With freedom and justice for all
PERU — In the 1960s, civil rights activists took to the nation’s roads to protest for equality in what were called freedom rides.
Next week, people with disabilities and their supporters will do the same thing.
On May 19-21, three caravans of vehicles will ride throughout Illinois to call for their freedom and equal opportunity to live independent lives. The goal of Freedom Quest ‘09 is to decrease the number of institutions, decrease the size of waiting lists and to increase community supports.
After crossing the state and holding rallies at various locations, the three caravans will meet in Springfield for the Freedom Quest Rally in the Capitol Building Rotunda.
One of the three caravans will leave Rock Island Monday and stop in Peru Tuesday afternoon. The local rally is being organized by People First of Illinois Valley, Horizon House, Gateway Services and other area organizations.
Dan Fitzgerald, director of programs and services at Horizon House, said Illinois ranks very high in terms of its reliance on state-operated care for its residents with developmental disabilities.
“There are 45 states that institutionalize people at lower rates than Illinois,” he said. “It seems to be that Illinois’ first choice is to turn toward institutional care as opposed to community support for people with development disabilities.”
Fitzgerald said Freedom Quest’s first message is to reduce that over-reliance on institutional care because there are more appropriate ways of serving people with intellectual disabilities.
Carol Fesco, director of development at Horizon House of Illinois Valley, Inc., said satisfaction surveys show that people who live in community settings are happier because they have more control over their lives and greater independence.
Keeping individuals in their home communities is also good for taxpayers.
“The average estimates range between $120,000 and $160,000 a year per person served in state institutional care,” Fitzgerald said. “People with intellectual disabilities are served in community-based, 24-hour, residential support for one-third of that. Other people who have just basic support needs or occasional support needs can be served in the community for maybe just a few thousand dollars.”
Those savings could be used to help reduce the waiting list of people who have no services in Illinois, which now numbers almost 17,000 people and is increasing quickly.
Fesco said everyone should attend Tuesday’s 90-minute rally, which will feature a choir of people with disabilities, speakers and a skit.
“This is for voters, people with disabilities, people who provide services, family members of people on waiting lists, family members of students with disabilities who are currently getting services but eventually will graduate from high school and be looking for services in another place, and the general public,” she said.
Fitzgerald agreed.
“Although the people with intellectual disabilities and the family members are the ones who are most directly affected by this, anyone who cares about social justice and who cares about the rights of everyone should be interested in learning more about how the state can better serve people with intellectual disabilities,” he said.
Sidebar:
The goals of Freedom Quest ‘09 are close to the heart of Princeton resident Roberta Phillipe. Phillipe, who is developmentally disabled, lived at the Dixon State School for a number of years.
“Roberta has experienced just about every living situation and through her own self- advocacy efforts, she was able to eventually achieve the American dream of owning her own home,” said Carol Fesco of Horizon House.
In 1997, Phillipe wrote her life story, and when Fesco talked to her about Freedom Quest, she liked the idea that her story might help achieve freedom for others who are developmentally disabled.
Here is part of Phillipe’s story:
“My name is Roberta Ann Phillipe. I am trying to get out in the community. I have a disability, but I do not let that bother me because I make myself like any other person.
“I think I stayed in Dixon about 11 years. Dixon was not very pleasant for me. After three brothers and two sisters, I felt kind of lonely.
“So I grew up all by myself. As the time went by, it was harder and harder. When you did not eat your food the way you were supposed to, they would call the policeman, tie you down and feed you.
“I am glad I can write my story. When you read my story you'll find some things kind of sad, but this is very interesting because it happened to me and my husband. My husband also came from an institution.
“Me and my husband never had our rights before. Now we have our rights and boy am I glad! Now I can say what I like to say because years ago they used to do things behind my back, but now I am happy I do not have to sit here and listen to them talk about me. Now I can tell them how I feel.
“I am sorry if I ... made my story sad, but this is the way my life has been. I do have a happy life now.”
