MAY/JUN
2017
Garden Center Services
The View From My Chair A MESSAGE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Gerry & Don
INSIDE THIS ISSUE THE VIEW FROM MY CHAIR Page 1 UPCOMING EVENTS Page 2 GCS ON PBS Page 3 AROUND GCS Page 4
Yesterday, May 2nd, I celebrated my fourteenth year anniversary with Garden Center Services. Before coming to the agency I had some limited engagement with the program in my position with the Illinois Department of Mental Health & Developmental Disabilities. Through those brief encounters I had such limited insight into the long, dedicated struggle that the families and persons with developmental disabilities from this community had already made to establish a safe haven of learning and friendship building for themselves. I did not realize how deeply my own heart and life would be affected by the incredible courage and kindness I have experienced during my years here, and how our stories are now forever intertwined.
That May, the agency was serving approximately 67 individuals in the agency’s one day program, the Burbank ICF/DD, and the Lorel and Moody CILAs. At that time the number of full-time staff was in the mid-forties. It’s incredible to me that over these last fourteen years the agency has expanded to provide services in two day programs, the Burbank ICF/DD, 11 Community Integrated Living Arrangements, and a couple
“Words are not sufficient to express my gratitude for this opportunity and for the thoughtful encouragement you have provided” of in-home intermittent CILAs. We have developed the fantastic growARTS program, some innovative microbusinesses, and a Community Employment initiative that is working to access competitive jobs. The agency is now supporting 150 persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities and employs 130 staff. It’s unbelievable and inspiring to me that this has
occurred during a period of stagnant financial growth in our state which has led to a nine-year period in which we have not received a cost of doing business increase from our state funders. It has only been through the wonderfully supportive, collaborative connections with our families, friends, business partners, fraternal organizations, and foundation donors that we have been able to keep moving forward. This support allowed us to establish the finest group of staff anywhere that are thoroughly committed to the values and philosophy that respect the persons we serve, and put them at the center of determining what they need from us. It is an honor to represent your agency and to work on behalf of the most decent people on the planet. Words are not sufficient to express my gratitude for this opportunity and for the thoughtful encouragement you have provided. Please continue to help us out any way you can as we strive to improve the quality of life for the remarkable persons that attend Garden Center Services.