Aspire Chicago

Last week, we were honored to host Dulce Maria Quintero, Secretary of the Department of Human Services; Andy Losasso, MBA, CPM, Chief of Staff for the Department of Rehabilitation Services; Julio Rodriguez, Deputy Director for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity; and Meg Cooch, Chief of Staff for the Division of Developmental Disabilities of Human Services! 🎉 They visited our Weinberg Career and Life Enrichment Academy to see our mission in action and the amazing work we're doing to build an inclusive future for everyone. 🌟 It was an inspiring day filled with great conversations and shared visions for the future! 💬 #PoweredByPossible Serena Alaily, MBA

A huge thank-you to our incredible Astellas Pharma volunteers for making our Fall Festival unforgettable! 🍁🎃 Your creativity brought our Academy to life with beautifully decorated doors, and your energy made the games and Fall crafts so much fun for everyone. From festive activities to joyful moments, your impact was felt by all. We’re so grateful for your support in creating a day filled with smiles and for truly helping to create a more inclusive world. We can’t wait for our next event! #PoweredByPossible #VolunteerAppreication #AspireCommunity Serena Alaily, MBA

Aspire returns to Springfield! 🏛️ Recently, Donor Engagement Officer, Donna Bogosh traveled to Springfield to meet with government officials at the State Capitol building and at the IARF Community Policy breakfast. While there, Donna had the pleasure of meeting with 9 government officials to discuss the importance of advocacy for people with disabilities and some exciting new programs from Aspire! We want to acknowledge and recognize Representative Nabeela Syed, Representative Lindsey Lapointe, and Senator Karina Villa for taking the time to meet with Donna and continuing to champion inclusivity! #PoweredByPossible Serena Alaily, MBA

We had an incredible time sharing Aspire CoffeeWorks’ mission and connecting with the amazing employees at Parts Town. Thank you, Parts Town for supporting inclusion and helping us brew change! We look forward to our next visit! Kaitlyn Cardinale Mary Pat Fioretti Katie Welge Filippini Janette Moreno Amanda Hedberg

Aspire was honored to host Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives Emanuel “Chris” Welch and State Representative Abdelnasser Rashid for a tour and discussion at our Weinberg Career and Life Enrichment Academy in Hillside. The visit provided an incredible opportunity to engage with Speaker Welch and Representative Rashid, who both actively support and advocate for our vision to build an inclusive future for all. Aspire’s initiatives continue to gain recognition across the disability community, architecture circles, and broader social sectors. By sharing insights and experiences, Aspire aims to inspire similar projects nationwide, driving a collective effort towards a more inclusive society. 💙 Together with our local and state leaders, we’re driving progress toward a brighter, more inclusive future for everyone. #PoweredbyPossible Serena Alaily, MBA

As #NationalDisabilityEmploymentAwarenessMonth comes to a close, we would like to share Zach’s story. It reminds us of the progress made and the challenges that still exist for people with disabilities trying to gain employment. Since graduating college in 2021, Zach has been determined to find a job but has faced many barriers along the way. With Aspire’s community employment team by his side, he’s been applying for jobs that interest him and has remained hopeful that an employer will value his talents over his disability. While Aspire is proud to help people with disabilities like Zach achieve meaningful employment, we know there is more work ahead and his journey highlights this. Thank you for joining us this month in advocating for an inclusive future for everyone. Serena Alaily, MBA #PoweredByPossible #NDEAM #NationalDisabilityEmploymentAwarenessMonth #InclusiveHiring

Jackie has loved movies since she was a little girl, and through Aspire's Career Training program, she turned that passion into a career. For the past year and a half, she’s been thriving in her role at Classic Cinemas, especially enjoying her time at the box office, where she loves chatting with customers and ensuring they have a great experience! Jackie plans to stay as long as possible and dreams of becoming a supervisor one day. 🎬🍿   We’re incredibly proud of Jackie and can’t wait to see her continue to achieve her goals! 🌟 Serena Alaily, MBA   #PoweredByPossible #NationalDisabilityEmploymentAwarenessMonth #NDEAM #InclusiveHiring #DisabilityInclusion

This October, Salesforce locations across the country are brewing Aspire CoffeeWorks in honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month! ☕😄 Thank you Salesforce for celebrating inclusion and supporting our mission of empowering adults with disabilities through meaningful employment. Together, we’re brewing change, one cup at a time! 💙 #PoweredByPossible #NDEAM #NationalDisabilityEmploymentAwarenessMonth #Inclusion Serena Alaily, MBA

Meet Chris! 😊 Chris’ laugh can light up the room, and he loves to make others smile. He spends his days at our Academy in Waukegan and returns home to his best friends and housemates in the evenings. Through Aspire’s Life Enrichment programs, Chris has found a new passion for giving back to his community. He looks forward to volunteering at Meals on Wheels America and Bernie's Book Bank. When Chris isn’t spending time with his housemates, you can find him at a fish fry or dancing at a summer concert with his Dad. 🕺🐟 #WeAreAspire #PoweredByPossible Serena Alaily, MBA

Inclusive hiring practices aren’t just good for company culture, they’re good for business too! 💼 During National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we celebrate the many partners in our Community Employment program who champion inclusion in the workplace. Together, we’re breaking down barriers and creating long-term employment success for people with disabilities. 💙 Every successful placement challenges stigmas and helps to build a more inclusive, thriving society. Let’s keep up the amazing work! #PoweredByPossible #InclusionMatters #NDEAM #InclusiveHiring Source: Accenture Serena Alaily, MBA