When Executive Director of the Helping Hand Center Mary Beth Hepp started working there four years ago, the organization heavily depended upon financial reliance from the state of Illinois. The money they needed would go to assisting disabled clients in the area; however, the state had only provided Helping Hand with enough money to keep their doors open for nine months out of the full year.

Today, with the help of a local doctor and his generous donation, the institution plans to grow significantly and support their clients in a way that has never been done before.

The Helping Hand Center is a local organization, located in Countryside, which provides living assistance and education to children and adults with severe developmental disabilities. The foundation just launched a $4.5 million expansion that has been made possible through the charitable one million dollar donation from Dr. Asok K. Ray of MacNeal Hospital.

“I was completely surprised,” Hepp said. “It is going to help so many people and we won’t have to turn down as many children and adults.”

The general donation and expansion is mainly going to increase the number of clients that the Helping Hand Center can take in. It will also provide necessary financial support so that clients can eventually live on their own with the full capacity to take care of themselves.

Other aspects that the money will go towards include building renovations, furnishing, equipment, education programs and staff hiring.

Another part of making Helping Hand so prosperous is the work that is provided through the assistance of their volunteers.

Amanda Bolton ’15 works with adult clients weekly and experiences the acceptance and interaction that is dedicated to the clients, she said. Bolton has been volunteering at the organization for the past three years.

“The employees who I work with are so committed to helping people with special needs and they deserve so much credit,” Bolton said. “The work they do is amazing.”

The donation will be provided in large amounts of monetary increments over the next several years. This strategy will allow them to successfully expand their services to all different factors of the organization. The one million dollar donation is the largest amount of money that Helping Hand has ever received.

Former Board member of Helping Hand Bill Bright has been an active part of the organization for the past 28 years. He also is the legal guardian of Phillip Meyers, one of the clients that has been supported by the Helping Hand Center in efforts to assist his living and social environment.

“The goal of Helping Hand is to help each individual client achieve the highest level of independence,” Bright said.

As of this year, the Helping Hand Center has around 744 children and adults that they assist. Based on growth from the donation, they expect to be serving up to 831 children and adults by next year. The organization is also now only 45 percent reliant on the state for funding compared to 85 percent back in 2010. The collaboration of Ray and the fundraising that has been done provides Helping Hand with the opportunity to spread their assistance to even more clients.

“Our clients are no different than anybody else,” Hepp said. “They just need their own tools and resources in order to grow.”