated by a for painting and ceramics to children and group of individuals with some contentious adults from the surrounding neighborhoods. issues with the church, however it is our We are excited about this new venture, consumers and staff that and hope the vision of have been negatively a community creating Several weeks ago “ affected. Due to the and celebrating art & self the convent that we expression together will intensive damage brought on by the vandalism, we to many positive rent from St. Albert’s lead have been forced to vacate outcomes for individuals the building. Every consumer Parish and have used as with developmental continues to receive services Look forward program & office space disabilities. and staff are making to the Gallery’s Grand due with temporary work for the past three years Opening which will be stations, but this is taking held during the month was broken into and of May. We will send out place in very cramped quarters. I and key staff are ruthlessly vandalized. for the event once ” notices working fiercely to identify a we have determined the new space that the agency exact date and time. would lease and/or purchase to occupy as soon as possible. The costs related Additional new growth is the opening of to our damaged property, removing & a home in Oak Lawn that will support 5 storing salvageable furniture and supplies, women. It’s a lovely home and location, and moving into a different location are and we have found the village and our significant, and any donations to the agency neighbors very welcoming. Opening these that will help offset these expenses would two new sites is certainly a fitting way to be greatly appreciated. observe March which is designated the developmental disability awareness month! On a much more positive note, the long awaited Garden Gallery & Studio located in Tinley Park, will begin providing art and A 5 0 1 ( c ) ( 3 ) N onp r of it o rg ani zati on