The Center for Independent Living (CIL), the world’s first organization of its kind, is a national leader in supporting disabled people in their efforts to lead independent lives. As an organization founded by people with disabilities, we understand the challenges faced by our consumers. This motivates us to achieve immediate and long-term solutions – be it assistance with finding housing or a job, equipping a home with assistive technologies, or enhancing independent living skills.

We use a two-tiered approach – address our consumers’ complex needs and strive for social change in our communities. This work includes:

• Providing free services and referrals that guide people through systems such as the housing and employment markets as well as the Social Security bureaucracy.
• Advocating for policy changes to improve accessibility in public places and transportation.
• Mentoring youth who have disabilities.
• Offering fee-based, consultation services to train private employers in how to accommodate people with disabilities.
• Providing assistance to consumers in multiple languages by a multicultural staff.

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