Ray Graham Association

06/22/2026

We're grateful to announce a $24,962 Community Impact Grant from DuPage Foundation for our therapeutic garden program! 🌱

From raised garden beds to indoor hydroponic gardens, this program gives the people we support hands-on access to sensory-based horticultural therapy and fresh, healthy food.

It's an approach rooted in person-centeredness, the same commitment behind our Emerge Behavioral Health Clinic, where licensed professionals provide counseling, assessment, and treatment that help close the mental health gap for people with disabilities.

Thank you, DuPage Foundation, and the generous donors who make this work possible. Together, we're helping DuPage County reach, grow, and achieve.

Ray Graham Association has received a Community Impact Grant from DuPage Foundation to sustain a therapeutic garden program giving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities hands-on access to horticultural therapy and healthy food.

06/18/2026

Press ❤️ if you believe where you live shouldn't depend on luck.

Last weekend, about 25 people came to Mize Hall in Burr Ridge with one goal: make every RGA home what it should be. Theresa, who lives in Hinsdale and is supported by RGA, described it perfectly: "A spacious, comfortable place you actually want to be."

There's still room to be part of this campaign, and your gift will be matched!

A one-time campaign to bring every RGA home up to the standard the people we support deserve. A small gathering with a big outcome. And there's still room for you.

06/03/2026

🐎 It's Ray Graham Association Hanson Center Horse Show weekend! Don't forget: Sunday, June 7 includes a Vendor Village, food truck, games, and pony rides — $10 a ride, with all proceeds supporting programs like Short-in-the-Saddle and Barn Buddies.

Each June, riders show what a year of therapeutic horsemanship can do. Join RGA at the Hanson Center June 6–7 for the Horse Show & Fun Fest in Burr Ridge.

05/21/2026

💙 We're so grateful to the LaGrange Highlands Woman's Club for choosing RGA as their Charity of the Year! Thanks to the leadership and the creativity of club members, they've invested $10,000 in our mission.

From garage sales to Super Bowl soup fundraisers to craft fairs, this dedicated group found so many ways to support their neighbors with disabilities. Their partnership means more opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to reach, grow, and achieve.

Thank you, LGHWC, for believing in our mission and working so hard to make a difference!

05/19/2026

GOOD NEWS: The 2026 Robert F. Spahn Memorial Golf Classic raised $133,965 (and counting...) for people with disabilities across the Chicago suburbs, exceeding our goal by 20%!

When the state covers the basics, that means 20% more:
🏠 Community-based homes where people make their own choices;
🔑 Skills and behavioral health support that change the trajectory of a life;
🪪 Careers that give people dignity, purpose, and financial independence; and
⛳ Recreation and horsemanship that build strength, confidence, and belonging.

To our sponsors and investment-minded partners, thank you for making a real difference.

05/18/2026

The course is ready and the sun is coming up. Let’s go, RGA Golf Classic!

05/13/2026

This year's RGA Golf Classic raffle prize is something special.

One winner takes home the Tiffany T True crystal decanter and two double old-fashioned glasses, paired with a handpicked spirits collection including Hayman's Old Tom Gin, Weller Special Reserve Bourbon, Wheatley Vodka, Worthy Park Single Estate Reserve Jamaican Rum, and Siete Leguas Reposado Tequila.

Donated by Tiffany & Co. at Oakbrook Center and Colin Diamond of Mathys & Schneid Personal Injury Lawyers.

🎟️ Get your tickets: 1 for $30, 2 for $50, or 5 for $100. Even if you can't golf this year, you can still buy tickets and win! https://one.bidpal.net/gc26/browse/featured(details:item/3)

05/11/2026

⚠️ A new study from the University of East Anglia found that 41% of autism videos and 52% of ADHD videos on TikTok share information not backed by clinical evidence.

Why does this matter? Many young people and families turn to social media to understand their experiences and find support. Unfortunately, when misinformation spreads, it can delay care and reinforce stigma.

If you or someone you love is navigating a neurodevelopmental condition, your healthcare professionals and organizations that specialize in I/DD work are the best source of reliable information. 💙

New research finds that a significant number of videos about ADHD, autism, and various mental health conditions on social media platforms like TikTok are misleading or inaccurate.

05/05/2026

📞CALL TODAY: Our self-advocates are attending the They Deserve More Action Day in Springfield, and you can join the effort from home.

Direct Support Professionals deserve fair wages, and people with disabilities deserve a stable . The Governor's proposed 60¢/hr increase is a start, but we're urging legislators to get as close as possible to the $1.20/hr goal set by the state in 2020.

Make your voice heard in just a few minutes using the click-to-call tool to reach 6 key legislators: www.theydeservemore.com/take-action/

Make the call!

Advocate for people with disabilities and Direct Support Professionals by contacting state legislators. Our goal is to increase DSP wages in the upcoming state budget.

Tell legislators:
📈 The proposed 60¢/hr DSP wage increase is a good start
➡️ Urge them to go further and get as close as possible to a $1.20/hr increase
💰 Support fair pay for DSPs and better staffing for people with disabilities

Every call makes a difference!

Make your calls in just a few minutes using the click-to-call tool to reach 6 key legislators:
🔗 www.theydeservemore.com/take-action/

04/27/2026

Family caregivers are holding up a system millions of Americans depend on every day.

A new report from AARP found that family members and friends provide nearly 50 billion hours of mostly unpaid care annually for people with disabilities and complex medical conditions. That work is valued at more than $1 trillion...more than all Medicaid spending combined.

We see families showing up with love, dedication, and resilience. And they also show up exhausted and stretched thin.

That's why the work of expanding real, community-based support and paid professional care matters so much in 2026 and beyond!

Family and friends provide billions of hours of mostly unpaid care for adults with disabilities and other conditions across the U.S. A new report finds the value of such care tops all Medicaid spending.