Center For Enriched Living

ENRICHING THE LIVES OF INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES BY MAXIMIZING THEIR OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONAL SUCCESS, FRIENDSHIP, FUN, EMPLOYMENT, AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.

ADULT DAY PROGRAMS - IN ILLINOIS, WHEN YOUNG ADULTS TURN 22 AND TRANSITION OUT OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THERE ARE FEW OPPORTUNITIES. CEL'S YEAR-ROUND ADULT DAY PROGRAM NAMED REACH, ADDRESSES THE DAYTIME NEEDS OF ADULTS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES SO THEY HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONTINUED LEARNING AND GROWTH LONG AFTER SCHOOL HAS ENDED.CEL'S MEMBERS IN REACH HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO ACHIEVE PERSONAL SUCCESS THROUGH CONTINUED LEARNING, MAKING THEIR OWN CHOICES, COMMUNICATING THEIR NEEDS AND OPINIONS, VOLUNTEERING FOR SEVERAL LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, EXPLORING PERSONAL HOBBIES AND INTERESTS, AND SO MUCH MORE, WITH UP TO 70% OF THEIR DAY SPENT OUT AND ABOUT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.WHILE MANY OF CEL'S MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC, THE FLEXIBILITY AND RESPONSIVENESS OF CEL TO CONTINUE PROVIDING BOTH VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON PROGRAMS SERVED AS A WELCOME CONSTANT IN THEIR LIVES. CEL IS PROUD TO BE A DEPENDABLE PLACE FOR SOCIAL ENRICHMENT, LIFELONG LEARNING, AND COMMUNITY-BASED EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES.

ROBERT VIHON FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER - THE CENTER FOR ENRICHED LIVING IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE CREATION OF THE ROBERT VIHON FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER TO ADDRESS THE URGENT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENT DISABILITIES (IDD), THEIR FAMILIES, AND CAREGIVERS. THIS NEW PROGRAM WILL DRAMATICALLY EXPAND THE SCOPE OF SERVICES WE PROVIDE, TRANSFORMING CEL INTO A REGIONAL DESTINATION FOR THOSE SEEKING RELIABLE RESOURCES AND INFORMATION, MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING, THERAPEUTIC AND BEHAVIORAL SERVICES, PEER SUPPORT GROUPS, AND MORE.THE ROBERT VIHON FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER (THE "VEE" CENTER) WILL BE OPERATED BY A NEW TEAM OF STAFF, WHO ARE TRAINED AND LICENSED TO WORK WITH THE IDD COMMUNITY: SOCIAL WORKERS, BOARD CERTIFIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSTS (BCBA), AND CLINICAL THERAPISTS (PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL, ETC.). THE "VEE" CENTER TEAM WILL WORK WITH MEMBERS AND FAMILIES (ONE-ON-ONE AND IN GROUPS) TO HELP THEM NAVIGATE LIFE TRANSITIONS, CONNECT WITH CRITICAL INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL RESOURCES, AND BUILD MEANINGFUL, INDEPENDENT LIVES.

SOCIAL ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS - YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL PROGRAMS - CEL'S YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL PROGRAMS PROVIDE MEMBERS AGES 13-21 WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE FRIENDS IN A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT, EXPLORE THE COMMUNITY, BUILD SKILLS, AND PURSUE NEW INTERESTS. THE PROGRAMS RUN YEAR- ROUND DURING EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS, WITH A 9-WEEK SUMMER DAY CAMP EXCLUSIVELY FOR YOUNG ADULTS. CEL'S YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT MEMBERS CHOOSE FROM A VARIETY OF PROGRAM OFFERINGS INCLUDING AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS, FITNESS, SUMMER CAMP, BOWLING, ART, THEATRE, HORSEBACK RIDING, SWIMMING, SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS, COMMUNITY EXCURSIONS, DANCES, TECHNOLOGY, HEALTHY COOKING, AND SO MUCH MORE. WITH CONTINUATION OF VIRTUAL PROGRAMS AND REINSTATEMENT OF IN-PERSON PROGRAMS, YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT MEMBERS ARE ABLE TO MEET AND CHOOSE FROM SOCIAL CLUBS, ART, VIRTUAL EXPLORATION, DANCE, AND MOVEMENT PROGRAMS.ADULT SOCIAL PROGRAMS - AT THE FOUNDATION OF CEL'S PROGRAMS LIES A SOCIAL COMPONENT. SOCIAL ISOLATION IS A KEY BARRIER THAT PREVENTS PEOPLE WITH IDD FROM LIVING THEIR FULLEST LIVES. AT CEL, THEY ARE PART OF A DYNAMIC COMMUNITY WHERE THEIR VOICES ARE HEARD, THEIR CHOICES ARE HONORED, AND THEIR INTERESTS AND FEEDBACK DEVELOP THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE YEAR-ROUND. CEL MEMBERS OVER THE AGE OF 21 CHOOSE FROM PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE FRIENDS, ENJOY NEW EXPERIENCES, CONTINUE LEARNING IN A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, HAVE FUN. SOCIAL INTERACTIONS CREATE COMMUNITY, STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIP SKILLS, AND IMPROVE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING.

ADULT EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS - WHILE PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES HAVE THE SKILLS AND THE DESIRE TO WORK, THEY LACK THE OPPORTUNITIES. CEL WORKS TO COMBAT THE STAGGERING 85% UNEMPLOYMENT RATE THAT PEOPLE WITH IDD FACE BY PARTNERING WITH SMALL BUSINESSES AND LARGE CORPORATIONS TO REMOVE EXISTING BARRIERS TO HIRING SOMEONE WITH A DISABILITY. CEL'S STAFF CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH IDD TO LEARN THE SOFT SKILLS NEEDED TO FIND AND KEEP A JOB. CEL PARTNERED WITH INDIVIDUALS TO SUCCESSFULLY RESUME WORKING AFTER COVID-19 LAYOFFS, AND TO FIND AND PREPARE FOR NEW JOB OPPORTUNITIES. DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2023, CEL HAD APPROXIMATELY 36 PEOPLE EMPLOYED IN JOBS AT LOCAL RESTAURANTS, GROCERY STORES, RETAIL STORES, OFFICES, AND MORE, WITH AN ADDITIONAL 9 PEOPLE IN THE PIPELINE.