Thanksgiving week is packed with great opportunities to treat yourself these days. Starting with great meals and lots of family time, Thanksgiving kicks off a week of fun. Next, many of us enjoy Black Friday for the deals, and local shoppers celebrate Small Business Saturday. On Monday, we search the web for more deals, and then we can finally turn our attention to community on #GivingTuesday.
Two years ago, Independent Futures hit our $20,000 #GivingTuesday donations goal for the first time! Thanks to your support, we are hoping to raise $20,000 on Tuesday, December 1st this year.
Wondering how to celebrate Giving Tuesday with all the holiday bustle around you? RSVP to our #GivingTuesday calendar event to receive a reminder to donate on December 1st!
Independent Futures Needs Your Support
When our office was closed, Independent Futures in-person activities were placed on hold. Our activities director quickly learned how to move activities into virtual spaces, and we have been able to have a full calendar of virtual activities that participants say ease the loneliness of staying home.
Our tutors and Community Life Coordinators have continued support services while complying with pandemic related guidelines. With masks, social distancing, and some Zoom meetings, the Direct Service team has risen to meet these vast challenges in supports.
Our adaptations have not ended. Independent Futures has creative plans and is continuing to adjust to our ever-changing world. The New Futures Initiative consultation team is creating an online training program to make our housing creation expertise more widely accessible to families and organizations across the country. This month we will start a virtual training with a family group in Wisconsin, and will continue to support more groups throughout the coming year.
So far, each of you has helped Independent Futures transform a difficult year into an inspiring story of communities coming together to support each other. That is exactly who Independent Futures is: united, creative, and resilient.
When you contribute to our work, you are an advocate for a better future: a world where all individuals have access to the opportunities of a full life, whether that is building friendships, getting a new job, or simply choosing where to live.
By supporting Independent Futures’ work, you make a difference in this community every day. We hope you will support us in continuing this momentum on #GivingTuesday.
How to Celebrate Giving Tuesday
On Tuesday, December 1st, we are participating in #GivingTuesday. Donate to Independent Futures on December 1st to show your support for Illinois nonprofits! With your support, we know we can meet our goal of $20,000 on #GivingTuesday.
Every dollar donated in honor of independent futures means we can continue to support individuals with disabilities and their full lives. Through #GivingTuesday, you help us create a future where individuals with disabilities have equitable access to the opportunities of a full life.
On #GivingTuesday, December 3, the Center for Independent Futures community came together to see the difference one day could make in the lives of individuals with disabilities. The total is in: more than $26,000 raised in just 24 hours! Together, we’re creating opportunities for all individuals to contribute their gifts, making the entire community stronger.
On Tuesday, November 27th, countries around the world celebrated #GivingTuesday. In Illinois, we also participate in #ILGive, an 
As if raising more than $24,000 in one day wasn’t exciting enough, we were also offered a matching grant opportunity. For every donation of $175 or more, we received an additional $175 thanks to the Coleman Foundation. As a result, Center for Independent Futures will receive an additional $10,000! 
