The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as “a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain.”
This disorder can begin to show symptoms within the first 12 months of life. Some children may progress and develop new skills and reach developmental milestones at or about 18 – 24 months of age, although, with some, the gains they’ve acquired may wain or regress as they age.
As these children become adolescents and young adults, they tend to have trouble developing social skills such as communicating, developing friendships, or understanding job or school expectations.
In Des Plaines, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago, adults on the ASD spectrum have a place that understands and has served this community since 1971.
Rimland Services describes its purpose as “… to see the world through the eyes of an individual with autism and to use this perspective to support them in their culture as independently as possible. While we cannot cure the underlying cognitive deficits of autism, by understanding and accepting them, we can design services that are effective in meeting the challenges of this unique population. “
On June 9, Rimland Services opened a new, and larger, facility for its clientele. They moved from its rented location in Evanston to a 30,000 square foot permanent home on 5 acres purchased with the help of a mini permanent $3,776,000 loan from CCLF.
Rimland was established in 1970 by Rosalind Oppenheim whose child was not accepted in traditional school because of her child’s disability. Their CEO, Patricia Watson, was hired by Mrs. Oppenheim and has been in place since 1985. The other officer at Rimland, Brendy Sims, COO, has been with the organization since 1995.
Rimland and CCLF have a long-standing relationship of more than 16 years. They have a solid track record with a total of eight loans from CCLF.
Rimland’s new location operated as a school since its founding in 1975 until it closed in 2021. With Rimland’s renovations, it now has all the amenities to teach, stimulate and engage their clientele. The facility contains several classrooms, a gymnasium, a greenhouse, outdoor basketball courts, library, activities room, playground, music room and administrative offices.
Because of our enduring relationship, Rimland presented CCLF with an award of appreciation at the grand opening, given to Lycrecia Parks, Chief Risk Officer and Vice President of Portfolio Management, and Aaron Akers, Senior Asset Manager. “I have really enjoyed working with the Rimland team, especially Brendy Sims, over the years. They are all so passionate and constantly strive to provide much-needed stable housing and services for their clients. I am especially excited to see how Rimland utilizes their new space in Des Plaines, and how their care will evolve as they and their clients have more open spaces (inside and outside) to dream and grow,” stated Akers.
