Association for Individual Development

Association for Individual Development AID provides customized services for individuals with developmental, behavioral and crisis needs.

Operating in the greater Fox Valley area and other western suburban counties, AID is a leading provider of services that address the unique needs of individuals throughout every stage of their lives. Serving over 5,700 children and adults, AID operates community day centers in Elgin, Aurora, Batavia and Yorkville; mental health outpatient clinics throughout the Fox Valley; supports over 500 individuals living in their own apartments; and more than 200 individuals in group homes scattered throughout the greater Fox Valley. AID is also a sponsor of the Ride in Kane paratransit program in partnership with RTA, Pace, Kane County, and local municipalities and social service agencies.

💌🍒 Only 2 Weeks Left! 🍫💝 - Use code Hello25-H1 for 25% off until 2/7!Browse all available items at https://tinyurl.com/A...
02/01/2026

💌🍒 Only 2 Weeks Left! 🍫💝 - Use code Hello25-H1 for 25% off until 2/7!
Browse all available items at https://tinyurl.com/AIDValentinesCollection26

THREE new Valentine's Day designs have hit our storefront —ready to stamp upon your new favorite sweatshirts, t-shirts, hoodies, and more!

🩷AID Cares🩷 - Just a simple design to show you care 💗
💝Box of Chocolates🍫 - A metaphorical design showing life's struggles as a box of chocolates, in which AID can help you with what you get😋
💌Valentine's Card💘 - This eclectic and nostalgic design conveys positive AID messages and affirmations in a crafty way 😎

Get your hands on these designs before they're gone on 2/15!

01/31/2026

🌲🍊🎀 Inspire Your Heart with Art Day 🎀🍊🌲
With the weather being as bitter and frigid as it is lately, we thought we'd warm everyone up by sharing a recap of this cozy, wholesome craft day!

Back in December, Culinary Specialist Anna Barnes, along with Case Manager QIDP Hannah Gallagher, hosted a sustainable ornament making station! The craft included the same natural non-perishables from the year prior, such as pinecones, dried citrus and apple slices, cloves, cinnamon sticks, bay leaf, and star anise, along with a few new items: mace, hibiscus, and dried lime! Everyone had fun creating their own decor, adding ribbons and/or bells to their final designs before hanging their pieces proudly on the nearby Craft-mas tree. 🎄✂️🖍️

We hope everyone is staying warm during this cold spell ❄️🥶 Maybe, if you're stuck at home, this will inspire you to make art with things you already have around!


Music from (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/color-parade/to-you-wherever-you-are
License code: 1V1XKPAQLPLDHOVI

🩵TOMORROW🩵The Little Traveler's first 5th Saturday Shopping Day is almost upon us- and we couldn't be more excited! 🥹Eve...
01/30/2026

🩵TOMORROW🩵

The Little Traveler's first 5th Saturday Shopping Day is almost upon us- and we couldn't be more excited! 🥹

Every 5th Saturday, starting next Saturday, January 31st, The Little Traveler will donate 10% of your total purchase to Northern Illinois Food Bank, Cal's Angels, Lazarus House, and AID! Just be sure to mention "5th Saturday" at the register.

We're so excited for you to explore what The Little Traveler has to offer- all while giving back to your community. 🤝🩵

Hope to see some of you tomorrow! 👀

📍404 S 3rd St, Geneva, IL 60134

🥓🐷Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs🐷🌭Every Tuesday, clients and staff at Wildwood Trace hold their weekly Group Dinner, filled with...
01/29/2026

🥓🐷Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs🐷🌭

Every Tuesday, clients and staff at Wildwood Trace hold their weekly Group Dinner, filled with community, laughter, and the mouth-watering aroma of the meals they help prepare together. During this dinner, everyone made bacon wrapped hot dogs- a bit tricky to pull off, but it made for lots of good laughs! 🤣

After balancing out the meal a bit with a delicious assortment of mixed fruit and some potato chips, everyone got to dig in. By the time staff had made their plates and sat down, everyone else was up and washing their plates. Needless to say this Group Dinner was a hit! 😋

Illinois I/DD Services by the Numbers (2026)This month, AID is featuring our "By the Numbers" series, with data provided...
01/28/2026

Illinois I/DD Services by the Numbers (2026)

This month, AID is featuring our "By the Numbers" series, with data provided by The Institute (https://www.instituteonline.org), every Wednesday. We’re highlighting key data shaping services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Illinois.

📊 Why competitive employment matters:
Work is about more than income—it’s about independence, community connection, and purpose. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities deserve access to meaningful employment opportunities that match their skills and interests. Expanding competitive employment programs strengthens independence and helps communities thrive.

The numbers:
• Only 5% of people with I/DD receiving employment/day services are competitively employed
• Illinois ranks 45th in the nation for competitive employment for people with I/DD

Investing in employment supports and programs is essential to increasing opportunities, reducing barriers, and ensuring people with I/DD can participate fully in the workforce and their communities.

Today, on Holocaust Remembrance Day, we honor the millions who were murdered and the survivors who carry memory forward....
01/27/2026

Today, on Holocaust Remembrance Day, we honor the millions who were murdered and the survivors who carry memory forward. This day is not only about remembering genocide—it is a reflection on what happens when hatred, dehumanization, and silence are allowed to grow. In a world still marked by violence and injustice, remembrance is an act of responsibility. We remember so history is not repeated, and so our choices today protect human dignity tomorrow. 🕊️🌹

🫑🍗Pollo Guisado - República Dominicana Style!🧅🍅Recently, RJ, along with QIDP Marissa Rangel-Biddle, took on another new ...
01/26/2026

🫑🍗Pollo Guisado - República Dominicana Style!🧅🍅

Recently, RJ, along with QIDP Marissa Rangel-Biddle, took on another new recipe. This time? Pollo Guisado, a Caribbean and Latin American chicken stew! The particular recipe they followed was from the Dominican Republic, adding its own unique twist to the dish.

After collecting fresh produce, such as garlic, cilantro, bell peppers, and onion, RJ and Marissa got to work putting everything together. They teamed up to tackle pots, pans, and cutting boards of different ingredients, making sure everything was properly cleaned, cut, and cooked. In the end, they ended up with a delicious meal that RJ couldn't wait to share with his friends and neighbors! 🍽️🍚

Recently, some members of AID Leadership attended the City of Elgin State of the City Address! 🏙️💙📢Kim Lynch (Associate ...
01/25/2026

Recently, some members of AID Leadership attended the City of Elgin State of the City Address! 🏙️💙📢

Kim Lynch (Associate Vice President of Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities), Kim Buckheister (Vice President of Crisis & Outreach Services), Lore Baker (AID President & CEO), Dr. Rajnish Mandrelle (COO), and Courtney Littlejohn (Vice President of Community Day Services & Employment First) gathered crucial information and updates from the address. These insights will allow AID to bolster our Elgin-area services in ways that will most benefit the community.

Thank you to our leadership team for your dedication to the AID mission!

🩵5th Saturday - Giving Back Locally🩵We would like to extend a HUGE thank-you to The Little Traveler for including AID in...
01/24/2026

🩵5th Saturday - Giving Back Locally🩵

We would like to extend a HUGE thank-you to The Little Traveler for including AID in their 2026 5th Saturday Charity Shopping Days! 🙏🛍️

Every 5th Saturday, starting next Saturday, January 31st, The Little Traveler will donate 10% of your total purchase to Northern Illinois Food Bank, Cal's Angels, Lazarus House, and AID! Just be sure to mention "5th Saturday" at the register.

We're so excited for you to explore what The Little Traveler has to offer- all while giving back to your community. 🤝🩵

🍬Small Chocolates, Big Differences🍫Thank you so much to the Knights of Columbus Council  #14929 for their wonderful char...
01/23/2026

🍬Small Chocolates, Big Differences🍫

Thank you so much to the Knights of Columbus Council #14929 for their wonderful charitable donation to AID from their annual Tootsie Roll Drive! We appreciate your support and dedication immensely. 💖

01/22/2026

🍫Chocolate Taffy with James!🍬

During his pre-training for the Flavor Lab, AID's client-staffed food truck, James took on perfecting a variety of recipes! 👨‍🍳

For his second go at chocolate taffy, mostly commonly known from the popular candy "Tootsie Rolls," he added a twist: different flavorings and shapes! Usually made with cherry extract for their signature flavoring, James instead halved the batch- flavoring one portion with peach and the other with watermelon. When it came time to shape the taffy, he molded some into their classic rolls, but others into spheres and hearts. The outcome? A delicious assortment of chocolatey goodness! 😋🍫🍬

Thanks to AID Culinary Specialist Anna Barnes for cultivating culinary experiences like these for our Community Day Services clients to enjoy!


Music from (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/airstream/smooth-lover
License code: LLTBV4AMDVXMTB3Z

🩶⛹️Basketball Season was a SUCCESS!🏀🩶Over the past few months, AID clients Bill and David participated in Northern Illin...
01/21/2026

🩶⛹️Basketball Season was a SUCCESS!🏀🩶

Over the past few months, AID clients Bill and David participated in Northern Illinois Special Recreation Association (NISRA)'s basketball league! Both having been picked to play for the Silver Knights, they were able to lean on each other for support and fellowship as they made new friends, found their particular talents, and faced the other teams. 🤝

During the last practice of the season, players were able to invite family, friends, and caregivers onto the court for one last scrimmage. Jim Gould, David's dad and AID Board Chairman, and Gavin Shearer, an AID Direct Support Professional, were chosen to face off against Bill and David- but in the end, the Silver Knights came out on top! ⚜️🩶🏀💪

Thank you to NISRA for curating experiences like these year after year- they mean so much to us all! 💜🩵

Address

309 New Indian Trl Court
Aurora, IL
60506

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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Our Story

Organized in 1961 by parents of 8 children with special needs, Association for Individual Development (AID) has grown to serve more than 6,500 children and adults with disabilities annually throughout the greater Fox Valley area. The mission of AID is to empower people with physical, developmental, intellectual and mental health challenges to enjoy lives of dignity and purpose. AID services include job training and employment, autism services, housing supports, counseling, health care services, psychiatric and crisis intervention services, and family and community supports. More than 1,500 Fox Valley residents are currently waiting to receive services locally.

Operating in the greater Fox Valley area and other western suburban counties, AID is a leading provider of services that address the unique needs of individuals throughout every stage of their lives.

In FY 2017, AID served 6,547 children and adults. AID currently operates 8 community day centers in Elgin, Aurora, Batavia and Yorkville, 15 mental health outpatient clinics throughout the Fox Valley, supports over 500 individuals living in their own apartments, and more than 200 individuals in 4 dozen group homes scattered throughout the greater Fox Valley. AID also administers the Ride in Kane paratransit program in partnership with RTA, Pace, Kane County, and local municipalities and social service agencies.

Visit www.AIDcares.org to learn more about AID.