On Tuesday, October 9, Chicago Hearing Society (CHS) hosted a “Celebration of Community” at Maggiano’s in Chicago. The evening served as an opportunity to honor the committed individuals and organizations that support the vital work of CHS, a division of Anixter Center. More than 165 friends, supporters and volunteers attended the event to help celebrate and support CHS’s mission to empower deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing people communicate with each other.
"Communication is the basis of all human interaction,” said Jill Sahakian, CHS Director. “It is how we exchange information and how we learn. It is necessary for our lives at home, at work and in school. The goal of everything we do at CHS facilitates communications so that deaf, hard of hearing and hearing people can connect with each other."
Guests of the event enjoyed a delicious Italian dinner and presentation which demonstrated the positive impact CHS staff, Advisory Council members and volunteers make in the lives of deaf and hard of hearing individuals. A moving video showcased the organization’s successes of the past year and paid tribute to those who made the organization’s myriad accomplishments a reality. The highlight of the evening was a performance by Arlene Malinowski, an actor, educator and writer whose one-woman performances exemplify her unwavering commitment to social justice. Malinowski regaled guests with a solo performance about her experience growing up as a child of a deaf adult (CODA).
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Thanks to the extraordinary support of the evening’s sponsors, including Phonak, Siemens, and Widex, the evening raised more than $45,900. All proceeds from the event will support CHS’s programs and services which improve the lives of deaf and hard of hearing individuals by empowering them to connect with the world around them.
For more information about Chicago Hearing Society or Anixter Center or to support the organization, please visit www.anixter.org, call (773) 929-8200 x 270 or email alaboy@anixter.org.
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Anixter Center provides an array of services to help people with disabilities and related challenges live, learn, work and play in the community. Through 37 programs and services at 28 primary locations across the greater Chicago area, Anixter Center touches the lives of over 10,000 individuals annually and advocates for the rights of children and adults with all types of disabilities to participate fully and equally in society.
Anixter Center was founded in 1919 as an orphanage to care for children who lost their parents to Chicago's great influenza epidemic. As the agency acquired new programs and sites and changed names throughout the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s, its focus broadened to meet the needs of all people with disabilities.
Having merged with three independent agencies (CALOR, Chicago Hearing Society and the National Lekotek Center) since 1997, and expanded to dozens of locations from Chicago to Zion, Anixter Center is among Chicago's largest nonprofit organizations and is one of the largest nonprofit community rehabilitation agencies in Illinois.
