Been to the Access Center for Independent Living (ACIL) recently? If not, the building may look different the next time you visit.
Thanks in part to a grant from the City of Dayton Recovery Plan, those behind ACIL purchased the current location, at East 165 Helena Street in Dayton, and renovated it to be safer and more welcoming for consumers. ACIL is now serving more consumers due to Ohio increasing the funding allotted to Centers for Independent Living, allowing for an expansion of the service area of the organization to include Champaign, Darke, Logan, Miami, and Shelby counties. The center now offers all its services in those counties as well as in Greene, Montgomery, Preble, and Clark counties which it previously served
The building was purchased in August of 2022, renovations commenced in July 2023, and are expected to be complete by the end of the year.
Jeremy Caffee, who serves as Executive Director of ACIL, detailed how consumers will benefit from the renovations and improvements made to the building. “The renovations will make the center accessible and safe for consumers to visit, participate in trainings, attend events, and meet with IL specialists in person. I am most excited about the completion of the front entrance. Not only has it made accessibility possible, but it has also improved the exterior and interior of the building,” he said.
In addition to the accessible front entrance, some renovations such as repainting the back of the building, replacing all exterior doors, putting in some new windows, displaying new signage, and repairing the brick of the building were aimed at improving the interior and exterior of the building. Other renovations including new outside lighting and a camera/security system were installed with the safety of consumers and community partners in mind. Additionally, the parking lot was repaved and striped due to accessibility and safety related concerns.
“On top of renovating the center to be able to provide trainings and host events, I wanted to be able to expand our Recycled Equipment Donated for Independence (REDI) program,” Jeremy said. He went on to explain how ACIL needed more room for donations given to REDI, which allows people to donate gently used medical equipment that people with disabilities often need to live independently including wheelchairs, walkers, toilet seats, and many other types of medical equipment to the center for those in need. Fortunately for consumers, ACIL has not only been able to make more room for REDI at the new location but has also put in an additional automatic door where people can drop off or pick up donations.
In keeping with ACIL’s mission to ensure that people with disabilities have full and complete access to the community in which they reside, those behind the organization also used grant funding to create an IL Skills room. True to its name, the IL Skills room includes a small kitchen as well as a washer and dryer and is intended to help consumers learn independent living skills such as cooking, doing dishes, doing laundry, and, just as importantly, how to stay organized when completing those tasks.
“I am excited for more consumers to start coming in to see the result of the renovations. I want to remind consumers that when they visit the center if they ring the doorbell, the new front door will open automatically,” Jeremy said.
Excited to visit ACIL and see the renovations? Stop by anytime during service hours which are 8:30a.m. to 4:30p.m. Monday through Friday.
