ANNUAL REPORT | FISCAL YEAR 2025
Choose DIGNITY CHOOSE Inclusion Choose community
Community Choices
Supporting Adults with Developmental Disabilities to LIVE, WORK, & BELong
Community is impossible without inclusion. Yet today, many view inclusion as a threat instead of a promise. We are living in a time when the inherent worth of all people is questioned and debated - a time when the basic building blocks of a good life are harder and harder to access, and people are ever more isolated. Despite this gloomy outlook, in the past year, I have felt exceedingly grateful to lead an organization that is actively fighting back against these realities and harmful ideas. We believe that everyone deserves to find belonging and we work to make that a reality for our members at their jobs and in their relationships. We believe that people have the right to housing, healthcare, and food and we build sustainable resources for community-based living for our members. We believe that everyone needs help sometimes, and we work to find support workers to ease the load of family caregivers. We believe that the people who devote their lives to human service deserve to be acknowledged and compensated and we invest in our employees with innovative leadership initiatives. We believe that people do better when we work together for the many and not just the few. That is why we are a cooperative. That is what makes us different and what makes us a community. Our community is not perfect. At times, it is slow, messy, and demanding. But within these challenges lies the opportunity to grow, to learn, and to imagine new ways of being together. We don’t get everything right — but we are never afraid to listen to the voices that others too often overlook. That willingness to listen has always been the key to our success, and it remains our guiding light. In these uncertain times, we choose not despair, but solidarity. Not isolation, but belonging. We choose community. With Gratitude, Becca Obuchowski Executive Director
From the
Serving on the Community Choices board has shown me how powerful true community inclusion can be. Every day, this organization empowers adults with developmental disabilities to live, work, and thrive in our community. I am proud to support an organization that delivers such tangible, life-enhancing impact. - Linda Tortorelli, Founding Board Member
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LETTER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Community Support & Employment Our Work 2025 Connect & Transportation Financial Statement Our Generous Donors
"He’s really grown in the past few years. With a little help, he has made some big steps. Just moving out was such a big step!" - Lourideane Foust, Kaleb's mom
Kaleb began using Self-Direction Assistance services with Community Choices in 2017 and started in the Inclusive Community Support Program a couple of years later when Kaleb was hoping to move out. With support, he was able to move into his own apartment and began working on shopping, cooking, and taking care of his errands around town on his own. As he settled into his own space and routine, he began looking for rewarding activities that he was passionate about. He started a small garden in his backyard; the first year he grew peppers, cabbage, and watermelons. After several years, he and a friend found access to a much larger garden plot and began working on bigger crops. This year, he planted dozens of pepper, okra, cabbage, and tomato plants. Despite the heat and lack of rain, Kaleb grew a record crop with enough to give away to family, friends, and neighbors. “It’s a lot of work, but it keeps me busy and I like to be able to share my vegetables with people. People were jealous of my cabbages”. In the future, Kaleb hopes to learn more about canning and other ways of preserving some of his harvest. “It’s good to see him find something of his own”, says Lourideane, Kaleb’s mother. “He’s really grown in the past few years. With a little help, he has made some big steps. Just moving out was such a big step!”
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Being able to find someone a position where they so immediately become part of the team is so meaningful and rewarding. Sofia truly built a community at Good Judy's - Ashley Withers, Employment Specialist
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
KALEB FOUST
SOFIA AARSTADT
Employment
SUCCESS Story
If you’ve ever met Sofia, you’d know that she is a warm, friendly, and positive addition to any space. When she lived in Colorado, she completed a Hospitality Training Program through the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, which ended up being one of her guiding Employment themes. Community Choices was able to connect with the owners of Good Judy’s Espresso & Bagel Bar after they announced they would be opening a brick and mortar store. Shortly after their grand opening, they offered Sofia a job as a dishwasher. Sofia helps the team keep up with all of the dishes, and has even expanded her role to helping wipe down tables between customers, making bagel chips, and is adding some barista skills to her resume. Her coworkers say she brings a lot of positive energy to the team everyday, and she’s great at learning new things. Sofia has really enjoyed learning to make drinks and bagel chips, and says, “I have just really enjoyed meeting new people.” Co-owner Jeffrey Wilhelm-Thomas stated “Sofia has been an enjoyable addition to the staff. She is helpful in the kitchen on our busy days by keeping us caught up on dishes to better serve our customers.” We are thrilled that Sofia has found such a great job in a great community partner!
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where people with i/DD build the skills and get the support to make community- based living sustainable.
We grew our membership by 30% providing over 3750 hours of personalized support to develop relationships and community connections. We increased our number of social opportunity events by 50% to 77. 23 Members participated in our 1:1 individualized coaching to build their social skills and develop friendships and connections. We visited 74 unique businesses and venues, and partnered with 22 different groups and organizations Our members with I/DD co-authored an academic paper with a team from Queens University in Canada on the best practices around active leadership of people with disabilities in participatory research.
Where people with I/dd build relationships and learn to be leaders // Where Families support each other build community
77 Social opportunities, 4 co-op parties, 12 family Support and co-op meetings
69 people with I/DD served with 4689 hours of support 86% of participants made significant progress towards their personal goals We offered classes on Voting & Civic Engagement, Cooking with Counter-top Appliances, Media Literacy & Safety, Healthy Sexuality, a Women’s Group We gathered families to discuss support options and current barriers needing advocacy
Support for 33 people living in their own homes in the community
CONNECT
Membership grew by 30% to 116 members with disabilities & 151 family members & an additional 90 non-member participants
where members are able to get where they need to go without barriers - the foundation of inclusion
18 new jobs & 38 ongoing positions in the community
where people with I/dd find community jobs based on their skills and talents
TRANSPORTATION
59 participants used rides, a 90% increase since last year 150% increase in the number of rides provided compared to last year - half were rides to jobs, and one third were trips for members to see friends and access the community for fun and leisure. 105% increase in the total miles traveled to get our members where they needed to go 91% of participants and their families stated that this program improved their overall quality of life
34,500 miles traveled to help our members access their communities
67 people with I/DD used our support for their community based employment goals 4410 direct hours of personalized support for job development, interviews, and job coaching 75% of participants hired since 2020 are still at their positions 30 LEAP trainings were held this year, bringing our total to well over 200 businesses in our 10 years of this collaborative project. 15 people with I/DD participated in our Workforce Empowerment Program, starting their way toward employment success.
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OUR WORK 2025
3200 rides provided - 150% increase since last year
CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT
At my old place, they never gave me a chance to be me. Here with Community Choices, they helped me to do anything I needed to be myself - as not just a client, but a hard worker, and a friend. Without them, I would never be the same person I was before. - Eric Beasley
“I use my rides to get to doctor appointments, to get to and from work, and to meet friends for dinner or to hang out. I like all the drivers and getting to know them. It’s nice to know who’s coming to pick me up.” -Elizabeth Chippewa
Eric is a long time Community Choices member. We’ve worked with him in a lot of different ways over the years - but this spring, Eric told us that he wanted help to do something new - build relationships - specifically support to find others with his same love of Manga! To do this, Eric began building his club in May of 2025, and since then he has had a launch and successfully hosted four club meetings so far! Throughout this process, Eric has learned how to promote his club, create a smooth meeting flow, communicate with others, and manage all the moving pieces that keep a club running. In building B’s Manga Mania Club, designed for manga lovers and anyone hoping to explore the hobby, Eric gained far more than organizational skills—he also gained confidence and a few new friends! This journey has taught Eric patience, openness to new ideas, and how to let go of old stereotypes he once had. His original goal was simple: create a club. But what became clear is that this experience was also a meaningful part of his community coaching journey. After all, creating a club is connection, leadership, creativity, and growth all in one. Eric has learned so much already, and this is only the beginning.
ELIZABETH CHIPPEWA
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For many people with I/DD transportation can be a major barrier to living a fulfilling life. Not having reliable transportation can limit the type and location of work people can do, the friendships and relationships they have, their ability to manage their appointments, errands and other life responsibilities. Not being able to show up can keep many people from participating in the life of their community. All of this was the unfortunate reality for longtime Community Choices member, Elizabeth Chippewa. 'Elizabeth has been living on her own for a few years and loves to get out and about, but health issues and finances kept the buses and rides shares from meeting all her transportation needs. This meant that so many of the experiences she loved were very difficult for her to access. When Community Choices created their Transportation program, the world opened up for Elizabeth. With her 16 rides a month, she was able to get out to meet friends, attend events, run errands, and get to appointments. With tight finances, the fact that the program was totally free made a huge difference for Elizabeth. While this program isn’t meant or able to meet all of the transportation needs a member may have, it can and has made a big impact on Elizabeth’s and many others’ lives.
Eric Beasley
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* CCDDB - Champaign County Developmental Disabilities Board
EXPENSES $1,055,335
July 2024 - June 2025
Community Choices is that listening ear when nobody else wants to hear what you have to say. Community Choices is that warm embrace & shoulder to lean on when you feel like the world is crumbling around you & all you want to do is cry. Community Choices is that glue that holds you together when you feel hopeless. Community Choices is always there to keep giving you encouragement to help you find answers when nobody else will. - Diane Bates, Parent
July 2023 - June 2024
Financial statement
REVENUE $1,088,828
PROGRAM COST BREAKDOWN
Thank You!
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CHAMPIONS ($1500+)
ADVOCATES ($300-$999) David & Karen Aarestad Greg & Patricia Altstetter Benevity Community Impact Fund Holly Clemons Daphne Cline Community Shares of Illinois Rich & Karen Eisenmenger Susan Fowler Janice Gill Keith & Dana Good Neil & Joan Gorsuch* Eric & Tamara Helfer Laurie Howard Ronald & Susan Kiddoo Tim & Jeanne Murray* Mark Obuchowski Donald & Barbara Perrero Ruth Rhodes Mid & Richard Riggs Laurie Rund Georgiana Schuster Tim & Tami Smith Thomas & Linda Steele Duyen Thi Nguyen Katie Voss Lee Whitacre Tim & Debra Wood* SUSTAINING DONORS Charlie & Mary Butzow David & Jamie Cox John & Melinda Dabrowski Rich & Karen Eisenmenger Mary Pat Elmlinger Susan Fowler Laurie Howard Teresa Juehring Jen Knapp & Kyle Raymond Emily McKown Barbara Mies* Jeanne & Tim Murray Vicki & Marc Niswander Cora Obuchowski & Ben Burns Ruth Rhodes Georgiana Schuster Lisa Smothers Dan & Linda Tortorelli* Katie Voss Lee Whitacre Tim & Debra Wood* FRIENDS Alek Altstetter Clarissa Amundsen Connor Amundsen-Kuester Diane Anderson* Anonymous Rose Barnes Lauren Barnes Eric Beasley Johnell Bentz Andrea Black Paul Blobaum* Norman Blobaum Barbara Bressner Margaret Brisken Lynnsey Brownfield Barbara Buoy Angela Burton Olivia Burton Karla Butterick Charlie & Mary Butzow Scott & Julia Cebulski Sara Cherne Camille Cobb Jeremy & Leanna Cossman Theresa Cox Cheryl Curry Aynalem Demissie Cindy Denzer Paul & Martha Diehl Deborah Eldridge Mary Pat Elmlinger Cyndi Emmons Amy Faber Megan Finnegan Samantha Flewelling Kimberly Freemon PAYPAL Giving Fund Jan Kalmar & Ben Galewsky William & Phyllis Gingold Gayle Griffin Jasmine Hague Guy & Anne Hall Katie & Samantha Hamilton Michael & Liz Haney Susan Haney David & Lisa Happ Renee Hart Jessica Henrichs Jon Horton Marcia Horton Alexandria James Jason Jewett Jeff & Barb Jewett Claire Johnson Teresa Juehring Lynnae Kapp John & Gail Kennedy David Kiener Christine Kline Michael Knowles Larissa Kramer Victoria Kramer Max LaFoon Michael Loui Jamie Lourash Brandi Lowe Elizabeth Maloney Dawn Marick Schnucks Markets Joyce Mast Jane McClintock Maria & Sean McDevitt Emily McKown Margaret McNamara John McPherson Tim Mustered Michael Nagele Dylan Nelshoppen Aneesa Nelson Vicki & Marc Niswander Julie Noteboom Cora Obuchowski & Ben Burns Robert O'Daniell Carmen Owens Josh Peter Marcey Piacenza Susan & Bryan Pierce David Prince Malik Profit Jeffrey Putney Kathleen Reardon Ben Reifsteck Jamie Riggs Amanda Sarrol Therese Schneider Dan & Kimberley Sheets Ethan Shelden James Sienko Amy Slagell* Isabel Smith Gabriella Smith Lisa Smothers Michael Smothers Nathaniel Spila Robert Stake Randy & Chiyuki Stearns Anita Stein Ty Melvin & Jane Streigel Barbara Terry Patrick Tessene Thrivent Financial Laura Thompson James & Julie Tortorelli Lois Tortorelli Joanna Troutman Matthew Turino Paula Vanier Autumn Wake Catherine Ward Jay Weaver Laura Wheaton Tobie Wood Daniel Zolfo * Community Choices Board Member
Community Choices makes every effort to ensure that this list is accurate. We deeply regret any errors, omissions, misspellings, or other mistakes, and welcome your feedback
Community Choices makes every effort to ensure that this list is accurate. We deeply regret any errors, omissions, misspellings, or other mistakes and welcome your feedback.
John & Melinda Dabrowski Marc Knowles Mike & Alicia Mangham Barb Pritchard Dan & Linda Tortorelli*
COMMUNITY CHOICES 44 E. MAIN ST. SUITE 210 CHAMPAIGN, IL 61820 www.communitychoicesinc.org
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YOU MAKE THIS POSSIBLE
David & Jamie Cox Marcia Crisp Jen Knapp & Kyle Raymond Philip & Sheila Krein Barbara Mies* Ken & Beth Niebuhr Joyce Wakeland
BENEFACTORS ($1000-$1499)