As a native east coaster, I left the comforts of home and the familiar nearly 20 years ago to move to the magical place that is Berkeley to attend college. I did so, not just because UC Berkeley is one of the top universities in the country, but because of the extensive support and services provided to individuals with disabilities, both on and off campus. Berkeley is the epicenter for the Disability Rights Movement that would eventually spread throughout the country and the world - and much of that history started at CIL. But, CIL is not just a part of history - it is part of the present and the future. The work has just begun, and CIL continues to meet the ever changing and growing needs of the disability community and continues to serve as a model for innovation, creativity, and leadership throughout the globe. I would not be where I am today had it not been for the essential supports provided by CIL and the incredible advocacy and vision of its founders.
For over 40 years CIL has done good things for a lot of disabled people. Way too much for a comprehensive review therefore my brief review will be narrowly focused on internal operations. I've been involved with services to the disabled for over 45 years in the SF/Oakland Bay Area, first in the public sector as a State Administrator and now as a volunteer board member. For me I've been impressed by CIL's management's efforts to look at itself, make difficult corrective agency decisions, and move forward with realistic objectives. CIL, like most social service nonprofits, faced financial challenges. CIL understands this and has made a commitment to compete for financial resources. Thinking outside the box is no longer sufficient. Doing something outside the box is needed. I think CIL knows this and is trying to make good things happen.