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.
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.
After Opps is an after school work program offering a wide variety of activities that are developed in collaboration with the 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.
OK has three connected initiatives that comprise our social enterprise which provide meaningful and gainful employment opportunities for the Warriors, as well as an added revenue stream to support the organization. The initiatives are Knockout Pickles, the Warrior Catering Co., and the OK Farm.
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.
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!!
After Opps is an after school work program offering a wide variety of activities that are developed in collaboration with the 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.
OK has three connected initiatives that comprise our social enterprise which provide meaningful and gainful employment opportunities for the Warriors, as well as an added revenue stream to support the organization. The initiatives are Knockout Pickles, the Warrior Catering Co., and the OK Farm.
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.
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!!
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, program highlights, and Warrior profiles.
The veggies are poppin' on the OK Farm! After Opps Spring 2 finished the session strong with a harvest of 51 pounds of produce. Crops harvested included spring veggies such as spinach, radishes, a variety of lettuces, beet tops, kale, and garlic scapes! Warriors...
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The Warrior Star Initiative (WSI) is a partnership program between Opportunity Knocks and the Dominican University Psychology and Nutrition Departments which launched in Fall 2017 and was based on a program run through our friends at the Trinity Volunteer Corps....
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Warriors are on working on their core strength thanks to our instructor Cheryl. Our circuit training had Warriors kickboxing, battle roping, ring tossing, squatting, running, and all around sweating! Warriors even braved jacobs ladder - the never ending...
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Warriors turned into Yogis at Ahimsa Yoga studio in Berwyn! Each Wednesday the Life Shop Warriors practiced mountain pose, tree pose, downward dog, cat/cow, savasana and more thanks to our instructor Ashley. But we have to say...the WARRIOR poses are our...
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Warriors had a great day on the OK Farm today. Life shop braved the first heat of the summer to make their first harvest of delicious spinach! It's really rewarding to finally get to taste the produce we have all worked so hard to grow! Some Warriors...
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Warriors are working on their aerobic fitness! We learned we need at least 150 minutes of aerobic exercise each week to support a healthy lifestyle - exercise logs helped us track the relay races and community fast walk we did in Workout Warriors. The personalized...
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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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