Crisis Line seeks volunteers; offering free training this month

The Crisis Line of the Fox Valley, a program of the Association for Individual Development, is offering free training. The nine-week Crisis Line training begins Thursday, Sept. 17, at the AID Behavioral Health building at 1230 N. Highland Ave., Aurora. Anyone in interested in this training should call Cheryl Brown, director of the Crisis Line of the Fox Valley, at (630) 966-4304.

The Crisis Line of Fox Valley is a free service offered to anyone who is struggling to cope with any issue they may be having. The center receives 2,400 to 2,700 calls a month and that number has been increasing. The struggling economy coupled with the changing of seasons can lead to an increase in call volume Brown said.

The Crisis Line has been in service for 25 years and just a few months ago went through one of the toughest times it has seen in its history. All paid staff members at the Crisis Line, with the exception of one, were laid-off due to state funding cuts. For seven weeks the crisis line endured and overcame the situation. At times volunteers worked triple shifts just to keep the Crisis Line in operation.

AID is a community-based nonprofit that serves more than 5,100 people in the Fox Valley area. The mission of AID is to empower individuals with disabilities, mental illness and special needs to achieve independence and community inclusion. For more information on this home call Kathy Hazelwood at (847) 931-2290 or visit the-association.org for more details about AID.