Community

Strategic Partner of Lambs Farm

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PURPOSE AND PHILOSOPHY

Lambs Farm is a premier non-profit organization serving adults with developmental disabilities.  Over the years, Lambs Farm has grown from a small pet shop in Chicago to a 72-acre campus near Libertyville, Illinois where opportunity flourishes for the more than 250 men and women served.  Lambs Farm helps to create these opportunities by offering a growing number of options for Program Participants through a full range of residential, vocational, social and recreational services.

HISTORY

Lambs Farm began in 1961 when 12 adults with developmental disabilities were employed in a pet shop in Chicago.  Co-Founders Corinne Owen and Robert Terese believed that given the opportunity, people with developmental disabilities could become meaningful, productive members of society.  Using revolutionary vocational training concepts, the Co-Founders identified and focused on their strengths by teaching them how to complete simple tasks that then grew as skills were honed.  In time, the Participants learned to utilize their full abilities.  As interest in the program increased, the business was relocated to our present site and subsequently expanded into a living and working community for Program Participants.

VOCATIONAL SERVICES

Vocational Services include Individual Placement, Employment Solutions Consulting, and Supported Employment Programs that provide training and support for those seeking and securing successful employment in the community, as well as placement on campus in the business operations or other areas.

  • Career Services Center:  The Career Services Center acts as the “employment agency” for all placements and is the hub of the Vocational Services.  Career counseling, assistance in filling out applications, interview training, and referrals to work skills classes are offered through the Career Services Center.  Located on campus, the center also posts job opportunities and has a computer lab with internet access, fax services and reference materials for those seeking employment.
  • Community Employment Program:  Individual placements in community employment provide challenging opportunities for Program Participants.  Lambs Farm employment specialists provide on-the-job training and follow-along support.  Training for employers on working with individuals placed is also available through our Employment Solutions Consulting Program.  Using a team approach, Supported Employment Programs meet the staffing needs of local businesses by providing an enclave of two to eight workers along with a job coach.  Job tasks are analyzed, training procedures are implemented, and on-going support is provided by the job coach on-site at the facility.  Areas of specialization include janitorial, food service, manufacturing, and shipping/receiving.
  • Campus Programs:  The Lambs Farm campus businesses and other areas serve as vocational training sites for Program Participants and teach skills which are directly related or can be easily adapted to any industry.  The business operations offer training in areas including food service, store stocking and maintenance, customer service, shipping and receiving, animal care, and food production.  They include the Country Inn Restaurant, Farmyard with Children’s Attractions, Pet Shop, Thrift Shop and Aunt Mary’s Country Store & Bakery.  In addition, campus training is provided through the support services department and administrative offices in such areas as clerical work, janitorial services, and grounds keeping.
  • Vocational Work Center:  Located near the Lambs Farm campus, the Vocational Work Center provides training opportunities to individuals who need a more structured work environment.  Workers undertake subcontract jobs such as assembly, packaging, sorting, mailing services and more.

RESIDENTIAL OPTIONS

Lambs Farm offers a variety of residential options for Program Participants both on the campus and in the community.

  • Intermediate Care Facilities:  The Green-Field Residence provides retirement-specific activities promoting wellness and an active lifestyle.  Staff are available 24 hours a day to provide the level of care required by each resident.
  • Campus Group Homes:  Residents of the campus Group Homes learn community living skills in a supportive environment.  Housekeeping and meal preparation responsibilities are shared among the housemates with staff support.
  • Individual Apartments:  The Stone Apartment Building features individual apartment units complete with kitchen, living area and bedroom for those desiring independent living in a campus environment.
  • Community Residences:  Located in nearby communities, these residences are home to those Program Participants desiring a more independent lifestyle off campus.  Residents receive support from staff and have access to Lambs Farm services.

SOCIAL AND RECREATIONAL SERVICES

Social and Recreational services at Lambs Farm focus on helping those served learn daily living skills, physical wellness and the development of lifelong interests.

  • Recreation:  Many Program Participants take part in individual and team sports as well as training for the Special Olympics.  The Founders Building, located on the Lambs Farm campus, holds a regulation-size gymnasium and physical fitness center.  The Healthy Lambs and Healthwise programs encourage Participants to form good exercise and nutrition habits.
  • QUEST Day Program:  The QUEST Day Program provides opportunities for Program Participants to pursue their personal goals with classes centering on daily living skills, social issues, work skills and hobbies.
  • Activities:  A wide variety of social activities are offered through the QUEST Day Program and other areas at Lambs Farm, including special interest clubs and group outings.  Activities include hobby clubs, camping and field trips.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Lambs Farm hosts thousands of visitors each year who come to enjoy a day with their families, attend a special event or volunteer their time in support of our mission.  Every product or service purchased at Lambs Farm benefits our programs and sustains the far-reaching legacy of our Co-Founders.  Our Program Participants have become meaningful, productive members of society taking advantage of all the community has to offer, including off-campus living, community employment placements and social/recreational activities.

CREDENTIALS

Lambs Farm is accredited in comprehensive vocational evaluation, employee development, organizational employment, community employment, community services coordination, personal & social, and community living programs by The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).  CARF is an independent, not-for-profit accrediting body promoting quality, value and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process that centers on enhancing the lives of persons served.

Known worldwide for its innovative programs, Lambs Farm has been visited by families and professionals from every state and more than 25 countries and continues to be an outstanding model for services to persons with developmental disabilities.  Lambs Farm is licensed by the State of Illinois and recognized by the Department of Human Services, Department of Labor, Department of Public Aid, Department of Public Health, Lake County Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, Lake County Public Health Department, Office of Rehabilitation Services, The ARC of Illinois, and U.S. Departments of Labor and Housing and Urban Development.