Last summer three former Jacksonville Developmental Center residents moved into their on home in Central Illinois.
Eddie, Jeff and Bobby are happy to be living in their own home in the community.
Eddie: I got my own room and I got my own guitar. I got my own TV. Yeah, I happy here. I don't want to go back to JDC no more. Cause I like it here. I got my own life.
Dr. Charlene Bennett, CEO, Executive Director - Individual Advocacy Group: These are three great guys that live in a house in the community. Um, they are very happy here. And just like you and I this is their home. Their home. Living their life.
Jeff: You get to go out on outings more often than JDC. You get to go shopping.
Dr. David Brooks, CEO - Individual Advocacy Group: The concept of people with different types of disabilities have to be put someplace where they can be treated the best way. Is now shifting to people with any type of disability or without a disability should live in a community, participate with others, be a member of their neighborhood.
And that is the shift, you don't have to be put someplace to be treated. You need to simply live your life, enjoy things. It's not a us versus them type of situation any longer. All of us are together. We can do the same things. We enjoy the same things. We have the same hopes and desires.
Um, so simply because you have something called a disability, doesn't mean you are exempt from those opportunities.
Dr. Charlene Bennett, CEO, Executive Director - Individual Advocacy Group: It's a sense of belonging. It's their own home. They can live a life with choices. They can live a life with dignity. They can live a life with respect and they can have happiness.
Eddie: singing Elvis Pressley's "Love me Tender" "..All my dreams come true, for my darling I love you and I always will..."
