“My son is on the Autism Spectrum and came to CFI when he was a Senior in high school. We initially came to CFI to get help with applying for SSI, but the Youth Transition Coordinator encouraged my son to also get involved in their youth peer group. My son hated doing anything that involved talking to people. After a couple times attending the youth peer group I noticed he was smiling more often, which he never did before. He participated in CFI’s summer workshop and now he has been working successfully for the past 3 years and is considering returning to school for computer programming.”
- Parent of Youth Participant
“I was living in a nursing home for awhile and didn’t think there was any other option for me. My case manager recommended I work with CFI to see if I could transition to my own place. CFI helped me move into my own apartment. I was really scared to make the move because I didn’t know anyone where I was moving to and didn’t know where anything was in the area. CFI was a huge support and provided a lot of encouragement. They helped me get furniture and even helped me access money from my mother’s estate. I couldn’t think of anyone better to help make this transition happen.”
- Roads to Community Living Participant
“If we refer folks to governmental programs, folks get lost in the bureaucracy. If we refer to the community-based organization like CFI, it's a whole different world. There's a whole different feel, and things get accomplished that oftentimes don't get accomplished elsewhere. So CFI is one of the number of partners that we rely on. We really have confidence that things will happen.”
- Aging and Disability Resource Center
“CFI has a wonderful team to work with. They have really established a reputation of being knowledgeable, proactive, communicative, and responsive. It has been really great to watch their growth in confidence and establishing relationships with HCS staff. I also very much appreciate their willingness to share knowledge and resources with other CCGs for overall success for all clients discharging to the community.”
- Community Partner
“I first learned about CFI when they came to teach a youth transition class at my high school. They taught us about Independent Living and I wanted to work on some additional goals. I started working one-on-one with CFI because I wanted to move out of my parents’ house and into my own apartment. There were a lot of steps that I had to take, but with the assistance of CFI, I was able to work through all my goals to obtain an apartment.”
- Youth Participant
“I was referred to CFI by a hospital nurse after experiencing another seizure. I became a participant with them and worked on developing a goal plan. One of the biggest goals I had was applying for SSDI. CFI showed me how to navigate through all the paperwork, which helped me to be able to stay calm because it was causing me a great amount of stress. I was able to successfully complete and submit the application and I was approved for benefits. I was also able to secure Para Transit and Chore Services which helped me re-gain my independence.”
- Adult Participant