Association for Individual Development

04/20/2026

💚🏠Last week, AID President & CEO Lore Baker attended the Illinois Housing Council's advocacy day! Lore, along with other advocates, spent the day speaking with legislators about important housing facts and needs, focusing on the Illinois Affordable Housing Tax Credit (IAHTC).

IAHTC is a proven program that turns private donations into affordable housing, helping create and preserve over 26,000 homes across the state. With the program set to expire in 2026, proposed legislation would extend it for 10 years and expand its impact, supporting the development of thousands of new affordable homes and helping donors in return. 💵🏠

Lore met with State Representative Maura Hirschauer, Rachel Weckbacher of the Illinois Housing Council, and Laura Anderson of Winning Systems (pictured); along with Representative Barbara Hernandez, State Representative Anna Moeller, 43rd District, State Senator Karina Villa, Senator Laura Ellman, State Senator Don DeWitte, and State Senator Linda Holmes, sharing with them all this important information that will- if put into action- change thousands of lives for the better. 🩵

04/19/2026

🥧We were curious... where are all of our supporters from?🥄

Dozens of places make up the "pie" of where AID followers come from. According to Meta, our top 10 cities are as follows:
🍰Aurora🍰Elgin🍰Chicago🍰Oswego🍰St. Charles🍰Batavia🍰Geneva🍰Naperville🍰Montgomery🍰Yorkville🍰

Now we're wondering: which piece of the pie are YOU from? 🍰🥄
Do you represent one of the slices shown, or another location altogether? Let us know in the comments below! 🥧🗨️

04/18/2026

🗣️Help us understand the Behavioral Health needs of our Aurora community!📢

We are working to transform our outpatient services to become a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) - a model designed to expand access to care.

📋 Take this short survey now: tinyurl.com/AIDneeds26
⌚Completion time is approximately 14 minutes
🗺️Eligible Areas: Regions 1 & 7 (Aurora)

Thank you for taking the time to help better our services!


VNA Health Care | Mutual Ground | Gateway Foundation Alcohol & Drug Treatment | Aunt Martha's | Kane County Health Department | Aurora University | Waubonsee Community College | Kiwanis Club of Aurora | Hesed House | Aurora Public Library, Illinois | Aurora Township | City of Aurora, IL, Government | Messenger Public Library

04/17/2026

🌟 AID SuperSTAR Spotlight: Lydia Morris! 🌟

When Lydia found herself in need of therapy services, she was referred to AID. While a little nervous and reserved at first, she quickly adapted to the new programs and explored all of the new possibilities laid out for her. Now, after four years spent working with AID, Lydia says she’s finally “feeling comfortable enough in [her] skin.”

Working diligently with Melika Sawyer, an AID Mental Health Professional Case Manager, Lydia is connecting with her community- hosting events, meeting new people, visiting the library, and going grocery shopping- things she never imagined possible for herself just years before. She even took the plunge and went back to school this semester!

“I feel like I’m really getting back to myself,” Lydia explains, “and I kind of forgot what that was like. It’s been a long time.”

👏 Join us in congratulating Lydia and celebrating the progress she has made. Her story is a reminder to us all: you CAN get help, no matter where you find yourself.


Music from
https://uppbeat.io/t/monobox/universe
License code: L0KQUB4H6BNRLHBF

04/16/2026

🦋World Semicolon Day☁️

Today is a reminder that your story never has to be over- just take a pause and continue 💜

The semicolon represents hope by suggesting a brief pause in a story rather than marking the finality of an end. This symbol, along with the meaning behind it, supports those with self-harm, addiction, and mental health struggles- with the main and most popular representation of the semicolon being su***de prevention.

You may see people sporting semicolon designs on stickers, clothing, or even with tattoos- either in support of the meaning behind it or as a reminder that you never know what someone else has gone- or is going- through in their life. 🫂

We are proud to support individuals in our community through many of life's struggles, providing them with a semicolon rather than a full stop. 💜🦋

04/15/2026

04/13/2026

🌈🌼Enjoy 25% off of T-shirts and up to 40% off of other goods for a limited time!!☁️🍊
Browse designs here: https://tinyurl.com/AIDGetGroovy

Waiting for the perfect time to snag some AID swag? This sale is might be it! 🤑
Don't let the deals get away- shop all available designs today at https://tinyurl.com/AIDRedbubble


NOTE: All merchandise orders are produced, processed, and fulfilled by Redbubble, Inc., a third-party print-on-demand provider. AID does not handle manufacturing, shipping, or customer service related to orders. If you have any questions about your order, including shipping, returns, exchanges, or product issues, please contact Redbubble directly.

04/11/2026

🧡💙 Last week, Sonia Richardson, Region 4 Behavioral Health Director, represented AID along with their team at the McHenry Community High School Transition Fair! 🤝📃

Transition fairs and other similar events are very important in connecting individuals with disabilities and their families with vital community resources- helping clear a better path forward for their post-high school future 🛣️☀️

Thank you to Sonia and the Region 4 BH team for your dedication to our community! 💙🧡

04/10/2026

Registered voters of Dundee Township: Please come to the Annual Town Meeting next Tuesday at 7pm on April 14th, at the Rakow Center Park District building located at 665 Barrington Ave., Carpentersville.

TWO agenda items are up for advisory vote;

1) A motion urging Supervisor Shah to appoint Dr. Michele Wright, Dawn Arimura and Amber Cotter, three local, mental health professionals, to the Mental Health Board (MHB) so
grants can be applied to Ecker Center for Behavioral Health , Association for Individual Development , Family Service Association of Greater Elgin Area, Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley, Mathers Clinic, The Center for Counseling Services, Brightpoint Child & Family Center in Carpentersville, Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, Stronger Therapeutic Counseling Services, Inc.. Three of the Mental Health Board seats have been vacant since last December. The board is unable to award grants, hire an administrator and function due to the lack of a quorum.

2) A motion to support House Bill 4616 changing the nomination rules for Mental Health Boards. Currently only the Supervisor (or presiding official) can nominate candidates. HB 4616 will allow Township Board (or governing board) members to nominate candidates for the Mental Health Board which are then voted on by the governing board.

The MHB is responsible for distributing hundreds of thousands of tax dollars to local mental health agencies to provide services for our residents. Mental Health Board Members should have professional backgrounds and experience to effectively evaluate grant applications and understand the impact of programs implemented.

Anything you can do to get people to come and support these two motions will help our residents.

Thank you, Sue Harney
President Pro Tempore Dundee 708 Mental Health Board
Dundee Township Trustee
Dundee Township Supervisor, Retired

04/09/2026

We're 2 WEEKS away from Thriving After 55! Check out this post for more information 🩵💙

🌟 Thriving After 55 Resource Fair 🌟

Ready to live your best life after 55? Join us for a fun and informative event designed just for you!

📅 Thursday, April 23
🕙 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
📍 Elgin Community College, Building J (Gymnasium)
✨ What’s in store:
✔️ Health screenings & wellness resources
✔️ On-site vaccinations (bring your insurance card)
✔️ Local vendors & community services
✔️ Raffles, giveaways & concessions

Whether you're looking for health tips, lifestyle ideas, or just a good time with great people—this event has it all. Come thrive with us!

Learn more at elgin.edu/ce


Elgin Community College | Kane Senior Council | Village of South Elgin

04/08/2026

🎊🥚Confetti Egg-splosion at the Keeler Center!🥚🎊

Easter festivities were an absolute hit last week at the Keeler Center Community Day Services' Fun Friday! 🥳🐰🐣 AID clients and staff celebrated the holiday with an Easter egg hunt, festive refreshments, and a yearly surprise tradition- confetti-filled eggs! Everyone looks forward to being covered in confetti at the end of the day- a sign of a time well spent with friends and chosen family 🩷

We hope everyone had a great Easter- no matter if you went all-out or just enjoyed your day!

04/07/2026

❗EARLY BIRD SPECIAL DISCOUNT PRICE ENDS MONDAY, JUNE 1, 2026!❗
🔗Click here to register: https://afid.givecloud.co/stroll-roll-2026
🐦💸Early Bird Registration Price: $40 | Current AID Client Price: $10
👕All registrants will receive an official "AID Summer Stroll & Roll" T-shirt!

On Sunday, June 14th at 10:00 A.M., enjoy a relaxed stroll or roll around the idyllic Peck Farm (Geneva) with a slightly later start time in 2026, and indulge in tasty refreshments- including hot dogs, snacks, and snow cones in the afternoon!

During your stroll or roll, keep an eye out for exciting games where you can win fun mystery prizes. Have some fun and help raise funds to support services for individuals with developmental, behavioral, and crisis needs across Kane, Kendall, DeKalb, DuPage, Will, McHenry, and suburban Cook County communities

We hope to see you all there! 🚶‍➡️👩‍🦼‍➡️🏃‍➡️👨‍🦽‍➡️