By jmeddy on 7/25/2012 9:44 PM

Center for Independent Futures is excited to announce a new partnership with Chicago Community Trust and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to introduce our Full Life Futures Program into the CPS transition-planning curriculum for students. Transition planning helps students to identify goals for post-secondary education, employment and independent living and to begin working toward those goals for a successful transition into post-high school life. CPS teachers will participate in a July training institute and CIF Coaches will work side-by-side with teachers in the classroom during the 2012-2013 academic school year.

The Full Life Futures Program was designed to bring CIF’s best practice models for assessment, person-centered planning, on-line progress tracking and independent living skill training into schools and agency settings. During the past year, CIF has worked with the Waukegan Public School (WPS) district to begin the implementation the program as part of a 4-year contract.

“Our success at WPS is a reflection of their commitment to provide a person-centered transition process that prepares students for life after high school,” states Jane Doyle, CIF’s Executive Director. “The dedication of the WPS administration and educators has been inspirational, and they have embraced CIF’s philosophies and tools to make this program work in Waukegan. We are excited to bring the same excellent products into the Chicago Public School system during the 2012-2013 academic school year.”

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By jmeddy on 7/21/2012 2:01 PM

By Stephen English

Over thirty years ago, I returned from Boston with a curly-topped, redheaded toddler, Jason, and our journey began. Jason had received a poor prognosis from learned medical professionals. The soothsayers predicted he would soon stop developing, never really “speak” and definitely would never read or write. I quite frankly thought they were “nuts.” I saw a child who was curious and babbling non-stop. He was speaking, but no one understood his language or took the time to listen to him. Heavy medications for suspected seizures left him in a fog. Later, I realized he’d never had a documented seizure, and I came to believe that the medications had affected his development. As I held his hand for the first time he was “mine,” I recited what would become our mantra, “You used to be a sick baby and now you are well.”

As we began our life together, even with my rose colored glasses of optimism I was still apprehensive about the other shoe dropping … those setbacks parents of "children who are different" fear. One vivid memory stands out for me. We went walking during our first week together, and he found huge boulder along our path. Like most little boys he HAD to climb it. He fell and cried; he couldn’t do it. I picked him up, consoled him and kissed his “boo-boos.” When I put him down, he went back to the rock to climb again, failed and cried repeatedly. My fear: “ Oh my gosh, he knows he can’t do it.” Wrong Dad. With determination, many tears and bruises, he kept attempting to climb until he won. “ You used to be a sick baby and now you are well,” he reminded me.

When I adopted him, I promised Jason and myself, I would parent in ways to help him be as independent as possible. Jason encountered and conquered many "boulders" during childhood, adolescence and young-adulthood. By 2008, Jason was living in a first floor apartment of our two flat building where my partner, Ryan and I, lived on the second floor. We all pretended he was independent, but he wasn’t. I knew that he needed more independence so we could see his strengths, needs and problem solving abilities, but I was terrified. My dear, loving husband gently and firmly reminded me that Jason and I both needed our independence.

At that time, Ryan and I were considering the purchase of an existing flower and gift shop in Beverly, far from our north side home. Increasing gang violence in our Albany Park neighborhood that culminated in a gang shooting in our front yard sealed the deal. Ryan and I were moving to Beverly, and Jason was not moving with us. I was filled with nauseating terror and guilt. Jason was fearful and angry, but the bird had to fly. He was thirty years old, his wings worked fine and they would carry him over the next and biggest boulder.

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By jmeddy on 7/20/2012 1:51 PM

On Wednesday, July 11, 2012, the CIF community gathered in the garden space of the Chicago Avenue community room to celebrate the life of our dear friend, Maris Grikis, who passed away on April 15th, 2012. During this time, we remembered Maris by doing many of the things that he enjoyed.

Maris dreamed of having a pet snake, and since we are dream keepers, at the celebration of his life, we became snake charmers! Snakes are amazing creatures, and quite a few of us were cured of our fear as we touched and held these fascinating animals. Maris would have been proud to see so many of his friends cuddling up with two snakes we affectionately called 'Curly 1 and 2’ – Curly was the name Maris had picked out for his snake.

Because Maris loved to garden, in his honor, we planted a memorial garden and placed a cast iron memorial marker bearing his name in the plot. We even planted some catnip because Maris loved to play with and tease the cats living at the Chicago Avenue Community Living Option™ and watch them go wild from the effects of the plant.  

Read more and view photos...

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