Payday to Payday at Countryside

I’d never given any thought to starting a blog – and I imagine most people don’t, actually. I don’t really have a lot to say. But, I think the picture I’m including with my first post says it all.

It’s actually symbolic ...

This blog is about Countryside Association for People with Disabilities, a social service agency in Palatine I’ve had the great pleasure of working at for the past two years.

It is my hope that this blog will be fun and you will look forward to each entry. At least, I plan to make it fun for myself, which hopefully will make for a pleasurable read! And here’s where that picture comes in.

That’s me at Countryside’s 2010 Recipe for Success fundraiser. I’m taking a picture of two Countryside program participants – wonderful, sometimes quirky, women who happen to have a developmental disability. 

My official title at Countryside is “Development & Communications Officer.” If you know anything about development work, it’s horribly broad. Whenever I meet someone and explain what I do, they always listen, think it over a moment, and say, “Oh, so you’re a fundraiser...” I’ve kind of given up offering further explanation and generally just say, “Basically, yes.”

Raising money to support Countryside is only half of my job, though. Arguably, the more important aspect is the “Communications” piece—because keeping people informed about the work your agency is doing is the only way to accomplish anything. Period.

So, from press releases to tweets and newsletter articles to Countryside’s holiday appeal, I share with Countryside supporters and other community folk what’s going on. And I am there to photograph every event—as showcased in the fabulous image above. 

This blog is intended to provide unbiased information and news about Countryside – yet with a slightly more personal prospective than a press release. Actually, the unbiased part may be a challenge because I truly love my job and the mission of Countryside...

It is said that the mark of a great photographer is that the subject doesn’t know he is there. He's invisible. He can capture things in a different way and showcase a new perspective. But the comparison to Countryside stops there, because it is not a good thing for us to be invisible!

That’s the message of this blog.

I routinely give tours of Countryside Center in Palatine and the first question I always ask is answered with a “No.” People have never heard of us. And people don’t know we’re there—located right across the street from Deer Park Town Center.

I want the community to know who we are. And to know we’re here, providing much-needed services.

I want you to know about Countryside’s purpose:

• To develop work opportunities and job training to reduce unemployment (nearly everyone we support falls below the poverty line
• To support individuals and families in maintaining community independence so they can stay in less restrictive, less costly residences
• To provide planned and emergency in-home respite services to families that support children and adults when parents must leave the home
• To offer healthy, individualized activities each day to persons with severe disabilities and seniors in our community centers (Palatine & Waukegan) to combat social isolation 

These bullet points may mean little to you now, but the stories I’ll share on this blog will make them come to life.

At Countryside, the lives of unique, productive, lovely people—who all have daily challenges and victories—intersect to tell a wonderful story.

We provide choices and opportunities to people at Countryside, helping them achieve personal goals.

I am excited to show you how—after all, I’ll be there to take the pictures...