NON-PROFIT
US POSTAGE
PAID
LaGrange, IL
Permit 234
SERVING CHILDREN &
ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES
9649 West 55th St | Countryside, IL 60525
THE MISSION OF HELPING HAND CENTER
IS TO ASSIST PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
TO ACHIEVE THEIR HIGHEST LEVEL OF
INDEPENDENCE THROUGH QUALITY
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Mon, Aug 4 — Fri, Aug 8
School for Autism Closed
Summer Vacation
Friday, August 29
School for Autism Closed
Teacher Institute Day
Monday, September 1
Sunday, November 9
1:00pm – 3:00pm
Donor Appreciation Tea
Helping Hand Center
Wed, Nov 26 – Fri, Nov 28
School for Autism closed for
Thanksgiving Holiday
HHC Closed
Labor Day
Thurs, Nov 27 - Fri, Nov 28
Tuesday, September 2
Friday, December 5
6:30pm
Policy Board Meeting
Helping Hand Center
Saturday, September 20
Family Network Event
Spirit of Chicago Boat Cruise
11:00am – 5:00pm
Thursday, October 2
HHC Closed
Staff In-Service
Wednesday, October 15
6:00pm
Foundation Board Meeting
Helping Hand Center
Tuesday, November 4
Summer 2014
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HHC Closed for Thanksgiving Holiday
10:00am – 2:00pm
Adult Day Program Holiday
Performance & Luncheon
Helping Hand Center
Saturday, December 6
9:00am – 3:00pm
Helping Hand Center Craft Fair
Thursday, December 11
5:30pm – 7:30pm
Children’s Services Holiday Party
Helping Hand Center
We hope you enoyed!
Helping Hand Center is a nonprofit serving over 700 children and adults with developmental disabilities in suburban
Cook County and greater Chicagoland communities since 1955. We offer a range of programs and services including
outpatient therapies, early intervention, a school for children with autism, high school transition, residential homes,
employment services, adult day programs, behavioral services, special recreation, and our aging program.
Record setting attendance at
our Annual Family Picnic!
Record breaking year! Our annual family picnic brought well over 400
clients, family members, volunteers, board members, and staff to enjoy a
day of fun in the company of family and friends!
Saturday, August 2nd
Thanks to the generous contributions of Phil Palmer of Palmer Place
Restaurant, families enjoyed delicious grilled burgers. We had plenty to
drink in the heat thanks to contributions from ABarr, Starbucks, and
Coca-Cola Company. Community Partners NuMark Credit Union, St.
John of the Cross Parish, UPS, Lubrizol, and balloon artist Tommy
Twister came out to support us as well.
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Check out our full photo album from this event on our facebook page!
Helping Hand Center’s
Family Network
ICE CREAM SOCIAL
Saturday, December 13
11:00am – 3:00pm
Adult Holiday Celebration
Crystal Sky Banquets, McCook IL
6:30pm
Policy Board Meeting
Helping Hand Center
Helping Hand Center, 9649 W. 55th Street, Countryside IL
LOOK INSIDE FOR MORE PHOTOS
A note from the
Executive Director...
You may have noticed some changes and construction recently at Helping Hand Center. We are
growing our programs and services in many areas. Why? Because we have waiting lists of people
who need our services and want to participate in our programs.
Mary Beth Hepp, Executive Director
Policy Board of Directors
Robert Ackermann
Ackermann Consulting Inc.
Susan E. Cox (President)
U.S District Courthouse
Michael Ettleson
Ettleson Cadillac-Buick-GMC, Inc.
Wilson Francis
URS Corporation
Don Fries (Vice-President)
Kelburn Engineering Company
Greg W. Hartje, CFA (Treasurer)
US Bank
Jeffrey S. MacKay
DuPage County Judicial Center
Mark C. Matray, M.D. (Secretary)
LaGrange Pediatrics
We always want to provide our very best services to our clients and families as we look for ways to
grow and serve even more people. But, in this current environment of so many uncertainties, how
do we make good decisions to plan for the future and grow?
Will Illinois be able to sustain funding for people with developmental disabilities in the future?
Illinois ranks almost last in funding for developmental disabilities yet expenses continue to rise.
Who will fix this & how?
Some believe ways to increase independence is to close workshops such as SubCon. Other
states have already and federal legislation is being drafted to do so nationally. Will this happen
in Illinois?
Who will be the new governor and will that person support funding needed to do all of this?
Bridget L. Voigt, M.D.
Rush University Medical Center
Foundation Board of Directors
Noreen A. Costelloe (Chair)
The Law Offices of Noreen A. Costelloe
These are the challenges the leaders of Helping Hand Center are navigating. So, how do we make
good decisions with so many unknowns? We just need to look to our families. They live in the
unknown every day; will their child walk, talk, learn, get a job, have friends, or get a home of
their own?
We continue to learn from the grace and endurance shown by our parents and the clients in
the ways they make decisions for the future — despite their own uncertainties. They do not let
these unknowns stop them from striving for what is best for their family member or for themselves.
They think positively with a “glass half full” mentality. Of course my child will be able to learn. Of
course they will have friends. Of course I will reach my highest level of independence.
Antonino’s Ristorante
Ice Cream girls from Capannaris, Inc.
Frank Pigatto
Frank Pigatto Real Estate & Construction
Our school is a
popular place!
Sincerely,
Three different schools came out to take
part in different service days in our School
for Children with Autism. Students from
Nazareth Academy, The University of
Chicago Lab School, and Highlands Middle
School brought art projects, books for story
time, a snack and games for our students.
Jeanne Reilly
Sotheby's International Realty
Herbert A. Smyers (Treasurer)
Retired
Christine Speiser
Retired
Executive Director
Helping Hand Center
Praxair volunteers with HHC client Gary
We kicked off the summer right with our volunteer friends from Praxair who
put together a Summer Luau for our adult day program! Over 40 volunteers
played bingo and bean bags with our clients. Clients loved making their own
leis at the craft station but the biggest ‘hit’ was the piñata! The cherry on the
top (literally) was the ice cream cart Praxiar brought in from Capannaris Inc.
Delicious and fun - what a combination!
Thomas Janus
Janus & Associates CPAs P.C.
Michael J. Slinkman
SKS & Associates
Benches will be auctioned off in September
at Village Hall in LaGrange and the
proceeds of Helping Hand Center’s bench
will be donated to us.
Praxair volunteers made leis with HHC clients, Leslie
St. Clair and Kirk Ores.
Modeling after our own clients and family members, we make decisions for our future growth.
And it’s working! Check out our next newsletter for specific examples of how this is all working
together to grow our programs and services without relying more on uncertain state funding!
Howard E. Habenicht (Secretary)
Retired
The 2014 annual summer art project can be
seen up and down the sidewalks of
downtown LaGrange. Helping Hand
Center has a very special bench sitting in
front of Palmer Place Restaurant painted by
a group of our adult clients. The vibrant
colors and whimsical knobs along with the
muddy shoe rack make our bench very
unique and eye catching.
Others believe ways to increase independence is to close down day programs. Will this happen
in Illinois?
Marc W. O’Brien
Bronson & Kahn LLC
Noreen Veeser
Cossitt Avenue Elementary School
HHC clients Juan Munoz and Leon Woodard
with HHC staff Carolyn Kline and Jessica Boyke.
How will Illinois handle the 20,000+ people already on a waiting list for funding?
Some believe homes for people with developmental disabilities should be no larger than four
people. Can the State funding support this? If so, what does Helping Hand Center do with its
current homes larger than four people?
Jason Shirk
Mid American Group, Inc.
HHC clients, Craig Berry and Lupe Villa
Every day at Helping Hand Center we hear talk about the uncertainties facing the State of Illinois
such as:
Karen A. Mitchell
First National Bank of LaGrange
Susan Schell
A. Eicoff & Company, Chicago
Kickin’ off the
summer with
a Luau
"Life is Good in La Grange"
Sit & stay awhile
HHC student, Denny Miller, with his new friends
from The University of Chicago Lab School.
summer special benefits HHC
Not only will Antonino’s Ristorante,
located at 701 W Hillgrove Ave. in
LaGrange, be auctioning off their bench to
benefit Helping Hand Center, but they are
holding a spaghetti & meatball summer
special for $10.95 and 10% of the proceeds
will be donated to Helping Hand Center.
Good friends and italian food - take
advantage of this one!
We recently embarked on a $4.5 million dollar growth project which allows us to serve more people and continue to
grow! We have a long list of people in our community who need our services. Our growth project will allow us to provide
our programs and services to so many more people.
We are thrilled to
announce a major
donation for Helping
Hand Center.
Dr. Asok K. Ray of the Indima
Foundation, an orthopedic surgeon
from MacNeal Hospital, committed
to providing Helping Hand Center
$1M over the next 5 years to help
us with our growth initiatives!
Dr. Ray is a very generous donor who has a big heart for our mission. This is nothing new for Dr. Ray who has been
supporting non-profits for years. This very generous donation will help a great deal with the expenses that come with growth.
And, this is not the first time Dr. Ray has supported the mission of Helping Hand Center. Just recently, we opened the doors
to our newest residential home in LaGrange Park. We are thrilled to have such a giving partner in Dr. Asok Ray who
significantly gives back to his community!
Thanks to the generous gift from Dr. Ray, and other supporters of Helping Hand Center, this house is now the new home for
seven of our clients.
Captions:
Making a difference
When you drive past Helping Hand Center you will
see Dr. Ray’s name on both the front and back of our
building in Countryside. We are naming this building
after him in recognition of this gift.
{
{
DR. ASOK K. RAY, MD
It is because of our high quality
reputation and services our staff
provide every day that we are able
to receive this kind of wonderful
financial support.
PRESENTING SPONSOR
Speiser Family Foundation
MAJOR SPONSORS
Exron Capital Inc.
MB Financial
GOLD SPONSORS
Adventist LaGrange Memorial Hospital
First National Bank of LaGrange
Lyons Township Mental Health Commission
Mid-American Group
Parent Petroleum
Whole Foods Market, Hinsdale
Our 30th Annual Golf Outing
What a gorgeous day to spend golfing with friends at Riverside Golf Club where
we hosted our 30th Annual Golf Outing on July 21st. The course, beautiful
weather, great food, and good company made this day absolutely terrific! Golfers
teed up to support our mission and together we raised more than $47,000!
ANNUAL FAMILY PICNIC
1
HHC clients, Victoria Ireland,
Stacey Vaile, Adam Rickert, and
Lisa Guidice.
2
Children of all ages loved the
water gun contest that our friends
at NuMark set up for us!
3
HHC client, Andi Francis, with her
father, Wilson Francis.
4
HHC client, Linda Chopp, with her
brother, Al Chopp.
5
HHC School for Autism student
Jack Hickey, with his father, Tim
Hickey.
6
Our past and current board
members volunteering to help
prepare over 400 burgers!
7
Foundation Board Member, Tom
Janus with his sons Jack and Tim,
and wife, Beth.
8
HHC client, Kathy Califf, with her
sisters, Therese Kurth and Eileen
Califf.
9
HHC client, Leon Woodard, HHC
Executive Director, Mary Beth
Hepp, HHC client, Judy Bien, and
HHC Residential staff, Telesa
Mattox.
10
Volunteers Bill Bright, Mike
Selvage, Guy Vorsanger, Phil
Myers, and Kent Holmes.
11
Acoustic Trio, Bad Penny.
SILVER SPONSORS
Cashman Stahler Group
Equivoice
Golan & Christie, LLP
Horton Insurance
Hunt Printing & Graphics
Janus & Associates CPA's P.C.
Illini Care Health Plan
Nyco Products
Praxair, Inc.
Mulcahy, Pauritsch, Salvador & Co.
Wilson & Wilson Law Offices
BRONZE SPONSORS
Clear Staff, Inc.
The Community Bank of Western Springs
NuMark Credit Union
Omnicare
Pace
Pinnacle Financial Group
Silbrico Corporation
TCF National Bank
Trust Company of Illinois
Wightman Builders, Inc.
7
1
Foundation Board Treasurer, Herb Smyers, Ken
Knutson, and Micheal O’Reilly.
HHC parents and volunteers
Julie Francis and Judy Novak.
8
1/2 WAY HOUSE SPONSOR
3
Dot Smith
2
GAMING HOLE SPONSOR
Ettleson Cadillac-Buick-Pontiac-GMC
GOLF HOLE SPONSORS
Aces Security Inc.
The Carroll Family
Community Bank of Western Springs
Freeborn & Peters
The Habenicht Family
Private Client Reserve @ US Bank
Silbrico
Skydan Real Estate
Willow Insurance Services
Mulcahy Pauritsch & Salvador
Hunt Printing
The Howe Family
Dubak Electrical Group
The Francis Family
Beth & Tom Janus
Devries Grocery & Market
Cashman Stahler Group
Grace & Jeanne Reilly
Former Sorority Sisters Fran Mahoney, Mollie
Carroll, Carol Beibel, and Marilyn Kamm.
Guests of Foundation Board Member Tom Janus
Scott Brown, Jim Coghlan, Dennis Marx,
and Zaheer Sardar.
‘Golfing Around’ Andy Delucca, Tom Kennedy, John Neiweem, and Mike Dettmann.
9
4
5
(Crawford Group Sotheby's International Realty)
Central Blacktop
Rosewood Construction
Peter's Highline Automotive
BT Electric
Handy Pete HVAC & Electric Inc.
6
10
11
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