THIS MONTH’S ISSUE

THE LEAFLET

The View From My Chair

Garden Center Family Spotlight

Make GCS $55 in 5 minutes!

Around GCS

01020304

ISSUE FEB YEAR 2012

A 501(c)(3) NoNpRoFIt oRgANIzAtIoN

the governor presented his State of the State message this past Wednesday, and obviously there was not a lot of good news. Ballooning Medicaid costs and the lack of any new sources of revenue for the state coffers leads to the bleak projection of an ongoing budget deficit here in Illinois. In response to this forecast, the general tone of the governors’ speech was about jobs, and the construction projects, tax breaks, and incentives that needed to be supported by the legislature in order to increase employment in the state.

I certainly understand this logic, but I’m also keenly aware that garden center Services now employs 144 staff, and we, as well as all providers, continue to grapple with our payments from the Department of Human Services. our receivables from the state, the money we have billed for and are waiting on, is currently around $800,000. And our agency is on the expedited payment program!

this being said, I’m very proud of the positive direction I feel our agency is moving in. I’m aware of the many tours being provided to prospective consumers and their families, and I’m always pleased by the comments they share regarding

our compassionate care and family like atmosphere. I am looking forward to the opening of a women’s home located in the oak Lawn community, and also the long awaited garden gallery & Studio

located in tinley park. I’m hopeful both these programs will strengthen our ability to enhance the lives of persons with developmental disabilities, and will also generate new revenue for the agency as well.

clearly, we need your financial support as much as ever. Here are several

ways that you, your family, and your friends can make a big impact on the agency’s bottom line: (1) Sign up with iGive.com. Just signing up earns money for gcS. Learn more about the program on page 3 of this newsletter. (2) Buy a Carson’s Coupon Book. they will be available for purchase February 13th and 100% of the proceeds come back to the agency. (3) Attend our 2nd Annual Potting Party on April 6th. tickets will go on sale soon. See our website for updates. (4) Shop Second Chance Thrift Shoppe’s great bargains. proceeds from thrift sales go to garden center’s Services.

OUR MISSION

Garden Center Services is committed to supporting and empowering persons

with developmental disabilities through

innovative and person-centered services.

Our commitment to the excellence of our programs

is surpassed only by our devotion to the people we serve and the communities

in which they live.

A MESSAGE FrOM OUr ExECUTIVE dIrECTOr

A 501(c)(3) NoNpRoFIt oRgANIzAtIoN

the View From My chair

“ I am looking forward to the opening of a

women’s home located in the Oak Lawn

community, and also the long awaited Garden

Gallery & Studio located in Tinley Park”

Shelly has been with garden center for three years, but she has been supporting the people at the Berwyn home for over twelve. Shelly began working at Berwyn when it belonged to another agency. “When they switched [agencies]”, Shelly says, “I didn’t want to go anywhere. I love all the people that live here, every one of them.”

So it is no surprise when asked what she likes most about garden center, Shelly says it is the individuals she supports. And she adds, “I just love to help people.” In her free time, Shelly likes to go dancing and is a great bowler.

The people who live at Berwyn are happy to have someone who knows them so well and cares for them so much as Shelly - and we are too!SHELLY

CROSS

garden center Family Spotlight

Josie has been a part of garden center for over two years. At garden, she likes to focus on her creative side. Josie attends art classes where she enjoys painting and always makes time to go to music class for sing-a-longs. With her garden center group, some of Josie’s favorite things to do are the memory game, playing connect Four and sorting activities.

Josie is from a BIg family. She is the 10th of 14 siblings! Josie loves spending time with her family. She says she especially enjoys shopping with her sisters. But, one of her best family memories is a recent trip to Disney World in Florida.

We are sure glad to have Josie as a member of our big family too!JOSIECASTILLO

Debbie Helme lost a long battle to breast cancer on January 6, 2012. She was a big part of the Burbank IcF house with her love of Disney movies, flowers and Shamrock Shakes. She was a spiritual person and so caring of those around her. Debbie was laid to rest on January 16, 2012.

Garden Center Remembers...

Deborah (Debbie) Mary Helme

garden center has partnered with igive.com. Every time you shop at any of 900+ online stores in the igive network (stores you already shop at like… Best Buy, Dell, Apple, Sears, Barnes and Noble, JCPenny’s, even car rentals, hotels and more…) a portion of the money you spend benefits garden center Services. It’s a free service, and you’ll never pay more when you reach a store through igive. In fact, you will enjoy igive’s many coupons, free shipping deals, and sales. It is so easy! With igive’s new browser button, you don’t even have to think about it when you shop online. When you go to the online stores where you usually shop, an igive logo will appear on the page to let you know they are in the igive network and automatically

ensure the company gives a donation to garden center.

through igive’s One Million Buttons for Change Program, if you sign up today, garden center will receive $5! If you make an online purchase, garden center will receive ANotHER $5!

BUT WAIT THErE’S MOrE!!!If you refer other people to igive and they install the

button, garden center gets another $5 each, and if they also choose garden center as their charity, garden center will get that $5 too!!!

So, if you joined igive, referred 5 friends who also joined, and chose garden center as their charity you could earn garden center $55 with just a few mouse clicks!!! If you chose to make a purchase through one of the participating stores, you would earn garden center another $5 plus the company you purchased from would make a donation to garden center.

IT IS EASY TO INVITE OTHErS TO HELP After you sign up, you will be directed to a page with a “tell Friends” link. From there you can post to your Facebook, send emails and get a link to post anywhere else you can think of. igive even provides you the text for your messages and lets you track who you have invited, who of your friends signed up, and how much money garden center has received as a result of your help!

Imagine if all garden center supporters took a few minutes to sign up and send an email to their friends...

The One Million Buttons for Change Program ends February 13th, so please sign up today!!!

VISIt http://www.igive.com/gardencenter to get started.

New, Exciting & Unbelievably Easy Way You can Earn $55 for garden center in 5 Minutes!!! GArdEN

CENTEr’S NEEdS LIST

Bar-type stoolsFree-standing shelf unitsprinterphoneoffice deskMicrowaveSmall refrigeratorLarge coffee makerBooksElectronic keyboards (music)Event ticketsLaptop computerscraft suppliesFrames for artworkBlank canvasesX-Box games

If you have an item to donate, please email Anne McFerron at amcferron@gardencenterservices.org

GCS BULLETIN BOARD

CARSON’s COMMUNITY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN!Support garden center by purchasing carson’s coupon Books. 100% goes to garden center and get fantastic discounts for yourself!Purchase books from GCS volunteers at Carson’s in Chicago Ridge at the following dates and times:Monday Feb 13, noon-2pm Friday March 2, noon-2pmSaturday March 10, 4pm- 6pmor contact Michele Hula to make arrangements to purchase a coupon book at garden center (708) 398-6506.

Saturday March 24, 4pm-6pmFriday April 20, 10am-noon

April 6th @

115 Bourbon St.

7pm - Midnight

2nd Annual Garden Center Services

Potting Party

WHErE WE GrOW dIGNITY ANd INdEPENdENCE

phone 708.636.0054

email info@gardencenterservices.org

web www.gardencenterservices.org

BOArd OF dIrECTOrS

President Barbara Clarke 1st Vice President Scott Hardek 2nd Vice President doug CombsTreasurer r. Pat Ballis

Members: John J. Kunkes Frances MientusLinda Stearns daniel Wenzler Linda Sherwood

http://www.facebook.com/gardencenterservices

http://twitter.com/gardencentersrv

http://www.youtube.com/user/gardencenterservices

GCS MEMBERSHIP MEETING

February 16th 7pm at Main Building

Everyone Welcome!

GCS Potting Party

April 6th 115 Bourbon Street 7pm-midnight

Important Dates!

http://gardencenterservices.wordpress.com/

ARoUND gcS

Chris and Rolando pose with Skates at a Chicago Wolves hockey game

Albert shows off his cookie decorating skills

Sophie visits The SXU Gallery

Lisa poses at Navy Pier

Renovations on Garden Center’s Garden Gallery & Studio in Tinley Park are nearly complete

FEBrUArY 5th 12pm-4pm

SECOND CHANCE THRIFT SHOPPE SUPER SALE

HALF oFF EVERYtHINg IN tHE StoRE!44 Stephen Street Lemont, IL