View News Coverage of the Opening on NBC 5 Chicago
Opening our new residential home for African American men with intellectual and developmental disabilities this Black History Month was a full circle moment. We paid tribute to our founder by honoring her commitment to supporting homeless Black men while addressing what remains a critical need 105 years later.
Black History Lesson …
Our agency was founded by Ada Sophia McKinley in 1919 to provide a sanctuary for Black men, particularly those returning from World War I with no place to go due to segregation and a disparity of resources. This laid the cornerstone to expand support for Black families as they migrated from the South to flee Jim Crow oppression during the Chicago Race Riots.
Located on Chicago’s South Side, the Community Integrated Living Arrangement (CILA) Home we opened today is one of 16 residential homes operated by Ada S. McKinley to serve people with disabilities and includes seven bedrooms and two large living rooms.
Residents are empowered to design their own bedrooms, complete with personalized furnishings and décor, promoting community integration and honoring McKinley’s vision of self-advocacy and independence.
They are provided with meals, clothing, personal care items, and receive job training and employment, community integration activities, and daily living skills.
A recent Chicago-based study found that unsheltered individuals were more than three times as likely to identify as male, with the majority being Black/African American. View Full Study
