Options Center for Independent Living - Bourbonnais, Watseka, IL

Location: Bourbonnais, Watseka, IL.

Mission Statement: Options Center for Independent Living partners with persons with disabilities who want to live independently and participate fully in society.

Options Center for Independent Living (Options CIL) is a non-residential, not-for-profit, community-based organization that promotes independent living for people with disabilities.  Our primary service area includes Kankakee and Iroquois counties.  Options maintains offices in both counties to provide easy access to its services.  As a center for independent living, Options is managed and controlled by people with disabilities.  Over 50% of the board and staff are people who have disabilities.

Options is guided by the independent living philosophy that people with disabilities have the right to control and direct their own lives, to have choices and options, and to actively participate in all aspects of society.

Options works to dispel myths, stereotypes, and misconceptions about people with disabilities.  We also work to encourage people in the community to become more aware of disability-related issues and concerns.  As one of 23 centers for independent living throughout the state of Illinois, we work to:

• help people stay in their own homes and out of institutions, thereby maintaining independence and saving state money.

• change the status of people with disabilities from unemployed to employed.

• help people with disabilities achieve and/or maintain self-sufficiency and productive lives in our communities.

• help make our community more physically and attitudinally accessible for people with disabilities.

Options receives the majority of its funding from state and federal grants administered through the Department of Human Services. In addition, Options utilizes membership funds as well as private and organizational donations to provide and expand services. Options CIL is also funded by the United Way of Kankakee and Iroquois Counties.

Options does not discriminate in employment or provision of services on the basis of race, age, religion, ethnicity, gender, disability, or sexual orientation.  Reasonable accommodations will be provided on request.