Celebrating the lives of children

with developmental disabilities

Every day we see children with developmental disabilities struggle with basic life tasks that you and I take for granted. These children inspire us to work hard to ensure we care for their every need.

Hope’s work is not without its own struggles. Right now we are in the

midst of an unseen effort to maintain adequate state funding for our

programs and services.

The state of Illinois counts on Hope to provide children with

developmental disabilities the kind of specialized educational,

residential and healthcare services that it cannot. The state funds

Hope to do so.

But Illinois is in financial crisis. Human service organizations like Hope

often are the first to be affected by public fund shortages. That’s why

we always are on high alert for funding cuts.

Hope has a long-term financial plan. We are saving and spending

money wisely to ensure the continuation of our services even when

the state is unable to do the same.

Last summer, the state told Hope we would need to send home 41 of

our most severely compromised children. Immediately we called their

parents and vowed to fight to protect their children. Still, nothing we

said could quiet their fears that their children would lose the gains

they have made at Hope. Some said they likely would need to quit

their jobs to care for their children.

One mother asked through tears, “Are you telling me our tax dollars

can go to rescue big companies … but a child with life-threatening

health conditions will have services discontinued?”

Sadly, I was left to say yes.

This mother’s fear and anger captures why Hope refused to back

down in the face of budget cuts. And why we constantly reevaluate

how we spend money to ensure the support you give directly

improves the lives of Hope children.

Thank you for your continued support of the children of Hope. Your

friendship has never been more important.

Dr. Joseph E. Nyre

Hope weathered a state financial crisis to protect the care of children like Kristyn. She has cerebral palsy and a seizure disorder requiring the kind of one-on-one support only Hope can provide.

Spring 2010

ContentsAngel of Hope ............................... 2Hope Is Counting On You

Learning ........................................ 3Travis Finds His Voice

Living ............................................ 4Supporting Struggling Youth

Taking Care ................................... 5Hope’s New Dental Clinic

Discovering Hope .......................... 6Helping Adults with Autism

Hope’s Children Depend on You .... 7Become an Angel of Hope

Giving the Gift of Hope ..............7-8Hope’s Generous Supporters

known as The Hope SchoolA publication of The Hope Institute for Children and Families, formerly known a

Dr. Nyre’s Heart of Hope

2 Spring 2010

To refer a childfor services

offered byThe Hope Institute

or to learn moreabout Hope services,

please call217-585-5437.

Angel of HopeHope Is Counting On You

David and Dr. Joe Nyre,explore nature on Hope’s tree-lined campus.

In fact, The Hope Institute takes into

account the support of our generous

Angels when determining its annual

budget. Angels help make sure

thousands of children struggling with

developmental disabilities have access

to Hope’s state-of-the-art educational,

residential and healthcare services.

Your gift will do more good than you

could ever imagine!

Become an Angel of Hope today. It is

easy! Just fill out the reply card on page

7 and mail it with your first gift. Or

visit www.thehopeinstitute.us to donate

online.

Thank you for being an Angel to Hope’s

children!

Absolutely! Angels of Hope are devoted

friends who support Hope’s children with

regularly scheduled gifts.

The frequency and amount of your gifts

is completely up to you. And, because

your Angel of Hope commitment

reduces other Hope requests for your

support, your donation helps us cut

printing and mailing costs.

Hope counts on its Angels.

Could you be an Angel?

me is a publication of The Hope Institute for Children and Families. For inquiries or comments, please contact us at

217-585-5119, www.thehopeinstitute.us or PO Box 2817, Springfield, IL 62708-2817.

Writing by Courtney ReedPhotography by Kimberly Smoot

and Suzanne Plunkett

3me magazine

appropriate social interaction. Hope’s

behavior specialists are helping Travis

learn to use words to connect with

classmates and communicate his

thoughts and needs, such as saying hello

instead of grabbing or poking.

Surprisingly for a young man his

mother describes as shy, Travis’ favorite

communication tool is the karaoke

machine. Individuals who have difficulty

speaking words often can sing them.

Travis’ words have brought him another

benefit – improved self-esteem. He does

not give up like he once did.

Travis, now 17, brought his mom to tears

when, in a deep baritone voice, he sang a

solo at a recent classroom program.

“I couldn’t

believe it. I was

so happy,” Gail

says. “Finally I

was hearing the

voice he had

kept hidden all

these years.”

But something extraordinary happened

to Travis at age 14. At The Hope

Institute’s Chicago program for students

with autism – he found his voice.

“I always thought he had the ability to

talk but something was holding him

back,” says Gail, his mom, who lacked

access to experts who might have helped

her break through Travis’ barrier.

Her son communicated by gesturing and

pointing. He always smiled, so Gail never

knew how he really was feeling … except

when it came to school. Travis fell far

behind his classmates.

“He struggled and gave up quickly,” Gail

says. “He often became frustrated, left

his class and shut himself off completely,

which made things worse.”

No one could reach Travis. Then his

school directed Gail to one of Hope’s

Chicago educational programs specially

designed for children with developmental

disabilities.

“We had been told Travis couldn’t speak

or read,” says Cathy Witczak, Travis’

teacher. “Then we began hearing him

sing words to songs. He has worked

hard to develop his words and is putting

sentences together.”

Travis is talking now.

Unique to Hope’s program for children

with autism, behavior specialists work

alongside teachers to encourage

communication, independence and

Travis had not spoken since age two. People believed he never would. Children who fail to develop language by age five rarely ever speak.

LearningTravis Finds His Voice In Hope’s Chicago Program

When Travis learned to

speak, his family discovered a

beautiful singing voice hidden

within.

4 Spring 2010

LivingHope’s Residential Program Helps Stabilize Struggling Youth

Brigitte is enjoying life once again. In Hope’s vocational workshop, Brigitte prepares Formica® sample boards that will be distributed to dealers across the country.

Coordinator. “One year later she is

forming relationships with other girls in

her home.”

A team of Hope teachers, therapists

and direct care staff created a plan

for structure and behavioral support

across all areas of Brigitte’s life, from

school to her campus home. This 24/7

intensive care is helping her learn to

communicate and calm herself.

Brigitte’s mom lives one hour from

Hope, but that does not stop her from

actively engaging in her daughter’s care

and rehabilitation. Recently Michelle

asked the Hope team to help her create

a plan for Brigitte when she visits home.

“I know Hope is succeeding with Brigitte

because they’re getting through the

day with no behavior incidents and I

lived with 10 a day,” she says. “I want

to figure out how to get her behavior

under control at home so she can be a

part of our family again.

“I know Brigitte needs to be at Hope

right now, but I want my daughter back,”

she adds.

Michelle may not have to wait too

long. Brigitte is mastering self-care

and independent living tasks – all with

greatly reduced aggressive episodes.

“Hope is working,” she says.

Long ago Brigitte was a happy girl, an

artist, musically and mathematically

inclined. But that little girl is gone, swept

away by autism and its havoc.

By age seven Brigitte was unable to

communicate and became aggressive.

By age 14 the aggression turned into

violence that her mom Michelle was

powerless to stop.

“When Brigitte was small I could hold

and calm her when she became upset,”

Michelle says. “As a teenager it took five

to 10 people to restrain her.”

Michelle lived in fear for her own safety

and Brigitte’s. She slept with the house

keys in her

pocket to keep

Brigitte from

running off. The

day her daughter

bent a full-size

door in rage,

Michelle knew

they needed

help. She turned

to The Hope

Institute.

“When Brigitte

arrived, she

isolated herself,”

says Joan

Hammond,

Hope Program

Youth at Hope live in one of five on-campus or 11 community homes. Continuity of care from Hope classrooms to homes help youth like Brigitte learn how to live successfully with the debilitating effects of their disabilities.

5me magazine

On Kurtis’ first visit, he sat on the dental

chair’s edge. On the second, he sat in

the chair and looked at instruments. On

the fifth, he allowed Kim to clean and

polish his teeth.

“I can hardly believe she got it done,”

Lynn says. “Kurtis proved me to be a liar

and that’s fabulous.”

Hope’s Dental Clinic has enabled

Kurtis to experience success, often

a rare occurrence for children with

developmental disabilities. His resulting

confidence transferred to a social

experience. Kurtis works at the YMCA,

where he saw Dental Hygienist Kim.

“He tapped on my shoulder and waved

to me,” she says. “When I first met

Kurtis he could barely make eye contact.

Now he’s connecting with me and

that’s why I love my work. I’ve made a

difference in his life.”

Lynn, Kurtis’ mom, took desperate

measures to ensure his oral health. She

paid $700 to hire a nurse anesthetist for

one procedure; her private insurance

refused coverage. Kurtis did not need it,

they said.

But Kurtis did need it. He has autism,

does not speak and becomes aggressive

when fearful. His dentist was unable

treat Kurtis without anesthesia.

So when Lynn heard Kurtis had an

appointment at Hope’s new Dental

Prevention and Intervention Clinic at Noll

Medical Pavilion, she thought, “If they

can, that’s great … but there’s no way it’s

going to happen.”

Oral healthcare is off-putting for children

with developmental disabilities. It

invades personal space; instruments

make odd sounds; lights are bright;

smells are unfamiliar. These children

require multiple visits to become

comfortable before they can receive

care.

“While most dentists would love to

help children with special needs,

operating a private practice that

way is not possible,” says Kim

Trapani, Hope’s Dental Hygienist.

“Private insurance doesn’t cover

multiple visits and Medicaid doesn’t

come close to covering costs.”

Hope’s Clinic, funded by donations,

can support multiple visits.

Any child with developmental

disabilities may visit the Clinic,

regardless of ability to pay.

Kurtis would not open his mouth for anyone. Tooth brushing was a daily battle; filling a cavity or extracting a tooth impossible.

Taking CareNew Hope Dental Clinic Fills Healthcare Gap For Youth With Disabilities

Kim Trapani, Hope’s Dental Hygienist, polishes Kurtis’ teeth – a feat his mother

doubted would ever happen.

6 Spring 2010

Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley opened

this first-ever conference live in Chicago

and via teleconference to 16 other cities.

Hundreds of participants in major cities

like Philadelphia and Dallas discussed

topics such as housing and employment.

Small-group moderators uploaded

ideas to autism experts in Chicago, who

determined common themes and asked

participants nationwide to prioritize them

via simultaneous keypad voting. Final

recommendations will be presented to the

U.S. Congress.

Becky and her husband BJ drove three

hours to attend because they wanted to

know what is – and is not – happening to

plan for the futures of children like Jacob.

“No plan exists to help people with

developmental disabilities secure

affordable housing,” Becky says. “How

will we keep these vulnerable adults from

falling to the edge of society?”

Becky and BJ know about society’s edge.

They have felt alone trying to help Jacob.

In crisis, Becky Googled “autism family

help” and found TAP, offering behavior

therapy and social skills groups to help

Jacob communicate and make friends.

Having stabilized their family, Becky and

BJ are turning to TAP’s national efforts.

“For Jacob, I want what every parent wants

– college, a career and independence,”

Becky says. “TAP is helping thousands of

parents make that happen.”

Jacob is only nine, but already his parents

are worried about his future … with good

reason. Few services exist for adults with

autism.

“In the blink of an eye he will be 18,”

says Jacob’s mom Becky. “Where will he

live and work? How will connect to the

community?”

Within the next 10 years, an

unprecedented number of youth with

autism will enter adulthood. The race

against time has begun to ensure adult

autism services are available – and The

Autism Program (TAP), operated by The

Hope Institute, is leading the pack.

TAP brought together 2,000 parents,

experts and individuals with autism in a

national town hall meeting to create a

national agenda for adults with autism.

Discovering HopeThe Autism Program Reaches Nationwide to Help Adults with Autism

Jacob’s family is close-knit, but he shares an especially tender relationship with his younger brother Joshua, age three.

The Autism Program of Illinois, The Hope Institute, partnering with Autism Speaks, The New York Center for Autism and other leaders, launched Advancing Futures for Adults with Autism to plan for the futures of adults with autism. For more information, visit www.afaa-us.org.

7me magazine

Hope’s Children Depend on YouBecome an Angel of Hope

We wish to thank our special friends who have provided major support to The Hope Institute’s fundraising events.

Giving the Gift of HopeHope’s Generous Event Supporters

Dear Joe, Thank you for inviting me to become an Angel of Hope by offering The Hope Institute my committed financial support.❑ I accept your invitation and will do my best to give a gift of $_________ ❑ Monthly ❑ Every other month ❑ Quarterly❑ I prefer to charge my gift to The Hope Institute and have filled out the credit card information below.

❑ I prefer not to make a commitment, but offer my support today with a gift of ❑ $25 ❑ $15 ❑ $_________.❑ Please charge $_________________ to my credit card on a one-time basis. I have filled out the credit card information below.

Credit Card Information:❑ Please charge my ❑ Visa ❑ MasterCard ❑ American Express

Account Number: ����–����–����–���� Expiration Date: ______/______

Printed name as it appears on your card: _______________________________________________________________________

Signature: ___________________________________________________Cell phone/telephone: ___________________________

Email: __________________________________________________________________________________________________

When would you like us to contact you?I would like to receive information from The Hope Institute ❑ Quarterly ❑ Semi-Annually ❑ Annually

Create a Legacy of Hope for the Children of The Hope Institute❑ I have remembered The Hope Institute in my will.

Thank you for your generous tax-deductible gift. Please make checks payable to The Hope Institute.

Please remove reply at perforation, fold and enclose it with your gift in the envelope provided. Thank you!

5Flavors CateringAmeren CILCOAppearances Salon & RetreatAsthma Allergy Center, Sudha Prasad MDDon and Linda BastRobert and Carolyn BlackwellKevin and Courtney Boehm BOKA Restaurant GroupBrandt Consolidated, Inc.Brown, Hay & Stephens, LLPButler Funeral Homes & Cremation Tribute

CenterBill and Julie CelliniJ.P. Morgan ChaseCMFI GroupGinny ConleeKimberly Copp and Paul BallamNancy DeMarcoBrian Duncan, Bin 36Edward Jones-Springfield Area Financial

AdvisorsBill and Susan EnlowNicki Pecori and Alderman Bob Fioretti

Brian and Kate FlanaganKevin FloodFrye-Williamson Press, Inc.FWAI Architects Inc.The Gallery Hair & Body SpaHanson Professional Services, Inc.William and MaryPat HayHeartland Credit UnionRonald N. Heftman, P.C.Henson Robinson CompanyHinshaw & Culbertson LLPIllinois National BankKerber, Eck & Braeckel, LLPKimberly Smoot PhotographyKing Technology, Inc.Kinzie ChophouseJudy and Bob KjellanderJames Lathim, Shear ArtistrySuzy LeClairLevi, Ray and Shoup FoundationMary Frisk Loken

continued on back cover

The

for Children and FamiliesHOPE NSTITUTEI

15 East Hazel Dell LanePO Box 2817

Springfield, IL 62708-2817

Shefsky & Froelich Ltd., Cid and Mary FroelichSikich, LLPSIU School of Medicine, Division of Child and

Adolescent NeurologySouthern Wine & Spirits of IllinoisDan and Judy StevensChris and Erin StoneSue StoneStreamwood Behavioral Health CenterJudy and Ted SunderChef Giuseppe Tentori, PerennialKarun and Curtis TillettTobin JewelersHelen TolanJoseph and Candace TownsendLori Vallelunga and John GalikRita and Jack VictorChef Paul Virant, Vie Restaurant Wal-MartJoseph and Jean WilkinsTerry and Georgia WinsonZara’s Collision CenterJoseph and Ellen ZeregaZZAZZ Productions

Nancy LongHeather LubinSidney and Natalie MarderMarine Bank, SpringfieldMary Michelle WineryDawn McCarthyJim and Annette McDermottDavid McEntee and Sharon CoughlinMercy Home for Boys & GirlsMichael MintonJoyce and Steven NardulliNiemczyk Painting & Papering Co.Peter and Mimi O’BrienO’Brien’s RestaurantParty CreationsPearsonSatch and Rosemary PecoriHoward & Beverly PetersTom and Lori PritchettAndrew Raucci and Christine DudleyRenken DentistryPatti RiggsMichael RobillardR.W. Troxell & CompanyScott & Scott, P.C.

Giving the Gift of Hope continued from page 7

Hope’s Generous Event Supporters

NON PROFIT

US POSTAGE

PAIDSOUTH SUBURBAN

PERMIT NO 799

If you would like to learn more about The Hope Institute’s 2010 events, please visit

our website at www.thehopeinstitute.us or call 217-585-5119.