Community Outreach to People with Disabilities

Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital started AbilityLinks to: increase employment of people with disABILITIES, increase awareness of the value of hiring people with disABILITIES, provide a resource that brings together businesses, employment programs and job seekers, and measure our impact.

Established in 1980, Access Living is a non-residential Center for Independent Living for people with all types of disabilities. We provide services that promote the independence and the inclusion of people with disabilities in every aspect of community life. We follow the independent living philosophy that calls for community-based, consumer-controlled service and advocacy programs that emphasize a cross-disability and self-help approach. All of our services are provided at no charge to our consumers.

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AgeOptions, the Area Agency on Aging of Suburban Cook County, is committed to improving the quality of life and maintaining the dignity of older adults and those who care about them – through leadership and support, community partnerships, comprehensive services, accurate information and powerful advocacy.

The Albany Park Community Center educates and supports members of the community as they determine their own path of growth and development, by providing diverse programs and services for individuals, families, groups and businesses. The Albany Park Community Center is committed to respect individual dignity, diversity and self-determination while providing the highest level of services with integrity and compassion.

The mission of Anixter Center is to enhance the ability of individuals living with or at risk of disabilities to live, learn, work, & play in the community. Having merged with 3 nonprofits (CALOR, Chicago Hearing Society, & the National Lekotek Center), Anixter Center is now the 13th largest nonprofit in Chicago. Each year, at dozens of locations, Anixter Center provides an array of effective, innovative services to more than 5,000 children & adults. These services include education, employment, life skills, communication, recreation, health care, counseling, & support.

DHS can help you and your family meet your basic needs.

DHS can help you and your family meet your basic needs.

We believe that quality of life is the single most important component. At our facility, every staff member, upon hire, signs a written commitment to uphold our residents’ best interests and that is the basis of all our decisions. We also believe that in order to provide the facility with the best care, we encourage the support and input of the residents, their families, and their friends.

The Autism Society, the nation’s leading grassroots autism organization, exists to improve the lives of all affected by autism. We do this by increasing public awareness about the day-to-day issues faced by people on the spectrum, advocating for appropriate services for individuals across the lifespan, and providing the latest information regarding treatment, education, research and advocacy.

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Hope was what ASI started with when it was founded in 1976 as a 501(c )(3) non-profit organization and continues to provide by following its mission of "Improving the lives of Illinois individuals and families affected by autism spectrum disorders."

DHS can help you and your family meet your basic needs. We offer a range of services to help you become healthy and self-sufficient.

Avenues to Independence is a non-profit, charitable organization, providing residential, vocational and daily living support in a wide variety of programs for persons with developmental disabilities. Today, Avenues has established programs in Park Ridge, Niles, Wheeling, Des Plaines and Northwest Chicago. A wide variety of supports are provided to over 250 persons throughout the Chicago, Illinois metropolitan area.

The mission of Best Buddies is to establish a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The Career Pathways Initiative is a project of the University of Chicago, the University of Chicago Medical Center, the City of Chicago Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development, Mayor Daley’s WorkNet Chicago, Illinois WorkNet, and The Cara Program. Our goal is to help residents of Woodlawn and the mid-South Side communities find employment at the University, Medical Center, and other employment partners. The Resource Center places local, qualified, pre-screened applicants in entry level positions, sets out advancement paths for them and provides the corresponding training for these better jobs.

The mission of our program is to help children with profound physical disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, gain physical independence. We do this by developing their motor functions in a manner that creates positive self-esteem and self-direction. All of our children are taught that they are valued; that each child is important and can give back to society regardless of his/her disability.

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Centers for New Horizons mission is to develop the capacities of families to become self-reliant, to improve the quality of their lives, and to participate in rebuilding their community.