DSC supports people in living a rich and meaningful life.
Throughout the month of June, we are honoring our DSC Dads!!! All of you do so much each and every day, and we want to take this opportunity to share some of the inspirational moments and the challenges that you have faced. Happy Father’s Day! We celebrate you!
Meet David!
David is the father of two sons, Bryan and Brandon. Bryan is the oldest, now thirty-three and receives services from DSC. A single dad for more than twenty-five years, David’s had his fair share of challenges. Despite the obstacles he’s faced, David’s had plenty of support from family members, including from his son Brandon, his parents and Grandmother, as well as from community professionals in the school system and from DSC.
“When I returned from service in the Navy, Bryan was around two years old. I realized I was going to be doing this alone. But I never gave it a second thought. Bryan was my son,” said David.
Bryan attended Prairie Elementary School, then Jefferson Middle School, and finally Centennial High School until he was 21. The family was making preparations for Bryan to transition out of high school, when they learned about DSC. “There were times when people tried to convince me to have Bryan put in a home. I was accused of being selfish because of the care required for Bryan, but he was my son,” said David.
“Having Bryan has brought healing into my life and restored faith in my own father’s life, who had lost his faith when Bryan was born with such a disability, but regained it by seeing how I handled it and what an awesome kid Bryan was. I don’t personally know where my life would be without Bryan. He’s kept me out of trouble because I know he needs me and I’ve had to be responsible for him.”
Bryan has a disability that prevents him from walking and verbally communicating. “It’s 24/7. Over time, you learn what he needs by trial and error. He’ll let you know, one way or another, that he needs or wants something, by crying or vocalizing. I’ve learned how to keep him comfortable and entertained. I have 200-300 DVDs and Blue Rays and we just upgraded his TV to a 65” 4k because his entertainment options are limited. It does take a toll on your own social life when you’re the caregiver though.”
David said that he and Bryan go to bed early and usually get up around 4:00 a.m. to prepare for the day, which may involve extra laundry and longer times to get ready than other families may experience, due to Bryan’s disability. Bryan spends his days with DSC, where he receives direct support and interaction with his peers, including participating in work and various projects, as well as community activities.
“It really takes a special person to do the work that DSC does. They dedicate their time, they don’t get paid enough for what they deal with, but everyone is always happy and has smiles on their faces.”
David has also had a lot of reasons to celebrate lately. His younger son, Brandon got married in May. His new daughter in-law is attending school to become an optometrist and the couple has two cats, Titan and Chico. David and Bryan celebrated with the couple at their wedding in Homer, IL.
C-U in the Prairibbean and C-U Oktoberfest are already in the making for this year, and we would be sad if you didn't have them on your calendar. Whether it's a Caribbean themed party, or Bavarian pretzels and beer, we've got you covered! This year the dates are as follows:
C-U in the Prairibbean: August 3rd, 2019
C-U Oktoberfest: October 5th, 2019
Be on the lookout in the future for more information, but for now, Social and Prost!
Click below to enjoy the latest issue of the DSC Community News newsletter!
Safety Care for Families is a workshop that is designed to provide family members with a basic set of prevention skills for working with individuals who have developmental differences and exhibit challenging behaviors. For more information, please click the link below.
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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