Affirming Minds Institute

09/03/2026

🍪🍕🍝 Another week of culinary skills at AMI! 💜

This week our participants got hands on in the kitchen making cookies, enchiladas, pizza, and spaghetti! 👩‍🍳👨‍🍳

But we weren’t just cooking, we were practicing following directions, measuring, sequencing, kitchen safety, teamwork, problem solving, and independence. 🌱

And yes… we even threw pasta at the wall to see if it was done! 😂🍝

At AMI, everyday activities become opportunities to build skills and confidence that can carry into everyday life.

We’re so proud of the work our participants are putting in and excited to see what we cook up next! 💜

08/31/2026

At Affirming Minds Institute, we believe progress doesn’t always look like a big milestone. Sometimes it’s trying something new, practicing a skill again, speaking up, or gaining a little more confidence.

Our participants are building skills that support independence, employment, communication, and everyday life. Just one step at a time.

We’re so proud of the growth we’re seeing and grateful to be part of each participant’s journey. 💜

✨ Here’s to a new week filled with learning, growth, and new opportunities!

08/30/2026

💜 AMI COMMUNITY QUESTION 💜

What is ONE life skill you wish you learned before entering the workforce?

Maybe

💰 Managing money
🚌 Using public transportation
🍳 Preparing a meal
🧺 Doing laundry
🗣️ Communicating with coworkers
💼 Interviewing for a job
⏰ Time management
🧠 Problem-solving
🏠 Caring for a home
🛒 Grocery shopping
💪 Advocating for yourself

Or maybe it’s something completely different!

👇 Tell us in the comments!

At Affirming Minds Institute, we want our programming to reflect the skills people actually need to feel more confident, independent, and prepared for adulthood and employment.

Your answers help us think bigger, create meaningful opportunities, and continue building programming with our community, not just for our community. 🌱💜

So, what’s the ONE skill you wish you knew?

08/28/2026

💜 Another amazing and successful week at AMI! 🌱

This week, our participants worked on important life and job readiness skills through hands-on learning!

🍰 Basic cooking skills while making cheesecake, fruit salad, and PB&J sandwiches
💼 Job readiness through role-playing and workplace scenarios
🗣️ Communication, following directions, teamwork, and independence

We are so proud of the growth, effort, and confidence our participants continue to show each week!

✨ Another great week in the books, and we’re so excited to see what next week brings us! 💜🌱

08/17/2026

💜 Today is Day 1 of BRIDGE! 🌱

After months of planning, preparing, and dreaming about what this program could become, today we officially welcomed our first BRIDGE Workforce Day Program participants!

BRIDGE was created to give neurodivergent individuals a space to build:

🍳 Practical life skills
💼 Employment readiness
💰 Money management skills
🤝 Communication & social skills
🌱 Confidence & independence
✨ Connections and community

Today isn't just the first day of a program.

It's the beginning of something we're incredibly proud to build with our participants.

We can't wait to see where this journey takes us and to watch BRIDGE grow alongside the individuals we serve. 💜

Here's to Day 1! 🎉🌱

#𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬

08/14/2026

🌱 HELP US BUILD AN ACCESSIBLE COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY!🥫💚

Affirming Minds Institute is working to create an outdoor, accessible food pantry right outside our building so that community members can easily access food and basic necessities when they need them.

But we need YOUR help to make it happen! 🛠️

We are looking for community members, businesses, contractors, makers, and anyone with a heart for giving who can help us **build this pantry from the ground up.**

💚 HOW YOU CAN HELP:

🪚 Donate Building Materials
We are looking for items such as:
• Lumber
• Screws, brackets & hardware
• Roofing materials
• Paint & weatherproofing supplies
• Hinges & door hardware
• Shelving
• Accessible handles/latches
• Other materials needed for an outdoor structure

🔨 Donate Your Time & Skills
Are you handy? A contractor? Carpenter? Builder? DIY enthusiast?

We would LOVE to have someone willing to volunteer their time and skills to help us design and build the pantry!

🥫 Donate Pantry Items
Once the pantry is built, we will also need community support to keep it stocked with shelf-stable food and basic necessities.

🤝 Want to Partner With Us?
Whether you can donate one piece of lumber, a box of supplies, your professional skills, or a few hours of your time, every contribution brings us one step closer to making this resource available to our community.

📍 Affirming Minds Institute
1200 E Lincoln Hwy, New Lenox, IL

📩 Interested in donating materials, volunteering to build, or partnering with us?

Send us a message or contact us to learn how you can help!

🌱 When a community comes together, we can build something that serves everyone.

08/13/2026

💜 What if your next step was built around YOU?

The BRIDGE Workforce Day Program at Affirming Minds Institute is designed to help neurodivergent individuals build practical skills, confidence, independence, and connections that can support their future.

Participants have opportunities to work on skills like:

🍳 Cooking & meal preparation
💰 Money management
🧹 Household & workplace skills
🤝 Social & communication skills
💼 Employment readiness
🌱 Building independence

This isn’t about making someone fit into a workplace.

It’s about helping individuals discover their strengths, build skills, and create a path that works for them.

We are currently looking for individuals interested in participating in the BRIDGE Workforce Day Program.

📍 New Lenox, IL
💜 Neurodiversity-affirming
🌱 Workforce development focused

Know someone who could benefit? Share this post or send them our way.

08/05/2026

Welcome to Affirming Minds Institute (AMI)!
We are a nonprofit organization committed to building a more inclusive future through neurodiversity-affirming mental health services, workforce development, and community partnerships. Our mission is to empower individuals, strengthen communities, and create opportunities where everyone can thrive.

Here on our page, you'll find:�- Mental health resources�- Community initiatives�- Internship and career opportunities�- Educational content�- Stories that inspire change

We're excited to have you here and can't wait to grow together.

07/29/2026

Are you looking for a mental health internship or practicum placement? Or are you part of a practice, agency, school, or organization that wants to help develop the next generation of behavioral health professionals?

Affirming Minds Institute is excited to launch the BRIDGE Program, a workforce development initiative created to strengthen the behavioral health workforce across Will County and surrounding communities.

The BRIDGE Program is designed for:
• Bachelor's level mental health trainees
• Master's level counseling and social work interns
• Emerging behavioral health professionals
• First generation and non traditional graduate students
• Anyone looking for a neurodiversity affirming training environment with meaningful support

Participants receive:
✔ Supervised internship and practicum placements
✔ Neurodiversity affirming clinical mentorship
✔ Professional development and workforce readiness training
✔ Ethical and inclusive care education
✔ Community based learning experiences
✔ Ongoing support throughout their placement

We are also looking to partner with behavioral health practices, schools, nonprofits, hospitals, and community organizations that want to invest in future professionals. Whether you are interested in hosting interns, collaborating on training, or creating stronger pathways into the workforce, we would love to connect.

Our goal is simple: build a stronger, more inclusive behavioral health workforce so more people in our communities have access to high quality care.

If you're interested in becoming an intern or exploring a partnership, send us a message or reach out to learn more. We'd love to start the conversation.

The BRIDGE Program provides supported workforce training, supervised placements, and neurodiversity-affirming employment pathways in Will County, Illinois.

07/27/2026

What a weekend!

From everyone who donated items, to those who shopped, shared our posts, volunteered, or simply stopped by to say hello... thank you.

When we planned this community garage sale, we hoped it would raise a little money for Affirming Minds Institute. What we didn't expect was how many conversations we'd have, how many new faces we'd meet, and how much support we'd feel from this community.

Every purchase, every donation, and every act of kindness helps us move closer to our mission of creating more opportunities and support for neurodivergent individuals and their families.

We're also incredibly grateful to everyone who helped behind the scenes. There was a lot of lifting, sorting, organizing, pricing, and cleaning before anyone ever walked through. This weekend wouldn't have happened without you.

We're leaving this weekend tired, grateful, and even more excited about what's ahead.

Thank you for believing in what we're building. We can't wait to keep growing alongside this amazing community. 💜