Orchard Village Selected as 2025 AARP Community Challenge Grantee

CONTACT:

Joseph Like, Vice President of Development Orchard Village

(847) 583-7734

Joseph_Like@orchardvillage.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE,

Orchard Village Selected as 2025 AARP Community Challenge Grantee

SKOKIE, IL -- Orchard Village is thrilled to announce we have been selected to receive a 2025 AARP Community Challenge grant. Our organization is one of only 383 grantees selected out of more than 3,450 applications from across all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are now living longer, with some outliving their parents. As older parents pass away, we anticipate families will place their adult children with IDD in community-integrated living arrangements (CILAs). Many of these homes are staffed by individuals who are not well-trained in disaster preparedness.

With this quick-action grant, Orchard Village will provide three disaster preparedness training sessions for 20 total staff members who work in houses or programs that support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The trainers will train other people, and we will create a step-by-step video. Plus, Orchard Village will create a disaster visual aid sheet geared to people with IDD and their families, and we will create emergency disaster kits for each of the 12 homes we manage.

“We are incredibly proud that AARP selected Orchard Village for this investment to make the Skokie community safer for residents of all ages,” said Orchard Village President & CEO Susan Kaufman. “AARP is a nationwide leader in making communities more livable, and we are honored that they see the tangible value this project will bring to the Chicagoland area.”

This project was made possible for the community due to a generous grant from AARP with funding support provided by Microsoft.

Founded in 1972, Orchard Village is a charitable social services organization located in Skokie, Illinois. The agency empowers people with developmental disabilities to achieve fulfilling lives in their communities. It partners with families and communities to ensure that people with developmental disabilities have choices and a voice in their lives, and, that they receive support to reach their goals. Orchard Village services and programs support the housing, day program, employment, behavioral and mental health, and home-based needs of nearly 300 participants, who range in age from children to mature adults. For more information about Orchard Village and its services, visit www.orchardvillage.org.