History
The Center for Independent Living in Central Florida, Inc. (CIL) is a private, 501 (c)(3), non-profit organization that was founded in 1976 by Central Floridians dedicated to helping people with disabilities achieve their self-determined goals for independent living. CIL is a consumer-driven organization whose philosophy is based on peer role models: people with disabilities empowering people with disabilities and their families on the road to independence. Since its inception, the agency has enhanced and enriched the lives of thousands of individuals with disabilities by providing essential core services and advocating for the removal of architectural, communication, and attitudinal barriers in the community.
In 1976, advocate Pat Castenada breezed into town in her former checker cab and set bout her task to "take on Orlando" and make the city aware of people with disabilities. Connecting with the local National Paraplegic Foundation (NPF) group, Pat became an active member and shared with her new friends the discoveries she had made while traveling throughout the country exploring agencies and services available to individuals with disabilities.
In her travels, Pat had visited the first Center for Independent Living in the United States in Berkeley, California. She was excited about this new organization that was not only operated by people with disabilities, but promoted the right of all individuals with disabilities to govern their own lives. Pat suggested that an independent living center be formed in Orlando. Some members of the NPF believed in Pat's vision and decided to pursue the dream. Beverly Chapman, a high-spirited woman with Muscular Dystrophy, also arrived in Orlando during this time and immediately connected with Pat and the small advocacy group.
Meanwhile, State Representative Dick Batchelor was aware that there were several disability-related groups meeting throughout the Orlando area. He endeavored to pull them all together. Following his advice, Pat networked with the various groups and made them aware of her dream to start an independent living center. Soon many had joined with the CIL group. The Center for Independent Living in Central Florida was in incorporated on February 6, 1979, but actually opened our doors for service to people with disabilities in June 1978 while occupying a small office on the second floor of the French Market on Orange Avenue. The building's owner, Charles Miner, donated the temporary space.
Beverly Chapman, a fierce advocate in her own right, agreed to be the agency's Executive Director on a volunteer basis for six months until funding was available. Through local and state VR administrators, an Innovation and Expansion Grant was obtained. Original services provided were advocacy, information and referral, peer support, housing and employment assistance, and transportation.
The community rallied to help the new struggling agency. In July 1978, CIL accepted donated space from Valencia Community College's West Campus. Later they moved to the fellowship hall of Trinity Lutheran Church and then to a building on Orange Avenue that housed many non-profit agencies. Finally, in July 1979, just five months after its incorporation, CIL rented its first office space on Central Avenue in downtown Orlando. It was here that the agency would remain until it constructed its own permanent facility at 720 North Denning Drive in Winter Park in the summer of 1985.
Many years later, the Center for Independent Living in Central Florida, Inc. now has over thirty staff members and provides many services to people with disabilities as well as to our community. CIL stands as a successful, consumer-driven agency empowering people with disabilities on their road to independence.
