New Foundation Center, Inc

Year in and year out the commitment of others on the Board, the way that the staff works with members using care and compassion, and how Sue Shimon's tireless effort to always do better never ceases to amaze me!

Great Organiztion...Providing supportive assistance to Adults coping with serious Mental Illnesses..They offer help with Medication Manangement, Safe and Stable Housing, along with Social Services to help re-introduce these Adults into the work force and hopefully a meaningful productive Future

Many organizations are good but this one is very special. I have seen up close the wonderful things that they accomplish. I am proud to help and I hope others will too.

The NFC is a wonderful organization that does amazing work and services that most other organizations can't or won't.The have provided many services and a home for a dear friend of ours. We have attended many of their benefits and are proud to support this organization.

I have the utmost respect for NFC. I have been to fund raisers and observed staff and a few clients and see the warm interactions and listened to some success stories of clients.

Twelve years ago my wife and I were desperate. Our son was diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenia. We didn't know which way to turn and then we heard about the New Foundation Center (formerly WilPower). We told Wendy who eventually became our son's case worker that we could never get our son to go to NFC for guidance. Wendy said, "no problem, I'll get him to come. She went where he was living and the rest is history." "Dave" has had his ups and downs but NFC was the best thing that ever happened to him. He now lives in his own apartment, still goes regularly to NFC for guidance, even makes a little extra money over and above the monthly SSI money he receives. The stress on our family is far less because of NFC.

Over the last several years I have been privileged to see the wonderful work that New Foundation has accomplished. I was introduced to New Foundation through our friends, Bette and Henry Budnik. I have been fortunate to have gone to many of the fund-raising events for New Foundation over these past years and have been given an opportunity to listen to the inspiring stories of the people who are served by New Foundation, both young and old.

Mental illness "ain't no picnic", as we all know, darkness can permeate the thickest mask yet, the people who are part of New Foundation have offered a light to shine where only darkness might have been.

I am honored to be asked to write this tribute about such wonderful organization.

For over 20+ years I have witnessed my friend and his devoted family contend with the horrific disease of Schizophrenia. Stricken as a young adult, he has faced the most challenging life of anyone I have ever known. The extraordinary people and organization of the NFC has made all the difference in his life. The NFC is truly remarkable and I am grateful for all the support and assistance they have provided him.

This charity has truly been amazing! It has helped one of my beat friends and their family.

I became aware of NFC when it was Wilpower and attended several events to benefit the residents. The most moving was a movie showcasing the lives of three of the memberss and their daily struggles. I was deeply moved by the stories portraited there.
The community needs an organization such as NFC to aid the families as well as the members. To help the these members feel the dignity of a 'normal " life and autonomy is indeed, priceless.
I hope that NFC can thrive and function for many years as the dream of the original founders

Indeed "a new foundation" for us seeking meaningful lives inspite of mental disability. This is a place where I'm learning concrete steps to a structured lifestyle. In other words, freedom from anxieties of the world & within. Truly grateful for individuals, full of love & dedication in changing lives for the best.

I always help to set up the big event. The New Foundation Center makes for happier, fulfilled lives for the mentally challenged. The Budniks son is our relative, and this place has done fabulous things for him...

My son was diagnosed with a severe chronic mental illness in 1999. He was in a State Approved School when I received a call about possible graduation. I said no and had numerous interviews in April 2001 to find an alternative program. I first learned about New Foundation Center (formerly Wilpower) in April 2001 when I interviewed, was impressed by their program and put my son on the waiting list. With Counsel's help we received approval for a residential program until he aged out of school services in 2003.
In 2004 my son was placed in a setting that was not appropriate for the care that was needed at the time. With the help of a great advocate and professional working with and for people with mental illness, Jay was most helpful in recommending transferring my son to an Intermediate Care Facility. I had interviewed there in April 2001 as well. This program works specifically for those with mental health needs. With past records and proper care , the team was able to get state approval for New Foundation Center in April 2007.

I like it here. They have great groups that really help.

We are supporters of the New Foundation Center Inc. of Illinoiis. Our friends the Budnick's son is part of this group. We help out whenever and participate in all the foundations events.

New Foundations Center is a wonderful place of refuge for my family member who would be spending many days lost and alone without it. The people at New Foundations really care and help the members have some semblance of a normal life. At New Foundations, members have therapy, life skill lessons, art projects, outings and great friendships. The members all look forward to going and learning something everyday.

I have witnessed the unbelievable assistance and support New Foundations provides to its members and their families. A very close friend is a member and has lived in a group home for several years. It is so nice to see all the wonderful things New Foundations has provided him over the years.

The organization was started by my closest chilhood friend. Through 20+ years of working for NFC, I've gained an insight to the personal struggle of people with mental illness and the impact of the disease on families, health care, housing, and public perception. I am seeing a new awareness and understanding of the disease. For our members, with safe permanent housing, counseling, job coaching, and a supportive day program in the Clubhouse, the focus of managing their disease is now towards recovery. It is a partnership of member, trained staff, and volunteer Board, that provides the best service, compassion and hope. I am continually proud to be associated with this organization!

great organization. staff is very attentive and caring. members feel empowered.

We have gotten to know NFC through close friends who have a son who is in treatment with this wonderful organization. We need to make sure they continue their worthwile services.

So many caring people work so tirelessly to make New Foundation Center the wonderful organization it is. I have a relative who has been helped tremendously by this organization and I have witnessed many others who have been given opportunities they may not otherwise have had.

New Foundation Center is a non profit organization that provides psychiatric/socials services to about 250 citizens of the north and northwest suburbs of Chicago. New Foundation Center works hard to help members recover from serious mental illness so that they can find value and meaning in their lives. Supported employment, health management, social skills, and creative arts are some of the programs that foster recovery. New Foundation Center is a life line to those it helps. About fifty individuals and a couple small families benefit from supportive housing. Some were homeless before they came to New Foundation Center.

We became aware of NFC and its programs through a relative who has benefitted from NFC's services and have seen or heard other clients' stories about how they have benefitted from the various services provided: housing, counseling, preparation for back to work or holding a job; socialization.

I am a volunteer for New Foundations and I am extremely impressed with the help and support the organization provides to its members and their families. There is a tremendous need for this type of organization in our community, as so many families are affected by mental illness.

One of the benefits of New Foundation besides the wonderful care given to its clients is the fact that the parents and relatives of these clients can maintain a fairly normal life knowing that their loved ones are in good hands.

New Foundation Center (NFC) is a wonderful organization of family members, friends, and mental health advocates dedicated to the goal of enabling adults suffering from chronic mental illness to live as independently as possible. NFC provides housing, supportive services and job opportunities for those adults. Their proffessional staff providescounseling, group therapy and job training to members.
As a mother of a 43 year old son who suffers from Scizophrenia I can't fathom what our family would have done without NFC. Through the organization our son has had a place to call home and a life to share with friends for the past years. They have helped our family greatly.

Donating to a local organization where you can witness the results first hand is very rewarding. The staff are truly engaged in the welfare of those they serve. With diminishing government support, it is important to step up and support those in need.

This organization has helped our family tremendously. The staff cares about each individual and provides a safe place for those who are in need.

This is a great organization run by great people who care about helping members live life to the fullest.

New Foundation Center helps give people with mental illness a chance to have meaningful lives.

I have had the honor of knowing this organization for the last twenty years. One of the founders of the New Foundation Center was a person I held in the highest of regard. Throughout the years that this organization has existed, I have seen so many wonderful ways in which it has served the families and their loved ones battling mental illness. I can only hope that my uncle living in New York has a tenth of the support which I have seen provided by the New Foundation Center.
I work with children every day who will need the help of their community in the not so distant future. I hope that their will be the funding required for deserving organizations such as the New Foundation Center.

i am brad that was featured in the exerpt from the movie Unbreakable Minds on the newfoundation center website..I am still living in a group home funded by the organization, and i think the staff and organization have helped me immensly..i have a nice place to live and the staff are always there to lend support and leave me alone when i need privacy. they take me shopping and do errands with me and always make sure i get to my monthly blood draw on time . im never alone which would be a problem if i lived on my own and i never miss a scheduled dose of medication

As a relative of a staff member I am intimately aware of the work they do, the difficulty they have in raising money to provide their highest aspirations of service, and the good they accomplish for their clients, and the communities in which they operate. I am impressed with their goals for clients, their respect for those they serve, their seriousness about their work, their prudence in managing scarce resources, and their commitment to their mission. I know that the success of those they serve is their reinforcement to recommit every day to the goals of the organization.

This place does amazing things for amazing people. Keep up the good work!

What is New Foundation Center? It's a God-Sent place not only to its members but to their parents. We see not only the education they recieve there but friendship and social activities that are a needed plus. They are able to leave their home and enter a much welcomed environment. Thank you New Foundation Center.

I have been with New Foundation center for over five years. Without a doubt it has changed my life. I am much less paranoid and have many friends who are members. The staff under Beth Dvorak and Susan Shimon are excellent and professional. I have served on the Members' Council and also started a library of Recovery information there. I cannot tell you how much it would mean to us if we won this award. With the groups I have attended I have learned a lot and my own boundaries are defined much more so than when I first arrived. I have also sat in on the selection committee to choose our Program Director Beth Dvorak. She has added a dimension to our Programs and lives while I have been there. Sue Shimon is an assett which we cannot begin to fathom as members. She is without a doubt the compassionate and caring leader whom we appreciate more and more each day. Thank yous go to the staff and my friends whom I love. Our organization could use and develop tremendously with this award.

In an economic climate in which Human Services are the first to feel a hit, New Foundation goes out of its way to ensure that their clients needs are being met and that the level of hands-on care that each individual needs does not suffer. To know that those at New Foundation are committed to helping individuals feel valued in society is a testament to their strength as an organization.

A few years ago, the Ad Council created a breakthrough campaign to help enlighten our society and to support the cause of mental illness. The campaign featured the tagline, “What a difference a friend makes.” At New Foundation Center this is not a mere slogan; it is, and has always been, their philosophy, their way of life. Members establish meaningful and supportive friendships, both with other members and with staff. Members experience the joy of accomplishment; they are recognized for their talents, and creativity is emphasized and fostered. There is a positive and inspiring sense of community at New Foundation Center.

My son had suffered from schizophrenia for two decades, with no relief from the virulent psychosis that had altered his personality and essentially destroyed his life. He had been affiliated with a local mental health agency that finally gave up because none of their programs or interventions had worked for him. They recommended that we take him to this forward-looking, vibrant agency in Northfield. Through WilPower/New Foundation Center, my son obtained a job; through WilPower/New Foundation Center he found friendship and—yes, finally—a true and beautiful romance. Through WilPower/New Foundation Center he acquired a sense of self-esteem, a community, a productive life.

New Foundation Center understands that it is essential to the individual victims of mental illness, and it is essential to our community and our society, that illnesses that affect the human brain be given top priority—in care, in research, in education. We need to insure that agencies such as NFC not only survive, but thrive.

This is a great organization that truly cares about its members.

I had the pleasure of attending the New Foundation Center's benefit for the first time last year in Highland Park,IL. I discovered many incredible things about the organization but what struck me most was a patient/client testimonal on how the Center has "changed their life" and has made them a "valuable member of society." What a great testiment to the wonderful work the staff and volunteers do for their clients.

I have seen the tremendous benefit New Foundations provides to the community and have personally known two people who have lived in the residential facilities. Their families are so grateful to have the help of this wonderful organization.

I had the privilege to volunteer at the Silent Auction event a few years ago. Not only was it a wonderful time but working with the other volunteers was a lot of fun. I was in awe of how organized the event was. Wilpower Inc has helped so many and has given hope to some that would be considered hopeless. It is for such a wonderful cause and I wish continued sucess to all that are affiliated with this organization.

I have worked on the silent auctions as well as setting up for the big nights for this foundation and it has been my pleasure to help when and where I can. I have seen and heard stories on those nights and days about how this program has not only changed the lives of all who benefit from it, but also the family members on how it has changed thier lives as well. I can only hope that people from the outside understand the importance of this foundation and how it needs to continue on to help all that need it!!!!

I first joined the board when it was known as WilPower Inc. primarily to fulfil my obligation to support the community that I lived and worked in, but also to learn more about mental health issues and services. As you may know, there are no shortages of stigmas and biases related to people with disabilities, both visible and invisible.

The organization focuses first on providing exceptional service to its members and this means employing the best talent available. I'm proud to say that New Foundation Center's employees are not only equipped with the knowledge, skills and abilities to serve our members, but that they do so with pride and compassion. Sue Shimon, Executive Director continues to impress me with her professionalism. She has demonstrated outstanding leadership in her role time and time again. For example, managing through the recent economic downturn has required some hard decisions related to expense management and postponing growth plans. She has worked collaboratively with her staff, the board and her members to ensure that all have a voice and I'm happy to say that NFC remains a viable, and healthy organization, due in large part to Sue's leadership and management.

We know intuitively that living with mental illness must be difficult, but what we don't know is how, when, or who in our own lives may be impacted by it. I am certain though that it must be a frightening and daunting experience and that it takes personal courage and very special people to help those on this journey.

In a nation where the fastest growing disability in the workplace is depression, we all should be paying a lot more attention to mental health issues and providing the funding and support that organizations like NFC need in order to meet the growing demands for its services.

We first learned about the New Foundation Center from a listing in "Make It Better" magazine in late 2009. After investigating what NFC did to change and improve lives of troubled and mentally-ill adults, my husband became a volunteer. In doing so, we have gained a better perspective and understanding of the issues facing our young adult daughter. While she is not a program participant, it is nevertheless wonderful to find an organization so pro-active, so caring, and so comprehensively supportive in giving self-esteem, purpose and true meaning to the lives of its members, as well as creating awareness among the general public.

New Foundation Center (formerly WilPower Inc) is an incredible organization dedicated to serving mentally ill adults. The treatment philosophy of this organization is so human - the clients are treated with absolute dignity and respect, no matter what. And it makes a difference in the growth and progress the clients achieve. The help NFC provides to these men and women is unlike anything I've experienced with other organizations.

I have lived in New Foundation Center's Wilmette House C.I.L.A. for 4 years this coming April 17th 2011 and I have had Nothing but the most excellent experiences in that time, with the Wellness Management and Recovery (W.M.R.) program, to vocational service, as well as socializing, art therapy, social activities, and developing top of the line independent living and cooking skills with the help of wonderful staff including house managers, casemanagers, psychiatrists, and the program nurse. I would recommend this most excellent program to anybody out there striving to make a difference in others lives, and in their own as well. The Staff and members here are some of the most accepting people I've ever met and had the pleasure of working with. If you need help or want to help this is the place to make a difference.

I serve on the board of New Foundations. I have also presented to family members of those that are thriving in their community. The New Foundations staff, faculty, board members and volunteers are passionate about the organization. Their energy and conviction is contagious.

New Foundation Center does incredible work and serves many people who grow and thrive there. They are exemplary of what treatment for people with mental illness should be. Their staff is caring and committed to seeing the whole person, not an ill person.

I serve on the Board of New Foundation Center. My son lives in their housing. I am a former president of NAMI San Gabriel Valley, CA. No organization like this exists nation-wide. The housing is in safe stable neighborhoods. Staff is compassionate & well qualified. Board members are community leaders. My son was homeless. He now has his own room & bathroom, has a part time job & is a cantor in our church choir. Without New Foundation Center, none of this would have occured. The Board is working hard to make more housing & programs possible. We just created an Endowment Fund with Chicago Community Trust which we hope may one day alleviate state of IL budget shortfalls. NFC is a miraculous organization that saves lives.