A Place to Belong: Building A Permanent Home for NSSRA
January 25 marked the close of Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association Foundation’s A Place to Belong Capital Campaign. En route to surpassing its goal, the Campaign has successfully raised $2.2M.
Follow along with the Highland Park Facility Updates
After years of searching, NSSRA finally has a new home in Highland Park, a place that will give participants their own space to play and grow. Waitlists will be reduced and program opportunities increased. Program cancellations due to challenges in securing outside facility space will significantly decrease.
Despite pausing the campaign through spring and early summer in light of COVID-19, A Place to Belong has retained great momentum, having raised over $2.1M through private donations. As we look to the future, the need for dedicated programming space has only intensified with COVID-19, and we are hopeful that we can complete our fundraising efforts and move forward with renovations as quickly as possible.
In place of an industrial parking lot, participants will have a fun and safe participant lounge to enjoy while waiting for the bus, or to spend time with friends before and after programs. Additionally, parking lot enhancements will prevent vehicles and participants from crossing paths.
Decreased Waitlists, New Programs, and a Central Location
NSSRA’s new facility in Highland Park will finally give participants their own space to play and grow. The expansion and variety of dedicated space in NSSRA’s new building will also transform program offerings for years to come. The new facility will include a front courtyard, participant lounge, five multipurpose rooms, fully accessible washrooms and a teaching kitchen. New programs being considered are:
• Cooking
• Art
• Social
• Gardening
• Expanded adult day program
• Wellness
• Independent living skills
NSSRA Highland Park is a 30,000 square foot facility on a 5-6 acre campus just inside Highland Park. Set back on Lake Cook Road near Edens Expressway, it is a safe, recreation area in the heart of the northern suburbs of Chicago and central to NSSRA’s 13 partner agencies.
