UCP Seguin of Greater Chicago

UCP Seguin of Greater Chicago is a not-for-profit agency serving children and adults with intellectual, developmental and physical disabilities in metropolitan Chicago and beyond. Its mission rests on a simple belief: all people, regardless of ability, deserve to achieve their potential, advance their independence and act as full members of the community. The goal is stated plainly as life without limits for people with disabilities.

The agency's roots go back to 1949, when a group of parents in Chicago's western suburbs began holding day classes for their children in a church basement, the first pilot program for community-based special education in Illinois. That organization became Seguin Services, which merged with United Cerebral Palsy Association of Greater Chicago in July 2013 to form UCP Seguin.

For adults, the work centers on home, work and community. Residential options include Community Integrated Living Arrangements, which are family-style homes for up to eight adults, shift-staffed homes with 24/7 care, adult foster care homes and intermittent CILAs for people who need occasional support. Residents build life skills such as cooking, cleaning and budgeting. Community Day Services offer employment search and job placement, vocational training, volunteer opportunities, social and recreational support and education, and seniors with disabilities who are aging or living with dementia can stay in a supportive setting. Community Employment Services pair people with employment specialists who help them find work in fields such as food service, hospitality, retail and health care, then provide ongoing support. The Social Recreation Club adds game nights, art classes and community outings. Families can also turn to respite care, including weekend stays at Respite House, a wheelchair-accessible home in Bellwood.

Transition Services support high school students with intellectual and developmental disabilities in suburban Cook and DuPage Counties, working with schools and families as students move toward adult services.

For children, UCP Seguin provides specialized foster care from birth to 21 through a contract with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. Foster families work with licensing staff, training specialists, behavior specialists, nurses and child welfare specialists, several of whom are on call around the clock. Community Connection Services, launched with DCFS in 2021, works with families before challenges become a crisis, connecting them to parenting support, housing and food help, mental health services and in-home support.

Accessibility and technology services round out the picture. The Durable Medical Equipment program distributes wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds and other equipment at no cost and accepts donations of gently used items. Ramp Up installs ramps, stair lifts and interior modifications so people can stay in their homes. Infinitec, the agency's technology program since 1997, helps school districts and social service agencies with professional learning, assistive technology expertise and equipment.

Anyone seeking adult, children's or transition services can start with the interest forms on the website or call the main office in Cicero. There are many ways to get involved: volunteer at group projects or the Soldier Field concession stand program, join the advocacy network that speaks with elected officials, shop the Seguin Gardens and Gifts social enterprise, or attend the Life Without Limits Golf Classic, the Gala and other events.