Opportunity Knocks is dedicated to providing opportunities and resources for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities so they may pursue their educational, occupational and social interests.
The people we serve are Warriors and it is our belief that their place in the community is both valuable and necessary. Because of their perseverance and strength, we endearingly dub our participants as Warriors.
Come on down to the OK BBQ Block Party and enjoy great local food, craft beer, rockin’ live music, fun kid’s entertainment and more! Enter at Madison St. and Thomas Ave., next to Louie’s Grill. This year's food vendors will feature a burger offering as we ask the people to cast their votes and crown the BBQ Block Party Burger Champ!
$10 Suggested Donation | Kids under 12 are free
$1 for food and beverage tickets
Join Opportunity Knocks’ newest running event, The Warrior Mile, a mile fun run you can do anywhere! Join us on Saturday, June 16 as we run from the OK Farm to the OK Block Party! Meet at the OK Farm at 1:15 PM and be ready to head out at 1:30 PM to arrive at the Block Party just before it begins or join us with the virtual option where you can un, walk, roll, jog, bike, swim, or treadmill one mile at your own pace wherever you like, anytime between the dates of June 10 – June 16.
After Opps is an after school/after work program offering a wide variety of activities that are developed in collaboration with the Warrior participants. Program activities are embedded with a focus on peer leadership, health and wellness, social interaction and community connections.
The Life Shop is an adult day program that takes a Warrior-centered approach to life in the community. The program is designed for Warriors older than age 22, focusing on building life skills, health and wellness, community integration and vocational skills.
Opportunity Knocks has three social enterprises which provide a revenue stream in addition to meaningful and gainful employment for the Warriors. They are Knock Out Pickles, the Warrior Farm, and Warrior Catering.
The Warrior Wellness initiative launched in July 2013 to combat the health disparities faced by our Warriors. Embedded within each program area, Warrior Wellness promotes the physical, mental, and social well-being of our Warriors, staff, and community. It has become the 6th point in the Warrior Code of Conduct!!
Morning Opps is a partner program with Oak Park River Forest High School. On late arrival Wednesdays when the OPRF faculty perform professional development training, OK hosts structured activities for the students in their TEAM Program (Transitional Education with Access to the Mainstream).
An important concept engrained into our mission is the effort to encourage our participants to give back to the local community. Community Opportunities is a Warrior’s mission that is focused on helping homeless pets, supporting the environment, and helping children in need.
Conceived in late 2015 as a way to give the Warriors a role in the local sustainable food movement by creating a ‘seed to jar’ experience with our Knockout Pickle production. In a short period of time we turned a 2,500 square foot of field off Madison Street into a lush, handicap-accessible urban garden.
The year of 2017 was plentiful with so much learning, growing and transforming of our organization and mission work. We hope you can find some time to review this account of all that 2017 held at OK. The report includes financial and development stats as well as program highlights, and Warrior profiles.
Opportunity Knocks is an official charity partner of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon!! Runners will be fundraising for Opportunity Knocks as they train to run 26.2 miles on October 7, 2018. We are excited to introduce you to Allison, one of...
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Warriors had another fun-filled After Opps session in Spring 1! Mondays: Gala Spotlight Moment group worked on their performance for the 2018 Night for Opportunities Gala. Warriors brought the house down with their rendition of the Cha-Cha Slide and music...
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Join Opportunity Knocks’ newest running event, The Warrior Mile, a mile fun run you can do anywhere! Your $30 registration includes a Warrior Wellness hat and FREE entry to the OK BBQ Block Party. Block Party Join us on Saturday, June 16 as we run from the OK Farm to...
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Last month, the OPRF Community Foundation Leadership Lab visited Opportunity Knocks to learn about our social enterprises and lend a hand. According to their website, the Leadership Lab "brings together committed citizens and emerging and current leaders,...
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Warriors have been hard at work gearing up for the 2018 farming season! So far we've planted a wide variety of veggies including cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, leeks, onions, garlic, lettuce, spinach, carrots, radishes, pak choy, kale, beets, and...
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Last Friday, the After Opps Farm Program paid a visit to the Dominican University Greenhouse! We helped harvest delicious buttercrunch lettuce from their aquaponic growing system. Warriors helped pick and wash the lettuce and even got to taste some. It was...
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The OK BBQ Block Party It's Burger Time! Come on down to the OK BBQ Block Party and enjoy great local food, craft beer, rockin’ live music, fun kid’s entertainment and more! Enter at Madison St. and Thomas Ave., next to Louie’s Grill. This year's food...
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Warriors had another fun-filled After Opps session in Winter 2! Mondays: Community Fitness visited several local workout facilities including the West Cook YMCA, FFC Oak Park, In & Out Fitness, and more. The Farming group painted the new OK farm sign,...
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Thanks to all the volunteers that came out last Saturday for our Spring Farm Volunteer Day! We were lucky the sun was shining because boy was it chilly! Everyone persevered through the cold and we ended up getting a lot done. All of our raised and ground...
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CONGRATULATIONS to the second round of Grower’s School graduates! During our time in Growers School we learned about soil, plant anatomy, the plant life cycle, pollination, and discovered where our food comes from. Warriors helped start and water our first round of...
read moreWarriors are breathing easy after the latest session of Workout Warriors! We learned the proper breathing techniques for various exercises (when to inhale and when to exhale), what are lungs do, measured our lung capacity by blowing up balloons, and...
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Warriors shimmied their hips at Pineapple Dance Studio Our instructor Erika taught us all how to belly dance and we can't wait to bust out these new dance moves on the Gala dance floor in...
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