News

While 2020 was a year of many firsts for us all, our clients at Orchard Village faced no exception. All of our residential clients were sheltered-in-place during the stay-at-home orders and had essentially been quarantining together over the fall and winter last year. We interviewed one of our staff members, Vonkisha Jordan, who quarantined with clients in their home not just once, but twice. The first time Vonkisha was quarantined, she stayed in Orchard Village’s Floral home for seventeen days straight. This was right before Thanksgiving, and just a week before someone at Orchard ...

In March, Orchard Village received a $3,050 gift from the Oliver-Hoffmann Foundation, whose mission is in part to support charitable organizations serving individuals with disabilities. The funds donated to Orchard Village have been used to purchase equipment for its therapeutic recreation program, Abilities in Motion. Abilities in Motion is an innovative program that gives clients recreational skills and opportunities that helps them to live fuller and more integrated lives in their communities. The equipment to be purchased will serve individuals with disabilities and help ...

Much of what was new in charitable giving in 2020 through the CARES Act continues in the new year through the Congressional spending package passed last December. Plus, the spending package also has some unique benefits for donors. Contributing to charities could help lower your taxable income, even if you don't itemize deductions on your taxes. Speak with a professional tax advisor if you have any questions. The first change is an increase in above-the-line tax breaks for gifts of cash to charity. The tax break is $300 for individuals and has increased up to $600 for joint filers for 2021. ...

Welcome Theresa Kopitzke! Theresa Kopitzke recently rejoined Orchard Village as the new Senior Director of Vocational and Community Day Services. Theresa, who holds a master's degree in rehabilitation counseling and is a certified rehabilitation counselor and licensed professional counselor, served as Orchard Village's Director of Vocational Services from 2014 - 2017. In 2017, she stepped away from Orchard Village to pursue her private practice. She is very excited to be back at Orchard Village now in her new role. The relationships built with clients ultimately brought Theresa ...

To remain safe and to protect others, individuals at Orchard Village wear face masks. It is especially important we have enough new masks to regularly replace old or lost ones. Safety is our highest priority and we continue to ensure clients have access to the masks they need to remain healthy. While vaccines are coming, we continue to benefit from the donation of masks for Orchard Village clients and staff who are essential workers. Last fall, we received 250 KN95 masks from The Oliver-Hoffman Foundation. KN95 masks help block virus particles and will help protect everyone. Working through ...

Our very own Alex A. was featured on Fox 32 news! Alex has been working hard, teaching the public how to save energy as an Energy Force Ambassador for ComEd. "ComEd's Energy Force is a one-of-a-kind program that trains adults with developmental disabilities to serve as ambassadors for ComEd's Energy Efficiency Program," states ComEd on their website. Alex has been involved in the program since 2015 and has traveled all over the Chicagoland area, educating people about the importance of conserving energy. Alex has become a pro at navigating places like Navy Pier or the Chicago Botanical ...

In a year marked by uncertainty, Orchard Village was overwhelmed by the consistent generosity of our community. Your contributions help us serve 300 individuals with developmental disabilities to live the lives they want to live and help us meet the pandemic's challenges. A heartfelt thank you to all who donated to Orchard Village this fall and over the holidays to make the season special. This year, many clients celebrated Thanksgiving at their Orchard Village homes. Baird & Warner, Edgebrook donated 21 delicious apple and pumpkin pies and made the holiday a little sweeter for ...

Welcome Susan Kaufman! The Orchard Village Board of Directors announced that Susan Kaufman has accepted the position as Orchard Village’s President & CEO. Susan will be joining Orchard Village on February 10, 2020. Susan most recently worked for Bethesda Lutheran Communities as Vice President of Operations. There she oversaw daily operations in the areas of licensed group homes, intermediate care facilities for people with intellectual / developmental disabilities, community integrated day services, employment, independent and supported living, shared living, and ...

On October 10th, Orchard Village hosted its first Client Success Night! Members of the community joined us in celebrating our clients and staff, learning about all the great things we've been up to lately. We had multiple booths around the room for each program and department. Staff representatives from each program, paired with our client ambassadors, were able to brag about our new initiatives (like InnOVations and Abilities in Motion) and accomplishments (like Special Olympics). InnOVations even sold and gave away samples of bath salts they made using herbs and flowers from the ...

Orchard Village is starting a new component of our urban farm: a CSA Membership program. A CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program is essentially a share of our harvest. We are piloting this program to a few local businesses (Woodward, Inc. and Baird & Warner) for their employees to take part in. With a pre-season payment, customers purchase a share of our summer's harvest. They will receive a weekly box of our fresh, local, seasonal produce during the course of the 12-week harvest season, from mid June to early September. The CSA program is actually a paid internship opportunity ...