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CC Newsletter March 2020
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COMMUNITY CHOICES

monthly newsletter  //  march 2020
IN THIS ISSUE:
spotlight: thank you to RACES and CUPHD
strategic planning 2020 - recap
member meeting
join the board
moving announcement
painting party
gourmet dinner
membership renewal
community poolooza
social opportunities
2020 disAbility expo
self-advocate survey
 
There's a lot to cover, so don't forget to view the entire message! (Sometimes you have to click "view clipped message") 
 
SPOTLIGHT: THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS! RACES & C-U PHD

Community Choices would like to send big thank you’s to RACES and Champaign-Urbana Public Health for facilitating our Healthy Relationships and Healthy Sexuality classes again this year!  We are lucky to be able to partner with knowledgeable organizations in our community who are able to provide educational opportunities to our members with disabilities! Check out both their websites for services and resources they provide in our community!
 

RACES - https://www.cu-races.org/

Public Health - https://www.c-uphd.org/
 

Three Cheers to organizations like these that are committed to providing true inclusive services! THANK YOU!
STRATEGIC PLANNING
EVENT RECAP -
GROWTH FOR COMMUNITY LIVING!
First, thanks to the Community Choices Co-op Members who came out to discuss the evolution of our cooperative and to the many others who have shared their stories and needs over these past years. Your experiences and input were the driving force to make this event possible!

At this event, we talked about growth. We know there is always need for better options for resource coordination and with the supports needed to manage day to day life, for more services in Employment, and for the community building efforts that can provide opportunity for people with I/DD to find genuine friendships and leadership opportunities. We broke down our discussion into these 3 main areas - LIVE, WORK, CONNECT. 
 
After brainstorming and deliberation, members came to a consensus that LIVE was the direction we should move towards.
 
It was in this domain that most members and families felt that they needed support and where our cooperative could step in to build capacity for our entire community. 

What does this mean? It means that in the next months and years, Community Choices staff, board, and members will be working to design a more robust set of supports that will: 
  • Allow more people with I/DD to build and sustain self-directed lives in the community
  • Ensure that people and their families get help to coordinate resources and supports
Members had the chance to share their ideas for what services would be most helpful. The big themes focused on: 
  • More robust supports for finding, managing, and scheduling PSWs, including Agency-Based PSWs
  • Support with life and resource coordination including emergency back-up systems, transportation, and property management
  • More ongoing support with daily living tasks including budgeting, managing benefits, and medical appointments 
This does not mean that CC is going to stop our focus on Employment, Social, and Leadership opportunities for people in our community with I/DD. We are still deeply committed to supporting people in all these facets of their lives. This decision simply means that we will be giving some extra attention to designing services that can meet the Community Living needs that we have not yet been able to address. 

What if I couldn't attend? Even if you couldn't be there last week, we still very much want to hear your ideas! More opportunities are coming for you to share your thoughts and insights, but if you’d like to send along your comments the handouts and prompts from the event are available HERE. 
We also wanted to send Jen Knapp, our Founding Director, a
VERY SINCERE THANK YOU
for making the long journey back from Portland to lend her support and insight as we wrestled with these important topics! 
NEXT STEP - MEMBER MEETING
Our ANNUAL MEMBER MEETING IS COMING UP ON MARCH 12th!

This meeting is an important time for us to come together and hear what the co-op is currently working on and where we're heading in the next year. This year is particularly exciting, given the Strategic Planning event and upcoming movement to grow into more Community Living supports. We hope you can all join us!

We'll be discussing: 
  • Strategic Planning Next Steps and How to be Involved
  • New Opportunities and Announcements for the Upcoming Year
  • Board Elections - Come and VOTE!
 
Event Details: 
WHAT: Annual Member Meeting
DATE: Thursday, March 12th
TIME: 7:00-8:30pm
LOCATION: St. Matthew's Lutheran Church 
WHO SHOULD COME: ALL MEMBERS! This meeting is only open to Community Choices Member. 
JOIN THE COMMUNITY CHOICES BOARD!
Each year we elect new board members. If you would like to throw your hat into the ring, or just would like more information to consider the possibility. Family members and Self-Advocates are encouraged to get involved. Please let me know right away! Elections happen at the Member Meeting on March 12th.  -- becca.communitychoices@gmail.com // 217-840-4580
ANNOUNCEMENT - CC IS MOVING! 
If you've been by the CC offices lately, you might have noticed that we are outgrowing our space!

Because of this we are excited to announce that we'll be moving to a larger office on the 2nd floor of our building! 

Painting Party

In order to get a better deal on rent, we are doing much of the rehab in the space ourselves! Painting and a few updates are up to us! This means we would LOVE your help! We're planning a community painting party on March 20th and 21st! Please save the date and look out for more information to come! The offices are big! We could really use your help! :) 

Event Details: 
WHAT: Community Painting Party
DATES/Times:
  • Friday, 3/20/20 - 2:30-6:00pm
  • Saturday, 3/21/20 - 10:00am-6:00pm
LOCATION: 44 E Main St. Suite 210 - Our new Office!
WHO SHOULD COME: Those who are ready to work! 

Searching for Furniture Donations
We are looking for help to furnish our new space! If you are interested in donating lightly used or new items similar to any of those below, please let me know! becca.communitychoices@gmail.com
THANK YOU TO THE HOSTS OF OUR GOURMET DINNER!
This past Saturday evening, the Tortorelli's, Dabrowski's, and Kesslers came together to host our 6th Gourmet Dinner Fundraiser! As a team they planned, prepared, and served a five course gourmet dinner for 31 guest to support our cooperative! We are extremely grateful for their commitment and time and for all the contributions of those who attended. THANK YOU!
COMING UP & GOING ON
MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
It’s that time of year again! All members of Community Choice should keep an eye out in their email inboxes for the Annual Membership Renewal form. All members must complete the membership renewal to keep their membership current.

Only current members receive the social opportunity reminder emails and other exclusive members only content such as the password to the Members Only page on our website with links to our class and social opportunity sign-ups, PSW database, and other resources!

So, be sure to renew your membership in March!

If you or someone you know is not currently a member of Community Choices but would like to become a member, please email Kaitland, Membership Coordinator, at kaitland.communitychoices@gmail.com or call (217) 419-6222. Thanks!
COMING SOON - COMMUNITY POOL-OOZA!
Community Choices is currently recruiting Activity Leaders for Community Poolooza 2020!

Community Poolooza is a collaborative event between Community Choices, CUSR, and the Urbana Indoor Aquatic Center in which CC members will lead fun, interactive water sports and pool games for the public. Activity Leaders will judge cannonball contests and guide participants through fun pool activities! 

Would you like to participate? Email Kaitland Postley, Membership Coordinator, at kaitland.communitychoices@gmail.com or call at (217) 419-6222!
 
Community Poolooza will be Sunday, April 19th at the Urbana Indoor Aquatic Center. 
EMPLOYMENT 1st FAMILY INFORMATIONAL MEETING
ALL are encouraged to join us for a public meeting to discuss Employment 1st! It's been over 5 years since Employment 1st has been the law in Illinois. Come hear what's changed in that time with providers in this community! 

REMINDER: We have created a Facebook page! Like us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ChampaignCountyLEAP) in order to get updated information on recently trained businesses and other happenings with LEAP! 

Interested in learning more about LEAP or in becoming LEAP Certified Business, or would like more information, contact Ashley Withers at Ashleycchoices@gmail.com.
Brought to you by LEAP - Leaders in Employing All People, a partnership between Community Choices and DSC
MARCH SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES
March Social Opportunities!

Lunch Club @ Broadway Food Hall
Annual Member Meeting
Phantom of the Universe @ Planetarium
Dinner and Karaoke @ Buffalo Wild Wings and Star Karaoke
Trivia Night @ Jupiter's

Social Opportunities are for Members with Disabilities. If you'd like to RSVP, or become a member so you can attend, contact Kaitland at kaitland.communitychoices@gmail.com or 217-419-6222
RESOURCES
VOLUNTEER AT THE disABILITY EXPO

The disAbility Expo is just around the corner on Saturday, March 28, 2020! It is a great opportunity to learn about all the services and supports in our area. It is also a great opportunity to get involved by volunteering at the event! 

We need over 75 Volunteers for the event to happen! You could be one of them! There jobs that can suit anyone. You browse the options, time slots, and sign up on our Signup Genius Page!
 

SIGN UP HERE!

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COMMUNITY CHOICES     44 E MAIN, SUITE 419    CHAMPAIGN, IL     61820