Opportunity House’s mission is to help people with developmental disabilities work, live in homes of their choice and enjoy community life.
For six decades, Opportunity House has stood by individuals with developmental disabilities, nurturing their dreams, fostering their talents and championing their rights. Our unwavering dedication to serving these individuals has endured for 60 years, thanks to the incredible support of our staff, community leaders and generous contributors throughout DeKalb County.
Before Opportunity House was incorporated as a nonprofit organization with its own board of directors, four families came together in 1957 to establish the “DeKalb County Association for the Mentally Retarded.” This initiative emerged at a time when public schools lacked classes for people with disabilities and when few services were available for these individuals and their families to access.
Fast forward to 1963, and Opportunity House was incorporated with its own board, commencing its first program. The program was hosted in the old South School in Sycamore which will be featured in the Sycamore Pumpkin Fest’s “Historic Homes Tour” if you’d like to learn more.
With a growing membership every year, Opportunity House became increasingly popular and established itself as a consistent resource for people with disabilities and their families. This growth led to expansion, and just four years after its incorporation, Opportunity House initiated its Residential Program in 1967.
Today, our Residential Program houses 65 individuals throughout 10 group homes in Sycamore and DeKalb. We are building two new homes in Genoa.
As Opportunity House continued to grow over the years, more programs to address the diverse needs of people with developmental disabilities were developed.
The Community Day Services (CDS), Community Support, Vocational, and Home-Based programs were introduced to assist individuals with disabilities in all facets of everyday life in our communities. All these programs were created to offer developmental training and educational opportunities focusing on acquiring, enhancing and maintaining the personal, social, educational and vocational skills necessary for independent daily living.
In 1970, our Recreation Program was launched, which enabled individuals with disabilities to lead more fulfilling and complete lives. Today, this program is a favorite among the individuals we serve as they eagerly participate in the various activities planned each week.
This past year, more than 185 enriching activities including Kane County Cougars games, movie nights, holiday parties, crafting, bingo and many more were available! The OH Athletic program began in 1995 with basketball as its inaugural sport. The OH Athletics Program now offers seven sports year-round, each played in its respective season. The sports we now offer include basketball, volleyball, golf, bowling, bocce, softball and soccer. Both programs are funded solely through fundraising and the generosity of our donors.
In total, Opportunity House provided services to 185 people with disabilities this past year. We take pride in offering such a wide array of first-class programs for the individuals we serve.
We welcome community members to call and arrange a visit at our main facility at 357 N. California St., just two blocks from downtown Sycamore.
Awards and accreditations: In 1978, Opportunity House received its first accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and has maintained accreditation ever since. In 1989, Opportunity House also received an award from the State of Illinois as one of the Top 10 Supported Employment Programs in Illinois. We were recognized by the Sycamore Chamber of Commerce in 2017 as Business of the Year. In 2022, we received the Daily Chronicle Readers’ Choice Award for being the Top Workplace for People with Special Needs in DeKalb County.
Throughout this past year we have celebrated our 60th year as an organization.
What originated as a modest initiative started by a handful of local families has evolved into a dedicated agency that serves hundreds of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to both past and present board members for their direction and dedication. Equally, we express our deep appreciation to our local communities for their tremendous support in enabling us to fulfill our mission.
The celebration will culminate with a Gala on Nov. 9 at Faranda’s Banquets in DeKalb. We invite you to join us as we reflect on our history and set our sights on the future vision of Opportunity House. To secure your tickets, please visit our website at ohinc.org, reach out to us at 815-895-5108, or stop by our main building located at 357 N. California St.
We look forward to celebrating this milestone with you!
- Tom Matya is the executive director of Opportunity House Inc.