Progress Center Calendar: Classes and Events
Upcoming Events
Progress Center announces the August meeting of the Employment Club, a monthly services group intended to equip people with resources to pursue employment.
The October Session will meet on Monday, October 21 at 11 a.m.
The October session features a presentation by Attorney Diana Gramenos, and disability paralegal Erin Smith of
Gramenos Law Group.
Their presentation will focus on how to return to work once approved for disability while protecting your benefits. Q and A will follow their presentation, and anyone interested in filing for disability may also do so while present at the meeting.
For more information, and to RSVP or request accommodations, please contact Gary Arnold at 708-209-1500 Ext. 14
Monthly sessions include:
- Presentations from groups that provide employment related service
- Time to answer employment related questions
- Time to search online for job leads and to work on materials as cover letters
If you have items that you would like covered at the Employment Club, please share your ideas at garnold@progresscil.org
Progress Center for Independent Living invites you to the Blue Island Office Legislative Training.
This 10-week Legislative Training covers many topics, including:
- How to become a self-advocate.
- How the legislative process works.
- How a bill becomes a law.
- Methods of communicating with your Legislators.
Progress Center’s next legislative training course in Blue Island begins on Tuesday, October 8, 2019. The class will meet on Tuesdays over the span of 10 weeks. Each session is two hours. Sessions begin at 10 a.m. As a participant in the legislative training, you will:
- Learn how to make a difference in the Legislative Process
- Learn how to lobby and make your vote count
- Get first – hand knowledge of government policies straight from your local and state officials
The course is open to anyone interested in advocacy on disability issues and is willing to commit to attend all 10 Tuesday sessions.
The training covers:
- How to become a self-advocate
- How the legislative process works
- How a bill becomes a law
- Methods of communicating with your legislators
For more information, contact Manuel at 708-388-5011.
Progress Center for Independent Living is recruiting personal assistants and CNA’s throughout Suburban Cook County to assist people with disabilities in their homes. The job offers flexible hours with full and part time work available. No previous experience is necessary. Personal assistants are currently offered $13.48/ hour. People with disabilities are also encouraged to apply. This is an excellent opportunity to work with people with disabilities and to learn about independent living. Personal assistants play a significant role in helping a person with disabilities to live in their own home, in-stead of a nursing home.
Duties you may perform:
- Housekeeping & Laundry
- Cooking & Meal Preparations/Clean up
- Assist with hygiene needs, including bathing and toiletry
- Running Errands
- Assisting with mobility needs
- Many individualized needs, including getting in and out of bed, and dressing
What: Personal Assistant Orientation
Where: The Northlake Public Library, 231 N. Wolf Road, Northlake Illinois
When: Wednesday, October 23, 2019, 10:30 a.m.
For more information and to register, contact Progress Center at 708-209-1500, or pa@progresscil.org
Dynamic People with Disabilities is a monthly support group open to all people with disabilities. Typically, the group meetings are on the on the 4th Thursday of each month from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
What: The Progress Center 2019 Liberty Gala
When: Thursday, October 24, 2019
Where: The Elmcrest Banquet Hall, 7370 Grand Avenue, Elmwood Park, IL 60707
Progress Center for Independent Living is holding our 2019 Liberty Gala on Thursday, October 24, 2019. The celebration will be at the Elmcrest Banquet Hall in Elmwood Park, Illinois.
We invite you to join us.
For more than 30 years, Progress Center has provided people with disabilities with the tools and resources to be independent in their own communities. We invite you to be a sponsor of this event. At the Gala on October 24, we will celebrate the success and history of Progress Center. We have much to celebrate. In the past year, Progress Center has:
- Built a Youth Transition Program
- Expanded our Personal Assistant Recruitment and Referral Program
- Organized a new Peer Support and Art Group
- Launched an Employment Club
- Joined a coalition working to put 43 people with disabilities and their families into homeownership
In addition to celebrating our own work, we will honor the work of individuals and organizations that are making a difference in the disability community.
This year, Progress Center will honor:
The Illinois Telecommunications Access Corporation
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul
Disability Rights Attorney Andres Gallegos of Robbins, Salomon & Patt, Ltd
Univision Anchor Enrique Rodriguez will serve as the Event EmCee.
Progress Center for Independent Living is part of a network of 22 Centers for Independent Living in Illinois. Founded in 1988, Progress Center is a non-profit, non-residential service and advocacy organization operated by and for people with disabilities in our service area of suburban Cook County. Progress Center is staffed by, and governed by, people with disabilities. By empowering people with disabilities to define and achieve their goals, and working together to change society, Centers for Independent Living like Progress Center help millions of people across the country.
Through the 2019 Liberty Gala, with your help, Progress Center will raise support for our current programs and develop new resources for people with disabilities today, and in the years to come.
For sponsorship information, please download the attached form: 2019-Liberty Gala -Sponsorship Form
To Donate online, visit this link: Donate Now to the 2019 Liberty Gala
Thank you to the 2019 Liberty Gala Donors and Supporters!
Silver Sponsors
Age Options
Father Lawrence Biondi
Illinois Telecommunications Access Corporation
Bronze Sponsors
PACE
Benefactor Sponsors
Carpet Corner
Equip for Equality
Forest Insurance Agency
Forest Park Bank
Health Benefits Consultants
Mi Ranchito Restaurant
Supermercado #8
George Terzakis
Two Birds Photo
Progress Center for Independent Living invites you to the Blue Island Office Legislative Training.
This 10-week Legislative Training covers many topics, including:
- How to become a self-advocate.
- How the legislative process works.
- How a bill becomes a law.
- Methods of communicating with your Legislators.
Progress Center’s next legislative training course in Blue Island begins on Tuesday, October 8, 2019. The class will meet on Tuesdays over the span of 10 weeks. Each session is two hours. Sessions begin at 10 a.m. As a participant in the legislative training, you will:
- Learn how to make a difference in the Legislative Process
- Learn how to lobby and make your vote count
- Get first – hand knowledge of government policies straight from your local and state officials
The course is open to anyone interested in advocacy on disability issues and is willing to commit to attend all 10 Tuesday sessions.
The training covers:
- How to become a self-advocate
- How the legislative process works
- How a bill becomes a law
- Methods of communicating with your legislators
For more information, contact Manuel at 708-388-5011.
Progress Center for Independent Living invites you to the Blue Island Office Legislative Training.
This 10-week Legislative Training covers many topics, including:
- How to become a self-advocate.
- How the legislative process works.
- How a bill becomes a law.
- Methods of communicating with your Legislators.
Progress Center’s next legislative training course in Blue Island begins on Tuesday, October 8, 2019. The class will meet on Tuesdays over the span of 10 weeks. Each session is two hours. Sessions begin at 10 a.m. As a participant in the legislative training, you will:
- Learn how to make a difference in the Legislative Process
- Learn how to lobby and make your vote count
- Get first – hand knowledge of government policies straight from your local and state officials
The course is open to anyone interested in advocacy on disability issues and is willing to commit to attend all 10 Tuesday sessions.
The training covers:
- How to become a self-advocate
- How the legislative process works
- How a bill becomes a law
- Methods of communicating with your legislators
For more information, contact Manuel at 708-388-5011.
Progress Center for Independent Living invites you to the Blue Island Office Legislative Training.
This 10-week Legislative Training covers many topics, including:
- How to become a self-advocate.
- How the legislative process works.
- How a bill becomes a law.
- Methods of communicating with your Legislators.
Progress Center’s next legislative training course in Blue Island begins on Tuesday, October 8, 2019. The class will meet on Tuesdays over the span of 10 weeks. Each session is two hours. Sessions begin at 10 a.m. As a participant in the legislative training, you will:
- Learn how to make a difference in the Legislative Process
- Learn how to lobby and make your vote count
- Get first – hand knowledge of government policies straight from your local and state officials
The course is open to anyone interested in advocacy on disability issues and is willing to commit to attend all 10 Tuesday sessions.
The training covers:
- How to become a self-advocate
- How the legislative process works
- How a bill becomes a law
- Methods of communicating with your legislators
For more information, contact Manuel at 708-388-5011.
Join Progress Center and PACE on November 12
Join PACE Executive Director Rocky Donahue and Progress Center on November 12 for a Paratransit Town Hall Meeting. The meeting will include a presentation from PACE about new technology designed to improve service, and time for statements and questions from paratransit customers.
To RSVP and to secure a spot on the program for public comments, contact garnold@progresscil.org
Sign Language Interpreters and Personal Assistants will be at the event. For other accommodation requests, contact garnold@progresscil.org
Progress Center for Independent Living hosts a monthly peer support group the second Thursday of each month. The group will meets two hours each session.
The next meeting of the group is Thursday, October 10, 2019. The theme of the October Session is Coloring Books. Participants are invited to bring in a book of your choice. Progress Center will also have an assortment of books available.
The Peer Support and Art Group focuses on sharing personal stories related to disability and learning from the experiences of other people with disabilities. A portion of each session is dedicated to art projects (no experience necessary).
The group is open to people with disabilities of all ages.
The group is open to people with any type of disability.
Susan Becker, a Progress Center advocate, leads the group sessions.
The next group session is Thursday, October 10, 2019, from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
For more information, for accommodation requests and to RSVP, contact Gary Arnold at 708-209-1500 extension 14 or garnold@progresscil.org.
Progress Center is a scent-free environment. Please do not wear perfume, cologne or other scented products.
