DSC supports people in living a rich and meaningful life.
Meet Garrett, a tender-hearted and fun-loving, four-year old who loves playing outdoors, the water, is musically-inclined and adores his grandparents. Garrett was born in August 2015. After experiencing a difficult season of struggling with infertility and miscarriages, becoming pregnant with Garrett was a miracle for us.
Though monitored throughout my pregnancy, I required an emergency C-section at 36-weeks due to preeclampsia. Garrett was born with Intrauterine Growth Restriction, a true knot in his cord and the cord was wrapped around his neck. Despite the early challenges we faced, as new parents, we were overjoyed as we welcomed little Garrett Hayn into the world. Garrett spent his first 13 days in the NICU and required tube feedings. When Garrett was able to come home, it was a dream come true and together, we were able to begin living life as a family of three.
To read more about Garrett and his family, please visit our Tree of Hope page.
Current Jackpot: $5,881
DSC has officially launched the Queen of Hearts Raffle! Be sure to stop by Esquire Lounge to try your luck. For more information such as the current board and an update on the weekly drawing total, please visit our Queen of Hearts Page.
Meet Joanna!
When we focused on our Tree of Hope campaign for our weekly stories, many of the families we spoke with mentioned members of our Family Development Center team, so we thought we would highlight their program this month.
Joanna is a Developmental Therapist and Co-Leader of Play Group at DSC. She interned with the agency when she was a student at the University of Illinois. However, at the time of her graduation, there were not any openings in DSC’s Family Development Center, so Joanna went to work in Peoria. She joined DSC around four years ago, when a position became available.
A big part of Joanna’s job focuses on Play Group. The group is weekly and co-lead with another DSC Developmental Therapist. The group has up eight kids, not including siblings or grandkids, so there may be up to 5-8 children in the group between the two therapists. The same kids attend every week and lasts about seventy-five minutes. The program consists of circle time, art/sensory activities, gross/motor activities and snack time. The mom-tot format of the group provides a good support system for parents, as well as children.
“My favorite part about Play Group, is seeing the parents connect with each other. Often times, they exchange numbers and meet-up for playdates outside of the group. They realize that they are not alone. I also love that I never sit at a desk and I play with kids all day.
When Joanna is doing home visits, she said it requires planning because every day and every child is different. “You prepare for your day with a visit to our toy room. I come prepared with toys in my toy bag based on each child’s needs, but then I always bring bubbles and books as a back-up.”
If a parent is in need of resources, Joanna suggests checking out the EI (Early Intervention) Clearing House in Champaign. They have books, handouts and other resources and love for people to come in. There is also the Autism Program (TAP).
Outside of DSC, Joanna is a new mom, with a five-month old baby. She and her husband enjoy their family time with their new baby and dog. They like spending time outdoors and going hiking.
Thank you to everyone that came out and made this year's Oktoberfest a huge success! Between the wonderful music, Bavarian themed food, delicious beer, and fun children's activities, we hope all party-goers had a wonderful time! So many volunteer hours and effort went into making this event happen, we want to thank everyone involved. We are excited about the fun we had and are already looking forward to next year! If you have comments or suggestions, please share them by contacting Evan Burie, Special Events & Marketing Coordinator, at eburie@dsc-illinois.org. Until next year, PROST!
CONGRATS to Barb Hastings for winning the first ever Oktoberfest Raffle! After receiving the call, Barb chose to take the $4,500 CASH option. Congratulations Barb!
Click below to enjoy the latest issue of the DSC Community News newsletter!
DSC and Community Choices are collaborating through the creation of LEAP (Leaders Employing All People) to advance the Employment First initiative.
Rockwell Automation was one of our first LEAP trained businesses, and when asked why they decided to become LEAP trained, Ms.Marty Miner, Senior Human Resource Representative, shared, “It’s just the right thing to do.” In working to make Champaign County an even more disability inclusive community, we are offering businesses to receive this training through the hiring, or interest in hiring, people with disabilities. For more information about LEAP contact Jamika Smith Employment First/LEAP Coordinator at 356-9176 or jsmith@dsc-illinois.org.
Congratulations to Riggs Brewery for becoming LEAP certified!
LEAP stands for Leaders in Employing All People and is funded by the Champaign County Developmental Disabilities Board. LEAP is a collaborative effort between DSC and Community Choices. This program is designed to offer a one-hour individual or group training for Champaign County businesses that offers education on becoming a disability-inclusive business. This training helps to increase the pool of hiring candidates, improve morale among existing staff, and sets the bar for other businesses in the community. If you’d like more information, contact DSC Employment First/LEAP Coordinator, Jamika Smith at jsmith@dsc-illinois.org or 217-356-9176.
Well we have just the thing for you! DSC Business Operations center recycles all kinds of cardboard and paper - including magazines, catalogs, office paper, etc. - as part of our effort to keep the environment clean and financially support DSC's programs. (We do not accept books at this time).
You can bring your recyclable paper to DSC’s Business Operations at 3102 W Clark Rd in Champaign, 8am—4pm, M-F. From Duncan, turn west onto Clark Rd (just north of Springfield). Turn right to go behind DSC’s Business Operations facility to drop off your items at the back loading dock door.
Our staff strives to provide quality supports and services to consumers, their families, and fellow employees each and every day and they deserved to be recognized for their exemplary work!
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