Mentorship is at the heart of our professional development at Easterseals Central Illinois. We proudly collaborate with several programs to host clinical interns as they complete their degree requirements. This semester, we welcomed Allison Norris to our team as she completed her studies at Illinois State University. 

Originally from Coal City, IL, Allison did her undergrad at Southern Illinois University- Edwardsville before joining the Speech-Language Pathology program at Illinois State. Allison always knew she wanted to work with kids, and when her mother suggested Speech-Language Pathology, it just made sense. “I love getting to work more one-on-one or in small groups; it allows me to build great personal relationships with clients and their families,” shared Allison. 

Allison has always wanted to work in a school setting. She will achieve that goal in the fall of 2023 when she begins her career with the Special Education Association of Peoria County (SEAPCO) and the Farmington School District. “I have really enjoyed my time at Easterseals. The speech team has a positive environment; I see them supporting each other all the time. They have supported me through the intervention and evaluation process,” shared Allison.

Her time at Easterseals helped open her eyes to possibilities for Speech-Language Pathologists outside of the school setting. Although her heart is guiding her to the schools, she shared how impactful her time in a clinical setting has been. 

“I have been given so much support while being allowed to try things out on my own. I have been able to learn from my mistakes while never feeling alone. Easterseals gave me a chance to become my own clinician, not just a copy of someone else.” 

Allison Norris, Clinical Intern with Easterseals Central Illinois, Spring 2023

When asked to highlight some of the skills she learned from her time with Easterseals, Allison had one that stood out to her; “I have learned to build trusting relationships with the client, to make sure they feel safe and respected.” She also shared she feels more confident talking to parents, providing a wide variety of interventions, and building relationships with other providers. 

“There have been so many good moments. I have had a limited amount of time here, but it has been so great to hear parents share where their child started- and then see them in therapy meeting those milestones,” shared Allison. One of her greatest moments at Easterseals was working with a child for months on creating an /r/ sound and seeing (or hearing) it click one day. 

“It is important to keep goals realistic. A parent wants their child completely understood by others, but we need to break that down into smaller goals,” Allison said. “We walk parents through the whole picture so they understand the path.” 

We have no doubt Allison will impact so many lives during her career. We are so grateful for her time with us at Easterseals. If you are looking for a clinical internship or job shadow opportunity, give us a call at (309)686-1177 or email AGottwald@eastersealsci.com   

A moment that has been two years, and a century, in the making.

Easterseals Central Illinois was humbled to receive two checks at their Board meeting on April 27th. This moment has been two years in the making, starting with an announcement at the Easterseals Century Ball in November 2019. In celebration of Easterseals’ 100th anniversary, Caterpillar Inc. pledged to match employee and retiree gifts made to Easterseals up to $1,000,000. 

Joe Creed announcing the Caterpillar million-dollar match in 2019

“When Joe [Creed] announced the million-dollar Caterpillar match in November 2019, we had no idea what was in store for us over the next few years,” shared Jen Espinosa, member of the Easterseals Central Illinois Board of Directors and Caterpillar Inc. employee.  “But that makes us even more proud to be standing here today, celebrating the generosity of our employees and retirees.”

The first check was for a total of $1,166,381.56 donated from Caterpillar Inc. employees and retirees over the past two years. The second is the $1,000,000 match from Caterpillar Inc.

The checks were presented by Art Tillman, Jamie Engstrom, Jen Espinosa and Joe Creed, all of whom are both Easterseals Central Illinois Board members and Caterpillar. As Jen Espinosa shared:  “Caterpillar and Easterseals have a long history of working together to help children in our community. We are excited to present this check to help us serve our community for the next hundred years.”

Easterseals Central Illinois President and CEO Melissa Riddle accepted the checks on behalf of the organization.  “We are so grateful to once again be embraced by Caterpillar’s leadership and employees,” stated Riddle. “For decades, Caterpillar has been a champion for kids and families in our community.  Their continued support of Easterseals Central Illinois through financial, volunteer, and leadership contributions have created a solid foundation.  We look forward to continuing to work together to ensure generations of families can count on Easterseals.”

Support Easterseals Central Illinois!

Jersey Mike’s Celebrates 13^th Annual “Month of Giving”

“We are so honored and excited to be partnering with Easterseals of Central Illinois for our Day of Giving on March 29, 2023. Easterseals has been a beacon of light for the last 100 years in their mission to help children with special needs, disabilities and autism reach their full potential. Easterseals has such a positive impact for so many families in Central Illinois and we could not be more excited to raise money for such an amazing local cause.”

This March, Jersey Mike’s hopes to exceed last year’s record-breaking national fundraising total of $20 million and help local charities striving to fulfill their missions and make a difference.

 Throughout March, customers can make donations through the Jersey Mike’s mobile app or onsite. On Day of Giving, Jersey Mike’s restaurants will donate their resources and every single dollar that comes in — whether in-store, on-line or through the app. Since Month of Giving began in 2011, Jersey Mike’s has raised more than $67 million for local charities.

Scott Miller, Owner/Operator of SamCo Management Inc, which operates the East Peoria Jersey Mike’s restaurant.

About Jersey Mike’s

Jersey Mike’s Subs, with nearly 2,500 locations nationwide, serves authentic fresh sliced/fresh grilled subs on in-store freshly baked bread — the same recipe it started with in 1956. Passion for giving in Jersey Mike’s local communities is reflected in its mission statement “Giving…making a difference in someone’s life.” For more information, please visit jerseymikes.com or follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/jerseymikes), Instagram (instagram.com/jerseymikes), and Twitter (twitter.com/jerseymikes.com).

Meet Liz!

Liz is a speech-language pathologist with Easterseals Central Illinois. She started with us shortly after she graduated from Illinois State University in May of 2022.

Her positive attitude and desire to make personal connections with her clients have been on display since day one. As a new graduate entering the field, she brings a fresh perspective to the team.

“Everyone has been so kind; I have learned so much from the team here,”

she shared when discussing her first few months at Easterseals.  Mentorship and professional development are a huge part of the culture at Easterseals Central Illinois. Therapists are encouraged to collaborate across service lines and grow their skill set.

What she loves most about working with children and families is helping them find their voice and advocating for themselves. She loves to celebrate alongside the child when they learn a new skill. Recently, one of Liz’s Early Intervention kids graduated from therapy. When the child started, she was not speaking at all.

“When I first met the family, they were already doing really great strategies with her; I was able to come alongside them and help get her where she needed to be. It is so rewarding to see the progress of the kids we work with.”

Liz Jones, Speech- Language Therapist at Easterseals Central Illinois

Originally from Ohio, Liz and her fiancé relocated to McLean County in 2019 when he began working for State farm, and she was looking at Graduate Schools. Liz was originally going to enter the Special Education field.

“I knew I wanted to make an impact and work with children. I observed a special education teacher and saw that the Speech-Language Pathologist who worked with her could make more of a 1:1 connection with a child, which drew me to the field”

When COVID hit, her graduate school experience shifted to an online format. While her coursework was online, she did get to participate in the on-site ISU Speech clinic. This solidified her desire to work in pediatric speech-language therapy.

 “Language is a huge part of life and interacting with people.” Liz shared, “People sometimes see the name ‘Speech Therapy’ and think it is about working on sounds, but it is so much more than that- it is about functional communication.” Functional communication is about having your wants and needs met efficiently and effectively- typically using words, signs, devices, or gestures.

When looking for her first job, Liz prioritized work-life balance. She wanted the flexibility to be able to make trips back to Ohio to see friends and family. She also wanted to work with populations she was passionate about, which included early intervention (children ages 0-3) and children from diverse backgrounds. The strong mentorship program at Easterseals was also a draw. “A few of my classmates did their internships with Easterseals. From their reports to the class, I knew it would be a good fit for me,” Liz shared.

Liz and her fiancé have enjoyed getting to know their neighbors and community in McLean County, especially since their first few years here were during the COVID-19 pandemic. While not at work, you can catch her playing volleyball and enjoying the new Bloomington-Normal YMCA.  

Kicking off with Run, Walk & Rally events in East Peoria and Bloomington on April 15^th!

For the third year in a row, Easterseals is inviting all of Central Illinois to participate in the Easterseals Community Rally, April 15^th – 21st. This week-long celebration is a chance for community members to rally in support of Easterseals Mission; to ensure that children with developmental delays, disabilities, and other special needs can reach their full potential. The Easterseals Community Rally is made possible by CEFCU.

“The Community Rally is a celebration like no other, and we are thrilled to be a part of it,” said Matt Mamer, CEFCU President/CEO. “Easterseals is an amazing resource for our community, even beyond the families they serve directly. CEFCU is proud to support Easterseals’ message of inclusion and empowerment.“

There are many ways to rally for Easterseals:

• Register for Run, Walk & Rally in East Peoria & Normal on April 15^th! A family-friendly

5K run /1-mile walk that celebrates participants of all abilities! Join us for a post-race party with prizes and games. Wheelchairs and strollers are welcomed and encouraged.

• • Register for the East Peoria Race in the Levee District
  • Register for the Bloomington Race in Tipton Park

• Tune in to the week-long telethon! WMBD and Easterseals are teaming up to raise money to support therapy services for the children and families of Easterseals! Tune in to WMBD/WYZZ newscasts Monday, April 17^th – Friday. April 21^st  from 4-6 pm during Community Rally week to make your donation through the telethon.
• Rally Your Own Way! Your support helps ensure that every child Easterseals serves can reach their full potential. Last year, Easterseals Central Illinois served over 6,000 families and provided 36,792 hours of pediatric therapy services.
  • Host a Fundraiser:  Create a fundraising page, host a small gathering or workplace challenge. There are so many ways to raise money for Easterseals and celebrate our message of inclusion and empowerment.
  • Make a Donation: Find a list of upcoming fundraising events or make a direct donation now at Eastersealsci.com.
• Learn More: Interested in learning more about Easterseals Central Illinois? Consider hosting an Easterseals 101 presentation for your workplace or community group to learn about our services and opportunities to get connected.

Learn more at Eastersealsci.com/CommunityRally