Yearly Archives: 2019

Happy Holidays from Progress Center. Progress Center wishes all a safe and joyous season and New Year. Thank you to all in the community for your support and participation in 2019.

Progress Center will be closed in recognition of the holidays.  The Progress Center office in Forest Park and Blue Island will be closed between Monday, December 23, 2019, and Wednesday, January 1, 2020. Progress Center will re-open on Thursday, January 2, 2020.

During the period that Progress Center is closed, people who have emergencies are urged to contact 911.  If you have an issue related to Progress Center that needs urgent attention, please leave a message on the mainline for the Progress Center Forest Park Office. That number is 708-209-1500. This number is the only number that will be checked during the holiday break. The number will be checked occasionally.

Once again, thank you for all your support and engagement.

Happy Holidays,

Progress Center

HOW MIGHT WE…

make public transit more equitable for people with disabilities in the Chicago area?

hello! it’s nice to meet you…

We are a group of graduate students from IIT’s Institute of Design in Bronzeville. We have come to learn about the many challenges that people with disabilities face with accessing public transportation of all types in the Chicago area. We want to learn much more, though, and gain a deeper understanding of these problems directly from the people who experience them every day.

We are humbly asking for voluntary participation in our research project, which we have titled Equitable Access to Chicago Public Transit for People with Disabilities. Our goal includes developing a set of recommendations for positive change, which we hope to communicate not only to the Institute of Design, but also directly to CTA and Pace personnel.

This is a fast, seven week project that will include research, analysis, and development of recommendations. We would like to conduct 60-90 minute interviews of each participant to discuss their personal experiences accessing and utilizing modes of public transportation.

Additionally, with the participants’ consent, we would ask to “shadow” them when they are navigating to and using their most commonly used mode of public transportation. This would give us a first hand account of the challenges faced.

If you are interested, please email us jsmyk@id.iit.edu.

Signed,

Sike Liu, Mithila Kedambadi, J. Smyk, Sze Wing Alpha Wong, and Alvin Jin
Master of Design candidates at IIT Institute of Design

Progress Center’s 2019 Liberty Gala is coming up very soon.  The gala is Thursday, October 24 at 6 p.m.

As part of the Gala, Progress Center will be auctioning off two tickets to the December 5 Chicago Bears Football Game against the Dallas Cowboys.  The game starts at 7:20 p.m. at Soldier Field in Chicago. The tickets are in Section 136, which is near the field at the 50-yard line. The Face Value for one ticket is $238. The opening bid for the tickets is $250.   This Silent Auction is a great opportunity to catch a late season football game featuring the Monsters of the Midway, and to support Progress Center.

Though the Silent Auction is part of the 2019 Liberty Gala, Progress Center will be taking bids online leading up to the night of the Gala.  Attendance at the gala in not required.  Bidding is open to everyone.

To place a bid send an email with the bid amount to garnold@progresscil.org

Thank you for your support.

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.

What:  The Progress Center 2019 Liberty Gala

When:  Thursday, October 24, 2019

Where:  The Elmcrest Banquet Hall, 7370 Grand Avenue, Elmwood Park, IL 60707

For sponsorship information, please download the attached form:  2019-Liberty Gala -Sponsorship Form

Join us for the 31st Annual Meeting of Progress Center for Independent Living

“Together, let’s fight for our independence and for our rights.”

Power is in the Numbers! Come and Be a Part of the Action!

Be There- find out what’s new:

• Advocating for people with disabilities on State and Federal Levels
• Housing in the Community for People with Disabilities
• Celebrating the Overtime Victory and payment of Personal Attendants
• How to Get Involved in the Membership and Outreach Committee
• Renew Your Membership in order to stay involved, to stay informed and to continue to vote
• Cast Your Vote to Elect New Members of our Board of Directors

31st Annual Meeting of Progress Center for Independent Living

Saturday, June 22, 2019, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. (Program Starts at 1 p.m.)

Calumet Township Community Center                                                                                                                                            

12633 South Ashland Avenue                                                                                                                                                     

Calumet City, Illinois

Bring friends, neighbors and relatives!

Accommodations:  The meeting site is accessible. ASL Interpreter will be provided.  Do you need handouts in other formats? Other Accommodations?  Contact Clark:  708-209-1500, cclark@progresscil.org

2019 Membership and Appreciation Luncheon

Join Progress Center for lunch on May 2 as we celebrate the Annual Membership & Appreciation Luncheon.

The event is dedicated to the outstanding advocacy work of Progress Center’s dedicated members.  All are encouraged to attend, and to bring family and friends.  At the event, you will learn about programs and services offered by Progress Center.

What:   The 2019 Membership and Outreach Appreciation Luncheon

When:    Wednesday, May 22 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Where:  Howard Mohr Community Center, 7640 Jackson Boulevard, Forest Park, Illinois  60130

For more information and to RSVP, contact lbiondi@progresscil.org