With blue polo shirts tucked neatly into khaki pants, the two women shuffle their hands in nervous excitement, eager to greet their next guests. For days now, this is the moment they’ve been prepping for. The linens have been washed and lovingly arranged on the beds. Fresh baked muffins sit on the kitchen countertop. It’s showtime. Welcome...
When Shawn steps into the Walmart parking lot, he stands a little taller. A slight smile is almost always on his face as he moves through his workday. The job involves a seemingly neverending task — moving shopping carts from the edge of the lot to the inside of the building. Some might groan and complain. But...
Her hands are dusted in flour as they knead dough, purposefully molding the bread into shape. Later, she’ll mix batter for cakes, carefully measuring ingredients and scooping the soft gooey mixture into the pans. It’s methodic, calming work. There’s something rewarding about watching the fruits of her labor come to life as the baked goods rise in...
Our clients are going places, figuratively and literally. As individuals and as a group, they’ve achieved incredible success over the last year as they propel themselves forward on the path to their best lives. They’ve found jobs, excelled in training opportunities, engaged socially in the community and gained independent housing. For them, the roads ahead are filled with...
Craig Laskowski didn’t intentionally seek out a career working with individuals with disabilities — he believes his path in life led him there. Laskowski went to McKendree University to play baseball, not knowing exactly what he wanted to do professionally. An inspiring psychology teacher steered him toward a path in human services, but even after graduation,...
Our clients and staff offered many suggestions for the name of of our new bed and breakfast at 4505 HH Road in Waterloo, but the winning moniker is one that just “felt right” to all who heard it. Our bed and breakfast, which will officially open to guests on yesterday, July 1, will be called The...
I am thankful. I am overwhelmed. I am amazed. Frankly, words fail to describe exactly how I feel about the generosity of this community. This was the first time in history that our organization, Human Support Services, made this kind of ask of our community, our staff and our leadership. I don’t think I’m overstating when...
On April 28, we were proud to watch our team of athletes compete in the Spring Games for Special Olympics Illinois — including one champ who showed us all what it means to persevere. This athlete fell during her race and was technically disqualified. But she got up, brushed off her injuries, and finished her...
Ethan Call, a college student, was worried when he noticed that his friend — who normally attended church every Sunday — didn’t show up to teach Sunday School that day. He knew she had been struggling with depression and anxiety. So, he texted her and asked if she was okay. She wasn’t. Gwen Cubit, a mother from...
We're very excited to announce that Human Support Services is one of only three nonprofits selected nationwide for a new initiative designed to improve mental health and substance abuse disorder treatment outcomes for incarcerated individuals. The initiative is a project of the The National Council for Behavioral Health. We applied for and were selected by the National...
