Newsletters
July/August 2024
CEO Message
We are very excited to start another EP!C year. Now is the time we plan and work toward another year of growth, successes, and challenges.
Over the past year, thanks in part to a grant, we have been working on understanding and strengthening our company culture. There are many aspects that make up a company’s culture and we all play a role. It’s so very important we all understand what our shared attitudes, values, and goals are that make EP!C, EP!C.
We know where we’ve been and where we want to go, but it can be challenging to see where we are right now when, like most nonprofits, are head down working through the day-to-day of the organization.
EP!C operates in 15 counties with multiple locations which can create subcultures and misalignment. This can be a challenge when trying to get everyone on the same page at the same time. Our third-party partner employeeInsite (a division of Ledgestone) has been providing their expertise and unbiased review of employee surveys, brainstorming meetings, leadership conversations, analytics, and more.
We will continue this work in the year ahead and implement outcomes so EP!C continues to be a great place to work, not just because the love of our mission.
With gratitude,
– Kim Cornwell, EP!C CEO
Dawali Gala 2024 The Jungle Book
You can buy your tickets now for the Dawali Gala 2024 The Jungle Book night of fun!
EP!C Partnership
For the past year or so we’ve been partnering with a local accessibility start-up called We Hear You Inc. They created a fob that is a remote for any automatic door. Adding their technology to an existing automatic door system will allow fob users remote access to open without manually pushing the mounted buttons. Often these buttons are inaccessible for many reasons such as the users mobility, the placement of the button, etc. Having a remote allows someone more control over when the door opens and how long it stays open for.
We’ve installed this tech at Townline and several individuals have been helping to beta test the device. Now the company has moved on to phase two which includes an app. This app allows users to open doors with voice commands or screen touch. These two tools together keep an array of users in mind and allows for the most diverse abilities to utilize. We encourage businesses with automatic doors to install this tech so fob users can access their establishments more independently.
The team at We Hear You recently received a grant that will allow them to take another product to market called The Hero Door. This tech would allow any door to be opened automatically. It will feature easy installation without the need to be hardwired. We will work with their team to test in residential settings. There are very exciting things in the accessibility space happening right here in Central Illinois and we are thrilled to be part of the conversation. Stay tuned for more.
EP!Cycling
EP!C Move
After much deliberation, we have invested in the Springfield area with the announcement of a new office location. EP!C’s satellite office will now be located at 1297 Toronto Rd. Suite C Springfield, IL 62712
Our second office has operated out of Swansea, IL for the past 6 years and in that time, we’ve seen more growth opportunities from the Springfield area. While we will still operate our Host Homes program in the Swansea area, the staff managing that territory will now be located out of the Springfield office. This move will allow for a more centrally located office that gives more accessibility within the 15 counties EP!C serves.
At a later date we will be hosting a ribbon cutting and celebration with The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce.
EP!C Employees
May Employee of the Month
Jim Seifert was named the May Employee of the Month.
Jim Seifert was named our May Employee of the Month. “Jim is outstanding! He is very upbeat and always using his critical thinking skills to go above and beyond. He is the backbone of the Lexington group home staff with his strong work ethic and encouraging words of wisdom for newer, younger staff. Jim has been with EP!C for over 30 years and has always lived our mission when it comes to taking care of our individuals and making sure they are the top priority. He has turned what some would say is just a job into a meaningful and impactful lifelong career.”
June Employee of the Month
Tamera Gordon was named the June Employee of the Month.
Tamera was unanimously nominated for June Employee of the Month by the Community Day Services supervisory team. “Tamera consistently goes above and beyond. She takes ownership of new or unexpected projects. She recently took over training for the department and is a great asset to not only her department, but other departments across the agency. Her team knows they can always count on her. Her dedication to this population demonstrates to community members that all individuals with disabilities can be part of the community.”
EP!C Night at the Ballpark
