Spreading the Avenues Story

Suburban Partnership Board Connecting with Local Businesses and Government

In an effort to create more community awareness about Avenues, The Suburban Partnership Board has recently initiated two task forces focused on promoting our services and programs to local businesses and legislators. 

(Suburban Partnership Board Member Marc Blumenthal and Executive Director Robert Okazaki spread the Avenues story at a recent multi-chamber expo in Mt. Prospect)

The Business Community Task Force is currently identifying businesses close to our base that can help support our operations including Avenues Industries, our contract packaging facility in  Wheeling; job placement or social opportunities for Avenues’ clients, and other professional or fundraising services. Initially, the task force is reaching out to local businesses within Park Ridge and the neighboring communities of Wheeling, Buffalo Grove, and Des Plaines.  

Partnership Board member Marc Blumenthal is spearheading the Business Task Force, and is working with members Jim Hornbrook, Ed Coyne, Dirk Ahlbeck,  Bonnie Bulfer and Cheryl Rodgers to begin the “business outreach and expand Avenues’ sphere of influence.”  Marc initially would like to establish relationships with 5 to 10 local businesses.

The Legislative Task Force is compiling a list of all the district and legislative contacts that represent our Board of Directors, Partnership Board Members, and the parents and siblings of our clients. Applying this “grass roots” approach, these local legislators will be introduced to Avenues through personal calls, emails, or face to face contact.  Task force leader Joel Shoolin, along with Curt Manning, Joyce Christensen, and State Representatives Elaine Nekritz and Rosemary Mulligan are also determining which communities have disability commissions or provide non-profit grants, and are connecting with local service clubs, such as Rotaries and Kiwanis Clubs.