Center for Enriched Living

What Center for Enriched Living does

Center for Enriched Living (CEL) is a non-profit organization founded in 1968 and headquartered in Riverwoods, Illinois, serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) across the Chicagoland area. The organization operates five core program pillars delivered from a Universal Design accessible facility: Social and Recreation (bowling, art, music, excursions, weekly programs, summer camp), Adult Day services (REACH and Catalyst Life Skills), Employment Services (job seeker support and employer matching), Mental Health (Robert Vihon Family Resource Center), and Inclusion and Education (The Nora Project, a school-based inclusion curriculum distributed nationwide). CEL reports 400+ active members served across 55 Chicagoland communities and delivered 80,463 hours of programming, with a stated 100% satisfaction rate among Employment members placed in jobs matching their interests.

CEL is a registered 501(c)-class non-profit (EIN 36-3339009) funded entirely through philanthropy rather than direct service fees. Revenue streams include individual donations, monthly and planned giving, corporate sponsorships and matching gifts, legacy gifts, and a portfolio of annual fundraising events (car raffle capped at 1,299 tickets, Golf Tournament, Chefs' Night, Artful Evening, and the World of Difference Campaign). The organization holds CQL (Council on Quality and Leadership) accreditation and earned Candid Platinum Transparency 2024 recognition, and partners with corporate sponsors such as the SBB Research Group Foundation through its Champion A Charity Program.

Go-to-market is community-led: members are acquired through the 'Become a Member' pathway on CEL's website, community outreach, family/caregiver referrals, and school partnerships via The Nora Project. Distribution is dual-track — direct on-site programming at the Riverwoods hub for the Chicagoland member base, and national curriculum licensing via The Nora Project for schools. There are no disclosed technology products, AI/ML capabilities, or proprietary software platforms; the organization's primary capital asset is its accessible physical facility and its credentialed program staff. The CEO is identified as Herb, and the organization reports a headcount band of 101–250 employees.

Name

Center for Enriched Living

Legal name

Center for Enriched Living

Website

https://centerforenrichedliving.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Center for Enriched Living is a 1968-founded Illinois non-profit operating from a Universal Design facility in Riverwoods, delivering social/recreation, adult day, employment, mental health, and inclusion-education programs to 400+ members with intellectual and developmental disabilities across 55 Chicagoland communities, funded through donations and fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG), Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAH), Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills) (EDAMALAO)

Keywords

• Disability inclusion programs
• Developmental disability services
• Supported employment services
• Adult day programs
• Special needs recreation

Headquarters

HQ city

Riderwood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Philanthropy: CEL is a nonprofit organization that relies on donations from individuals, corporate partners, and foundations. The SBB Research Group Foundation sponsored a volunteer event at CEL in September 2025, indicating corporate giving as a revenue stream.
2. Car Raffle and Fundraising Events: CEL operates fundraising events including a car raffle (grand prize drawing on June 30, 2026 for a 2026 Ford Bronco Sport Big Bend or $30,000 in cash, with tickets priced at 1/$100 or 3/$275), a golf tournament, Chefs' Night, and Artful Evening.
3. Monthly Giving and Planned Giving: CEL offers monthly giving programs, tax-smart giving (gifts of stock), corporate matching, transformational gifts, and legacy gifts, indicating diversified philanthropic revenue streams.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Center for Enriched Living (CEL) is a non-profit that delivers disability inclusion programs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, organized across five pillars: Social and Recreation (bowling, art, music, socials, weekly programs, summer camp, weekend excursions), Adult Day (REACH and Catalyst Life Skills), Employment (job placement and employer engagement), Mental Health (Robert Vihon Family Resource Center), and Inclusion and Education (The Nora Project school curriculum). Services are delivered on-site at a Universal Design facility in Riverwoods, IL and via a national school curriculum.

Product overview

Center for Enriched Living (CEL) is a non-profit organization offering a comprehensive suite of programs and services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The organization operates as a multi-program platform organized into five core service areas: Social and Recreation (Program Guide, Events & Excursions, Weekly Programs, Summer Camp), Adult Day (REACH and Catalyst Life Skills), Employment (job seeker support, employer connections, success stories), Mental Health (Robert Vihon Family Resource Center), and Inclusion and Education (The Nora Project). CEL enriches lives through curricula in schools nationwide and local programs for teens, adults, and seniors, supporting a culture of inclusion from childhood to adulthood. The organization also conducts fundraising events including an annual car raffle, Chefs' Night, Golf Outing, Artful Evening, and World of Difference Campaign.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Nora Project: Inclusion and education program through curricula in schools nationwide
• REACH
• Catalyst Life Skills
• Robert Vihon Family Resource Center
• CEL Weekends
• Summer Camp

Products and services

• Social and Recreation Social interaction programs including bowling, art, ladies/guys night, music, socials, events, and excursions, giving members opportunities to make friends and engage in their communities.
• REACH Adult Day Adult Day Program designed for adults who have completed high school, providing ongoing learning, friendship-building, independence skills, and enriching experiences.
• Catalyst Life Skills Adult Day Adult Day Program focused on developing life skills for adults with developmental disabilities to support greater independence.
• Employment Services Employment pathway program that helps individuals with developmental disabilities achieve independence through job placement, career support, and employer engagement.
• Robert Vihon Family Resource Center Mental health and wellness support services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, and caregivers.
• The Nora Project School-based inclusion and education program providing curricula nationwide that promote disability inclusion from childhood through students and teachers nationwide.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% satisfaction rate among Employment members placed in jobs matching their interests
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Keshet: Illinois-based nonprofit focused on disability inclusion through education, recreation, and vocational programs for individuals with developmental disabilities — highly comparable to CEL in both geography and program mix.
• Best Buddies International: Nonprofit focused on creating friendships, employment opportunities, and inclusive programs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities — directly comparable to CEL's employment, social, and inclusion programming.
• The Arc: National disability advocacy and services organization operating local chapters that deliver social, recreation, employment, and residential programs to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities — closest direct peer to CEL's community-embedded IDD service mix.

Broad incumbents

• Special Olympics: Large global nonprofit offering sports training, competition, and inclusion programming for people with intellectual disabilities; overlaps with CEL's social/recreation and community-inclusion pillars but anchors on athletics.
• United Cerebral Palsy (UCP): National nonprofit network delivering housing, employment, and life-skills programs for people with cerebral palsy and other disabilities — comparable mission and service-mix to CEL, including adult day and employment services.
• Easterseals: One of the largest U.S. disability-services nonprofits, providing employment, day services, and inclusion programs for people with disabilities and special needs — directly comparable to CEL's five-pillar model but at far greater national scale.

Emerging players

• PathPoint: Nonprofit providing employment, community living, and behavioral health services for people with disabilities, with a strong vocational-rehabilitation orientation — comparable to CEL's Employment and Mental Health pillars.

Regional players

• Ray Graham Association: Chicagoland-area nonprofit providing residential, day, employment, and recreation services for people with developmental disabilities — the most direct local competitor to CEL in the same metro geography.
• Jewish Child & Family Services (JCFS): Chicagoland social services nonprofit offering disability services, counseling, and inclusion programs — broader than CEL but directly comparable on disability support and mental-health offerings.

Others

• Inclusion International: Global federation advocating for inclusion and rights of people with intellectual disabilities; thematically aligned with CEL's inclusion/education mission and The Nora Project, though operating as an umbrella advocacy network rather than a direct service provider.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/celfriends
• Xx.com/celfriends
• Facebookfacebook.com/CELfriends

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Center for Enriched Living