By jmeddy on 8/23/2012 7:24 PM

By Megan Baer

It’s Monday morning and Sarah makes her regular commute to work on the ‘El’ to start another week of work at the office. After getting settled in and checking e-mails, Sarah begins her tasks for the day: managing the back end of the website for JJ’s List, an Evanston, Illinois not-for-profit organization. It’s a typical week for her, and it looks pretty typical for most young people beginning their professional lives. However, Sarah’s route to this place in life was far from typical.

Just a few years ago Sarah’s daily life looked quite different. Sarah had just graduated from college – a great accomplishment for anyone, but especially for Sarah, who for most of her childhood didn’t think college was even a possibility. Sarah remembers, “I didn’t think that people with disabilities even had the choice to go to college. It had never been offered to me as an option.”

However, following graduation from Loras College, Sarah found herself consumed by anxiety about the uncertainty of her life after school. “I felt like I no longer had support because I wouldn’t be in a special education program any longer,” Sarah recalls. Years of special education had been a great tool for Sarah to work toward achieving her personal goals. Then, following graduation, the support disappeared.

Sarah moved home with her parents, struggled to find a job, and spent most of her days at home worrying about her future. “I was frustrated by the thought that I couldn't do certain things or get certain jobs because of my disabilities. I worried about my future and my ability to live independently. I was terrified about living on my own. I felt like I needed support, but I didn’t know where to turn,” relates Sarah.

Then, Sarah’s aunt Annabel heard about Center for Independent Futures (CIF) from a friend. She told Sarah and her parents that CIF might be a good fit and could help Sarah feel supported to work towards more independence. “We left our first meeting with CIF Staff Member Margaret Tanenberg ecstatic with what we heard. Sarah could see the possibility of living independently like she had in college. I saw hope in my daughter’s eyes,” related Holly Armour.

The family chose to participate in CIF’s Full Life Future Planning™ (FLFP) process as a way to help Sarah plan for her future and realize her dream of living on her own. Sarah was skeptical at first, but felt more at ease and comfortable after meeting her FLFP coaches and discovering that process was really person-centered. “The FLFP process delineated the steps that Sarah wanted and needed to take to realize her dream,” says Holly. “And I really felt like I was leading my team in making decisions. My team was there to support me in taking the steps on my own,” Sarah recalls.

“Sarah is so smart and strong,” says her aunt Annabel. “She has always wanted to move past her fears and have a life of her own – one in which she feels she is contributing in a meaningful way to her community, family and the world at large. CIF offered her the means to do just that. Over the course of Sarah’s Full Life Future Planning™ Team meetings, the wonderful facilitators and the amazing coaching process that CIF has designed changed the playing field and helped Sarah find the tools to begin the journey toward a more independent life. It was an honor to be a part of that process."

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By jmeddy on 8/23/2012 6:55 PM

By Sharon Purdy

It was another great week at our 5th Annual Life Tools Camp! This year’s camp was held at the Evanston Township High School Transition House where there was access to a full, well-equipped kitchen, plenty of room to plan our days and a comfy living room area for relaxing. Eight campers ranging in age from 16-20 attended camp. While some rekindled old friendships, others made new friends as we spent the week planning and participating in fun, educational activities in the Evanston community.

This year’s camp experience provided opportunities for healthy meal planning, preparation and clean up, grocery shopping, using the internet to plan a trip on public transportation, using the bus system, learning about safety at home and in the community, and much more. The highlight of the week was the camp talent show at the end of the day on Friday. Wow, Life Tools Camp’s got talent!

The group worked together as a team throughout the week supporting each other and building new friendships. Some campers accomplished goals they had set and others learned the importance of adapting when things don’t work as planned. It was a week filled with activity and learning.

Photos from this year's camp will be posted in our web gallery soon.

Read More to get the day-by-day run down...

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By jmeddy on 8/23/2012 1:18 PM

As part of the F.I.I.V.E. Chicago program, Center for Independent Future’s Volunteer Club brings together CIF participants and older adults in the community to engage in volunteer projects. This month, 14 members of CIF’s Volunteer Club gathered at the CIF Community Room to learn about hunger in Evanston and to give back to those in need.

To begin the event, a representative from Campus Kitchens NU spoke about the organization’s background and how they work to ensure that unused food gets to people in need. She also shared some facts about hunger in the Chicagoland area. We learned that nearly 1 in 6 people in Chicago go hungry each day! After the introduction, the Volunteer Club had the opportunity to ask questions about hunger and homelessness in our community. Understanding the incredible need for food in the area strengthened the group’s passion for making a difference and motivated us to work diligently on the task at hand.

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By jmeddy on 8/20/2012 12:10 PM

As promised, Story Pirates has sailed back into the warm waters of Lake Michigan and will be appearing at SPACE in Evanston! Center for Independent Futures (CIF) is proud to host this nationally respected arts and creative writing organization based in New York City and Los Angeles! Story Pirates’ mission is to preserve the spark of youthful creativity often lost in the transition to adulthood, and they do this by showcasing the words and ideas of young people. In special performances created just for CIF, the Story Pirates will showcase and perform the stories written by young people with disabilities.

This event, now in its third year, will be held on Sunday, October 21 with two shows – one at 11:00 a.m. and one at 1:00 p.m. We are pleased that Inclusion Solutions, SPACE, Whole Foods and Make It Better will once again be sponsors of the event. Additional sponsors will be announced at a later date.

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By jmeddy on 8/20/2012 10:45 AM

By Rob Larson, CIF Community Life Coordinator

Do you know anyone who wants to eat healthy? Many of us have this desire, but with our busy lifestyles, we find it easier to pick up a burger than buy an apple. When we actually find time to shop for groceries, then there is the daunting task of cooking healthy meals. With cooking comes clean up, and before we know it, eating healthy seems an unattainable goal…we’d rather spend that time watching TV. Obesity has become a national epidemic, and healthy eating habits are a top concern for families of adults with disabilities as they encourage loved ones to live a full life.

This is where Top Box Foods comes into play. Top Box Foods, a nonprofit started by Chris Kennedy, son of Bobby and Ethel Kennedy, has a mission of bringing high-quality, low-cost food to families in the Chicago area and eventually around the country. Kennedy, 49, emphasizes that Top Box is not a charity, but a way to get discounted groceries to families who live in areas that either lack grocery stores or have an abundance of fast food. Customers' payments cover the cost of food and delivery, including a donation to the host distribution site equal to 5 percent of the proceeds.

Jonathon Dohogne, a Center for Independent Futures (CIF) participant, has had a goal to eat healthy and exercise since January; and he has lost 15 pounds! Jonathon worked closely with his CIF Life Skills Tutor to create a meal plan, budget his money appropriately for a weekly trip to the grocery store, and begin the task of cooking healthy meals. As a part of his plan, Jonathon eats a frozen pre-made meal for lunch, and cook larger meals that he puts into portion sizes for dinners.

Most of the options for pre-made meals in the grocery stores are high in preservatives and sodium. Top Box Foods pre-made meals are prepared with fresh ingredients and without the preservatives and sodium. The meals are delicious, and perfect for anyone who doesn't have much time to cook a healthy meal for lunch. Jonathon thinks they’re “Awesome!”

Learn how to order today...

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