About AID

• Overview
• History of AID
• Service Area & Locations
• Board of Directors
• Employment Opportunities
• Special Events
• Training & Education

Ine June of 1961 a group of parents formed a Board of Directors and established the Aurora Association for the Mentally Retarded. With a budget of $8,000, AAMR began serving 8 children with disabilities. Since then, AID has changed names, expanded our service area, absorbed other agencies, and now has an annual operating budget of $21 million.  

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1960's

• Hope Wall was hired as the first Teacher/Executive Director
• In 1964, AID joined the United Way fund drive.
• John F. Kennedy Sheltered Workshop and the John F. Kennedy School were established, and opened with an enrollment of 47 children.
• Valley Haven School; a state licensed day care center serving children with multiple handicaps joins AID.
• Dewey Thompson was hired as Executive Director in 1966

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1970's

• Our name was changed to “The Association for Individual Development.” This name would reflect the extension of the service area to include Kendall County and the rest of Kane County.
• The Infant Program, serving children with developmental delays from birth to their third birthday is established. It is one of the first two Early Intervention programs to open in the state.
• Services were expanded to include the Elgin area.
• Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services, Inc. builds Keeler School and Kennedy Rehabilitation Center and leases them to AID.
• The Infant Program classroom opens and is DCFS licensed.All individuals with physical handicaps would now be eligible to receive services.
• Elgin Rehabilitation Center was opened.
• In addition to the services offered to those with disabilities, we opened the first program in Illinois to serve zero to three-year-olds: The Infant Program.
• The John F. Kennedy School moved to a new building and was renamed the Elizabeth Keeler School,for it's benefactor, and graduated it's first graduation class.
• We opened our first residential program.
• Supported Employment was instituted to give vocational guidance to adults. Today, Employment Services include training and placement for those challenged physically and/or developmentally.
• AID is Accredited by CARF. That accreditation continues today.
• Our Janitorial training program - JanAID began.
• AID opens first handicraft giftshop "Patchwork Parlour."

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1980's

• 1981 brought with it continued expansion of residential programs and The Supported Living Arrangement (SLA) Program.
• The Respite Care Program was formed.
• The Mental Health Program was launched in conjunction with the Crisis Line of Fox Valley.
• TAC House, a residential facility for adults with disabilities, was built with funding from the Eby-Brown Foundation.
• With the use of a pneumatically-powered pool lift, AID's Keeler Pool becomes totally accessible to persons with disabilities.
• AID establishes The Perfect Angle picture framing business.
• AID transitions the students at Keeler School back to their home school districts and establishes the Keeler Center for adults with severe and profound disabilities.
• AID's Crisis Line of the Fox Valley adds "Sunshine Calls" as a service.
• Elgin Rehabilitation Center (now our Elgin Area Services) adds computer-assisted instruction into its educational training program.
• AID's Crisis Line of the Fox Valley is the first Illinois crisis telephone line to receive accreditation.
• AID holds its first benefit auction.

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1990's

The 90’s began with celebration as AID marked its 30th anniversary.

• President George Bush appoints Dewey Thompson, AID president, to the President's committee on Mental Retardation.
• The John F. Kennedy Workshop is renamed Thompson Rehabilitation Center.
• AID focused its efforts on increasing residential facilities, including new CILA group homes in Elgin and Aurora.
• Our first parent-owned group home serving individuals with severe disabilities was established.
• AID established “Pathways”, a psychosocial rehabilitation program for adults with behavioral health challenges.
• Community Contact merged their Homemaker and Kane County Info programs with our Crisis Line of the Fox Valley.
• AID assisted in launching Kane Kendall Case Coordination Services.
• Our Behavioral Health Division's Transitional Living Facility (TLF) is constructed on Indian Trail Road.
• Our Behavioral Health Division and Infant Program are Medicaid certified.
• AID assisted in launching a new community organization called SPS (Suicide Prevention Services).
• Dewey Thompson retires as president and Lynn O'Shea is hired.
• AID came to the rescue of many Far West Clients who no longer had services by managing their community living programs.

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Today

• AID serves more than 2,500 clients with a budget of over $21 million.
• AID operates over 2 dozen community living facilities throughout the Fox Valley area.
• Children services were expanded by merging with Easter Seals of Aurora. AID now offers physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy through AID's Pediatric Therapy Services in Aurora.
• Camp Forever is accredited by the American Camping Association.
• We continue to expand our community living programs, offering services in new communities such as St. Charles and Yorkville.

We are proud to continue to enrich the lives of adults & children with disabilities by providing the services we have established thus far, and to find new ways to honor our commitment to our clients.