A place of his own
Jim Farruggia, 30, of Arlington Heights, quietly goes about the business of maintaining his apartment and paying the bills, while holding down his job at Northwest Community Hospital, and keeping up with his busy social calendar.
On this particular day he looked forward to a dinner date with friends at the Spaghetti Warehouse in Elk Grove Village.
It may not seem extraordinary, but to families of adult children with developmental disabilities, Farruggia's independent lifestyle speaks volumes.
Farruggia manages on his own, thanks in large part to services provided -- free of charge -- by a Rolling Meadows-based agency, called Resources for Community Living.
The nonprofit organization has been working with families in the area for the last 13 years, and on Thursday its officials will host an open house celebration at their new offices, 4300 Lincoln Ave., Suite J, in Rolling Meadows.
"We've taken a page out of our participants' struggle for increased independence," says Dr. Robert Walsh, executive director, "by taking steps to purchase our own business condominium in Rolling Meadows."
The organization does not operate any residential facilities or group homes, but instead focuses on helping adults with disabilities, like Farruggia, achieve their dream of living independently.
Resources receives 40 percent of its funding from the state, and relies on the rest from fundraising efforts driven by parents and volunteers.
Farruggia is one of 30 participants who live in their own apartment or condominium in the North and Northwest suburbs. Another 22 are in the process of preparing to live on their own, with about 10 on the waiting list.
"These are the persons who would otherwise fall through the cracks," says Pat Farruggia, Jim's mother. "They are not serious enough to need residential care, and yet they are doing too well to draw much attention to their needs."
Instead, professional caseworkers visit regularly to help with living skills -- including money management, cooking, nutrition, safety and using public transportation -- as well as maintaining their jobs.
In Farruggia's case, he walks to his job at the hospital, where he works in the housekeeping department. He works 20 hours per week, and consequently qualifies for medical benefits.
Once a week, caseworker Karen Hecht-Asta stops by to help out with any needed services. Lately she's been encouraging him to cook more dinners for himself, rather than reaching for the frozen meals. Last week, he learned to make Italian sausage with her.
Typically, Hecht-Asta might accompany him to the grocery store, help out with housekeeping or laundry, and monitor his budgeting and bill paying.
"I don't have to do much," she says. "Jim is very high functioning and can do a lot on his own."
Beyond the living skills, Resources also provides monthly social outings for its clients, like the spaghetti dinner. Typically, they take trips to sporting events, movies and restaurants.
"Loneliness and isolation remain a significant problem for people with disabilities, despite their physical presence in the community," Walsh said.
He added that the agency's mission is to improve the quality of life for its participants, along with enabling them to live independently.
Find out more
What: Resources for Community Living, 4300 Lincoln Ave., Suite J, in Rolling Meadows
Open house: 4-7 p.m. Thursday
Annual gala: "Hats On … For Independence," 11 a.m. Oct. 21 at Kemper Lakes Country Club, Kildeer, $45 per person; call (847) 533-3895
Web: www.rcl2bindependent.org
Call: (847) 701-1554