We recently made our annual appeal ask for year-end donations. We can’t thank everyone enough who have come together to support and strengthen our mission. This year we had a generous donation match from a family member.
Ed Manley in recognition, love, and support of his brother Tom, who has been part of the EP!C family almost all his life, came to us with a $5,000 match. Thrilled the match was met so quickly, Ed reached out with yet another generous match of an additional $20,000!
Because of this donor who shared his EP!C story and challenged our supporters, we’ve raised just over $50,000 this year! With an annual operations budget of $20 Million, these donations go a long way to providing life-changing supports and services for people with cognitive differences. It’s so important for us to have champions to share our mission on our behalf. YOU are who truly help spread the message of why people with disabilities matter and we are forever grateful.
If you’d like to talk about planned giving or even share more in depth as to why you chose to invest in our mission, don’t hesitate to reach out to myself or our Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving, Colleen Halberg at chalberg@epicci.org or 309-689-3771 or visit plannedgiving.epicci.org
– Kim Cornwell, EP!C CEO
This year’s event is already shaping up to be another sensational, gourmet culinary experience. We’re shaking things up with a New Chef, New Location & a New Date!
Tickets are on sale now for Bon Appétit with Chef Fabio Viviani on March 16, 2023.
The EP!C Bulldogs were back in action for the annual EP!C Night with the Bradley Braves. This time sporting their brand-new jerseys thanks to team sponsor Pop-A-Shot. We can’t thank the Bradley Athletic staff, students, & fans enough for treating the team like pros and giving them this platform to shine.
After not having much of a season over the past two years due to the pandemic, the players were really excited to get back in the game. We’ve practiced weekly thanks to The Clubs At River City and are thrilled to have won some of the games we’ve played against teams from around the area.
The team was excited and a bit nervous playing in the Special Olympics Region G District Tournament at the end of January. They won their first game but narrowly lost their second game by 1 point after a valiant effort. While we didn’t make it to State, we are so proud of our second place finish this season!
Our Giving Tree program provides an opportunity to purchase gifts for some of the people we serve who would not otherwise receive gifts during the holidays.
We can’t thank our EP!C elves enough for having helped to make this holiday season a bit brighter. We hope it’s as much of a tradition for you as it is for us. Thanks to your generosity, the magic of the season was not lost on a single person. Whether it was something fun or much needed, your gifts meant the world.
On behalf of our 13 Group Homes and the over 80 people who reside there, along with our classroom and program participants, thank you for being a vital part of our EP!C family!
We are busy prepping for the 2023 EP!C Harvest CSA season. Don’t miss out on getting direct access to high quality, fresh produce grown by EP!C participants.
With a new partnership, we are excited to announce that we are volunteering to deliver copies of Peoria Magazine to public pickup locations around the city.
This opportunity allows us to give back in a meaningful way. It’s important to us that we be able to utilize our skills, be recognized for our abilities, and be visible in our community.
We also enjoy visiting and saying hi to the vendors we deliver to.
So next time you walk by a public stand, we hope you pick one up!
November Employee of the Month
Lynette Litwiller is our Community Employment Assistant and she jumped into this new position with enthusiasm. Our Job Placement program, recently named the Best Employment Staffing Agency by the Journal Star, runs smoothly for the coaches, job seekers, and inclusive employment partners thanks to Lynnette’s efforts behind the scenes.
Her nominator said,“She is diligent and her organizational skills especially when it comes to scheduling, help build a solid foundation for our Job Placement department to continue to thrive.”
December Employee of the Month
Natalie Starr has been with EP!C for 5 years. In this time she as really become an amazing leader for her group.
She was nominated because “With her guidance, the individuals in her area work well together and are encouraging of each other’s success. Natalie provides or finds the resources needed to help individuals get their work done which equates to a better paycheck and feeling of accomplishment for the people she is supporting. She takes time with people and has even been seen supporting them in the community outside of working hours.”
In November, some of the women we support were invited by Tricoci University of Beauty Culture to get pampered. They treated our beauties to shampoos, styles, and makeup!
A fun day for us is also an important lesson for their students. Being comfortable to work on all people and adapting to their needs will make their careers in cosmetology more successful. Lessons in patience, communication, consideration, and flexibility are key when working with the disabled population and these students rocked it. So engaging and accommodating and we can’t wait to be back!
Everyone deserves to look and feel their best!
Visit our social media platforms to view the full experience and join the over 8,500 people who have enjoyed this story.
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