Over 45 years ago a small, dedicated group of parents of children with disabilities banded together to create a place for their children to learn life skills.  These pioneers had a vision for their children.  They believed in a better future for them.  Their strong vision led them to create Pioneer Center of McHenry County.

Pioneer Center exists today because these individuals believed in their project and worked hard to engage their friends, neighbors and eventually the entire community in their vision.

Today Pioneer Center offers housing, jobs, counseling and life planning for over 1,000 individuals with disabilities and their families.  Pioneer Center is aware of the fact that the needs are growing faster than we can address them.

Families with children graduating from high school are seeking solutions for the future.  Young people who have become disabled either emotionally or physically want to look forward with hope.  We would like to serve all of them.

Economic reality prevents us from serving everyone.  Waiting lists exist in some programs and space is limited in some areas.  As we rekindle the spirit of our founders we strive to meet the changing needs of this dynamic community.

We are reaching out to a new community of pioneers.  "Expanding Opportunities Through Partnerships", our motto, is driving the effort to engage new leaders and donors who will take Pioneer Center into the future.  Please join us by becoming a Pioneer Partner online or by calling a staff member in our development department.

Funding Development Department

Donna L. Kassens, Director of Funding Development     (815) 759-7142 Sandra Salgado, Corporate & Community Liaison          (815) 759-7101  Barbara Swanson, Database & Volunteer Coordinator    (815) 759-7144     

Whether a child learning to walk or talk, an adult learning to read, or a person getting his or her first job in the community, we believe that every challenged client has a wealth of untapped potential. All too often, people with developmental, mental, emotional, or physical challenges are cut off from their communities, denied the assistance and opportunities they need to achieve their best in life. Pioneer Center believes that this isolation robs both client and community alike from valuable learning opportunities and interaction. However, Pioneer does not limit its broad reach to the provision of services alone. Rather, we provide our clients with the tools they need to become independent of our services, to achieve their personal goals and attain their potential, and to become dynamic and vital members of their communities. To this end, Pioneer views itself as part of the unbroken web of community that, together, can harvest the full range of assistance available to our clients. Our motto, "Expanding Opportunities through Partnerships," emphasizes our focus on obtaining community, educational, and vocational cooperation in ensuring our client's success.