News & Events

Educational Outreach Program, Promoting Disability Compliance by Local Businesses, to be Unveiled at Area Events

July 19, 2005, JOLIET, ILLINOIS -- An unprecedented local initiative will be unveiled in Joliet this week, aimed at breaking down attitudinal and physical barriers for persons with disabilities. A broad-based coalition, comprised of community leaders, disability advocates, business and local municipality representatives, has partnered to develop an educational outreach program to promote compliance of accessibility laws in the Joliet and Will County area.

The Accessible Cities Alliance will celebrate its official Kick-Off on Friday, July 22, in Joliet, during two popular local events. A March and Rally to commemorate the 15th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will serve as the host site for the morning kick-off, beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the Will County Courthouse. The Joliet Jackhammers ballgame at Silver Cross Field will be the site of the evening festivities, hosted by First Midwest Bank.

The Accessible Cities Alliance began in February, 2003, after a local non-profit group found itself facing an uphill battle in its attempts to encourage local business compliance with the ADA. Spearheaded by Will-Grundy Center for Independent Living Executive Director, Pam Heavens and then Board President, Val Rand, a working partnership was established between the non-profit Center (which now serves as the Alliance’s coordinating agency), the City of Joliet and the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Joining that core group were advisors representing Joliet area media, financial institutions, healthcare, economic and community development professionals and disability advocates.
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Primary goals of the Accessible Cities Alliance focus on coordinating and disseminating resources and information for businesses seeking to increase access, as well as persons with disabilities who benefit from increased access to public accommodations, which include restaurants, stores, medical buildings and government buildings. Emphasis will be placed on working to educate business owners, property managers, developers, architects and contractors on the fundamentals of federal, state and local accessibility laws, as well as how older, existing buildings are required to provide reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities. Outreach to persons with disabilities of all ages will focus on encouraging awareness of and involvement in the program to increase access in a positive and productive manner.

A wide range of marketing and community outreach tools have already been developed to promote the Accessible Cities Alliance, including articles and editorials, a website, promotional materials, speaker’s bureau, appeals brochures and print advertisements. Additional materials, such as pole banners, billboards, radio advertisements, direct mail brochures, business resource directory, and a series of workshops will be coordinated in the future.

The Alliance aims to expand beyond the City of Joliet, and spread its message throughout all Will County towns over time. With ongoing input from the community of persons with disabilities, and by developing relationships with local municipalities, the Alliance promotes the concept that “good access is good business.” That phrase was coined by the Great Lakes ADA and Accessible IT Center, a federally-funded organization which works closely with non-profits and businesses on compliance issues.

Several key developments have been achieved since that time, which include:

• Establishment of program, strategy sessions by 30 advisors (Feb., 2003 – present);
• Joliet Accessibility Ordinance passage by the City of Joliet, with support from the Will-Grundy Center for Independent Living and the Joliet Region Chamber (April, 2004);
• ADA Sub-Contractor registry established, and cross-marketing program arranged, with Contractor’s Association of Will and Grundy Counties (September, 2004);
• Development of educational outreach goals and speaker’s bureau (January, 2005);
• City of Lockport Arch./Hist. Preservation Committee presentation by Alliance liaison, in cooperation with Economic Development staff to consider Façade Improvement Program enhancements for business renovations (June, 2005);
• Business Loan Program arranged by First Midwest Bank, offering ¼-point reduction from standard interest rates and waiving of closing costs for businesses seeking loans for accessibility renovations (June, 2005);
• Sponsor coordination and fundraising results in 13 private/corporate supporters for monetary and in-kind donations totaling more than $20,000 (July, 2005).

The Accessible Cities Alliance plans to continue to recruit volunteers to help coordinate the many detailed elements of the dynamic initiative. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to offer their time sharing information on local accessible businesses with the Alliance, as it will be developing an ongoing registry. Likewise, if a public accommodation is believed to be non-compliant with accessibility laws, the Alliance will be working with that business to inform and encourage accommodations. Business owners, local tradesmen/women, property managers or local government representatives are encouraged to contact the Alliance for information, resources, compliance guidance, site audits and sensitivity training.

Persons seeking additional information on the Accessible Cities Alliance are encouraged to contact the coordinating agency, Will-Grundy Center for Independent Living, in any of the following ways: by phone at (815) 729-0162 (V) or (815) 729-2085 (TTY); via email at pamwgcil@sbcglobal.net, or by stopping into the Center at 2415 West Jefferson Street (at Barney Drive) in Joliet.

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