Collaborative Community Housing Initiative(CCHI)
CCHI facilitates housing and community engagement to include people with disabilities.
The Collaborative Community Housing Initiative (CCHI) is addressing one of the most urgent and overlooked challenges facing families today: what happens when adults with disabilities age out of the school system and the supports they rely on disappear. Unfortunately, families are left without coordinated services, meaningful life-skills training, strong support networks, or safe, affordable housing options.
CCHI believes that every person—regardless of disability—deserves the right to live where they choose, with the people they choose. Yet inclusive housing options for adults with disabilities in Illinois remain extremely limited. In response, CCHI has taken a bold and transformative step by acquiring a building for $5 million and undertaking a $3 million renovation to create a fully accessible, cooperative living community that will support 47 adults with disabilities.
This investment goes beyond bricks and mortar. CCHI’s model pairs accessible, affordable housing with social, educational, and community-building opportunities that foster independence, connection, and long-term stability. Residents are able to live, work, and remain rooted in the communities where they were raised—while enriching those communities through inclusion and shared purpose.
CCHI also empowers families by bringing them together through education, volunteerism, and peer support, equipping them with the knowledge, tools, and confidence needed to plan for adult life.
CCHI is proud to be the first family-owned and family-managed cooperative living community model in the United States.
Your support can make this vision a reality. Every gift brings us closer to creating a thriving, inclusive community for adults with disabilities and the families who love them. Join us today in building a place where independence, belonging, and opportunity are possible for everyone. Donate now and help shape the future of CCHI Commons.
Fundraisers
Official fundraiser
Unlock the Future of Community at The CCHI Commons
“It gives me hope to think that after I'm no longer around, my son will not be fending for himself. CCHI represents a way for us to look to the future and know that we will have peace of mind.”— CCHI Parent Everyone deserves the freedom to choose where they live, work, and spend their time. For adults with disabilities who want to live independently, safe and accessible housing options are extremely limited. 75% of adults with developmental disabilities live with aging parents who cannot provide long-term housing 800,000+ people in Illinois need supportive, accessible housing Less than 5% of U.S. housing meets basic ADA accessibility standards Our Solution The Collaborative Community Housing Initiative (CCHI) is renovating a former memory care facility in Highland Park, Illinois into The Commons—a 48-unit supportive cooperative apartment community with individual, fully ADA-accessible apartments. Built by families who understand what independence truly requires, The Commons offers flexible supports, shared community spaces, and connections that allow residents to thrive—today and into the future. Why We Need Your Help This transformation requires an investment of over $3 million to create safe, accessible homes and the infrastructure that supports independent living. Your donation helps fund critical renovations, accessibility features, and community spaces that make The Commons possible. This is more than a building—it’s peace of mind, belonging, and a future our entire community can be proud of. For every adult who dreams of a place of their own, and every parent who wonders what comes next, this is the moment to build it—together. Make a Gift Today Your support directly impacts lives and creates lasting change. CCHI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Tax ID #: 83-4685695 All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
- Raised
- $586,020
- Goal
- $1,000,000
1 supporter
DonateDonors
Laurie Williams To the fundraiser: Unlock the Future of Community at The CCHI Commons