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Our Community Integrated Living Arrangement program is back!

Metropolitan Family Services’ Community Integrated Living Arrangement (CILA) is returning to our Southeast Chicago Center!

The CILA program offers a supported, shared-apartment living environment for adults with mental illness, with staff on-site 24 hours a day. Staff provide case management, medication monitoring, transportation to medical appointments, and training to learn daily living skills.

After the state budget impasse shut down our Southeast Chicago Center’s program last year, renovations are currently under way to re-open the site.

“A lot of clients have continued to want the service, but we weren’t there,” says Program Supervisor Jennifer Altman.

Now, as we’re preparing for a mid-March opening date, we’re renovating the building, painting the walls, and replacing the carpets for the apartment rooms – but we need your help to make these living spaces feel like homes.

Our Southeast CILA program is currently seeking new or lightly used item donations to furnish its eight apartments.

The staff’s wish list below details the type of items of greatest need. Most of our clients will come from nursing homes, families’ homes, or even from the streets, and we’re hoping to provide as much infrastructure as possible to smooth the transition into their new spaces.

See the image gallery above for the “before” images, and take a “before” tour of the space as it is being renovated with Program Supervisor Jennifer Altman, below!

“In order to see an apartment as home, you want to feel safe – you want a place to call your own,” Jennifer says. “Our clients have not always been treated with dignity and respect in other parts of society, but we want them to have what any other person can have: a home.”

If you’re able to contribute items or know someone who can help furnish our clients’ apartments, please contact Jennifer Altman at altmanj@metrofamily.org.

WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE ITEMS

  • Donate your own lightly used items, and either drop them off at our Southeast CILA location or contact Jennifer Altman to arrange a pickup.
  • Order an item online and have it shipped to:
    • Southeast CILA
      C/O Jennifer Altman
      3062 E. 91st Street
      Chicago, IL 60617

WISH LIST

  • 4 kitchen tables
  • 4 chairs for kitchen-plastic or fabric
  • 4 couches or love seats
  • 6 dressers for bed room
  • 6 night stands or side tables for bedroom
  • 8 bed frames or box springs
  • 1 desk
  • 5 coffee tables
  • 6 lamps – floor or desk lamps are okay
  • 4 TVs
  • 1 DVD player
  • 4 microwaves
  • 1 23-inch refrigerator
  • 6 cooking pots
  • 6 pans for cooking
  • 5 sets of dishes (plates, cups, and bowls)
  • 5 sets of silverware
  • 1 coffeemaker – Keurig or other
  • 1 blender
  • 1 toaster
  • 1 Brita pitcher or other water filter pitcher
  • 2 vacuum cleaners
  • 1 boom box or radio that has speakers for music
  • 1 set of hand towels for kitchen and bathroom
  • 4 large fans
  • Artwork