Renovations at New Star designed to provide opportunity for residents with developmental disabilities

Renovations to a senior room at New Star in Chicago Heights will provide residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities a place to participate in cooking demonstrations and learn other skills in a comfortable setting.

“This is really a transformative project and it’s going to make a huge difference in the lives of the people that we support,” said CEO Dan Strick.

New Star, a not-for-profit serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, serves more than 500 children and adults throughout the Chicago area and northwest Indiana, Strick said.

The space includes a kitchen, an island, two televisions and a den-like area. The space will be used by the adults New Star serves who want to have a space to spend time together, said Erica Gibson, New Star Community Day services administrator.

“This is much more their speed,” Gibson said.

Karen Hollaway, 60, who participates in New Star programming, said she’s enjoyed coming to the senior room five days a week and doing various activities. The new space is more comfortable, she said.

Adults in the program can now participate in cooking demonstrations and learn general life and safety skills, said Dominique Hurley, New Star program manager for community day services.

“Right now, it’s more of a homey feel. They can feel more comfortable and, like, this is our space,” Hurley said.

During a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday, Strick said the group has talked about the renovation for the last four years. The work to design and construct the space took about two years, said Patricia Trebe, New Star director of development and community relations.

The project was completed entirely through donations, Strick said.

Mary Kuzma, one of the donors, said her brother Bill attended New Star programming. Bill died in 2019, she said, so the donation was made in his memory.

Bill enjoyed the New Star programs, Kuzma said, and he was very social. He would have enjoyed the new space, she said.

“He’d be all over the room,” Kuzma said.

State Rep. Anthony DeLuca of Chicago Heights attended the ceremony and said the renovated room looked great.

“It shows the quality of the program,” DeLuca said. “There’s a need for these services, but there’s limited resources.”