Disability Resource Center

What Disability Resource Center does

Disability Resource Center, legally organized as Will Grundy Center for Independent Living, is a nonprofit Center for Independent Living headquartered at 77 N. 129th Infantry Drive, Joliet, Illinois. The organization serves individuals with disabilities and their advocates in the Will and Grundy County areas, providing a portfolio of free services including individual and systems advocacy, peer counseling, information and referral, independent living skills training, and transition services for youth and individuals moving from institutional to community-based living. Specialized programs address deaf and hard-of-hearing services, early intervention for preschool children (Early Start PECT), personal assistant recruitment and training, assistive technology for children, free amplified phones via the ITAC program, housing referrals, public transportation training, and visual impairment support.

The organization operates without proprietary technology, delivering all services through direct in-person engagement at its Joliet headquarters and through community outreach. Its revenue model is entirely donation-based, relying on charitable contributions through PayPal, an annual appeal campaign, a sponsors program for businesses, Goodshop e-commerce donation rebates, United Way support, and presumed government grants as a federally/state-recognized Center for Independent Living affiliated with the Illinois Network of Centers for Independent Living (INCIL). All services are provided at no cost to eligible recipients.

The go-to-market motion is community-led, with marketing conducted through the organization website (drcjoliet.org), a Facebook presence, quarterly newsletters, community events, and dual chamber of commerce memberships in Grundy County and the Joliet Region. Strategic partnerships span United Way (core funding), INCIL (statewide coordination), ITAC (assistive technology distribution), Joliet Junior College (educational resources), and local chambers of commerce, forming a regional service and funding ecosystem that anchors the organization's two-county operating footprint.

Name

Disability Resource Center

Legal name

Will Grundy Center for Independent Living dba Disability Resource Center Joliet

Website

https://drcjoliet.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Disability Resource Center is a nonprofit Center for Independent Living serving individuals with disabilities in Illinois's Will and Grundy County areas through free advocacy, peer counseling, independent living skills training, transition services, and assistive technology programs, funded by donations, sponsorships, and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Support Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM), Note-Taking, Interpreting & Communication Access Services (EDALAGAD)

Keywords

• Disability advocacy services
• Independent living support
• Peer counseling
• Assistive technology access
• Community transition services

Headquarters

HQ city

Joliet

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: The organization accepts charitable donations through PayPal, as evidenced by the prominent donation button on their website.
2. Sponsorships: Annual sponsors program for businesses and organizations to support the center's operations.
3. Annual Appeal: Annual fundraising campaign to support organizational operations and programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Disability Resource Center is a Center for Independent Living that provides free advocacy, peer counseling, information and referral, independent living skills training, and community transition services to people with disabilities in the Will and Grundy County areas of Illinois. The organization complements these core services with specialized programs such as ITAC amplified phones, a personal assistant program, assistive technology for children, deaf and hard of hearing services, housing referrals, public transportation training, and disability awareness training.

Product overview

Disability Resource Center is a Center for Independent Living providing a comprehensive suite of services to empower persons with disabilities in the Will and Grundy County areas. The organization offers a unified portfolio of core services including Advocacy, Peer Counseling, Information & Referral, Independent Living Skills, and Transition Services. These are complemented by specialized programs such as Deaf/Hard of Hearing Services, Assistive Technology for Children, ITAC Free Amplified Phones, and Personal Assistant Program. Additional support services include Housing Referral, Public Transportation Training, Visual Impairment Services, and community education through Disability Awareness Training, Seminars & Workshops, and Voter Registration assistance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Individual and Systems Advocacy

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United WaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDRC receives support from United Way as shown by the United Way logo displayed on their website. United Way is a major nonprofit funding partner for community organizations serving local needs.
• Illinois Network of Centers for Independent Living (INCIL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDRC is affiliated with INCIL, the statewide network of Centers for Independent Living. INCIL provides coordination, resources, and advocacy support for member centers serving individuals with disabilities across Illinois.
• Grundy County Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDRC maintains membership in the Grundy County Chamber of Commerce for community networking and business connections in the Grundy County area.
• Joliet Region Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDRC maintains membership in the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce for community networking and business connections in the Joliet region.
• Joliet Junior CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDRC provides resources and potentially educational services in partnership with Joliet Junior College, as listed under their Resources section for students with disabilities.
• ITAC (Illinois Telecommunications Access Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDRC serves as an ITAC Amplified Phone Selection Center, providing free amplified phones to individuals with hearing impairments through this statewide program.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• United Cerebral Palsy: National disability services and advocacy organization operating affiliates that provide direct support, housing, and life skills programs. Comparable service portfolio to DRC's transition and personal assistance work, but at national federation scale.
• Easterseals: National nonprofit providing disability and related services (autism, veterans, workforce, aging) across hundreds of affiliates. Comparable mission and funding mix but vastly larger scale, broader service scope, and stronger donor brand.
• The Arc of the United States: National advocacy organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with state and local chapters. Comparable advocacy and independent living mission, but operates as a much larger federated entity with greater fundraising scale.

Emerging players

• Prairie State Legal Services: Illinois-based legal aid nonprofit serving low-income individuals including persons with disabilities with civil legal services. Comparable in mission overlap on disability rights advocacy, but focused on legal representation rather than independent living service delivery.

Direct peers

• Progress Center for Independent Living: Illinois Center for Independent Living serving DuPage, Kane, Kendall, and suburban Cook with IL skills, advocacy, and youth transition. Peer under INCIL with matching CIL mandate and grant-funded model.
• LIFE Center for Independent Living: Illinois CIL serving DuPage, Will, and nearby counties with advocacy, independent living, and transition programs. Direct competing peer under INCIL with overlapping Will County catchment, comparable service mix, and similar funding structure.
• RAMP (Regional Access & Mobility Project): Illinois CIL focused on disability advocacy and independent living services, with strong emphasis on transition from institutional settings. Directly comparable peer under the same CIL designation and INCIL membership.
• Access Living: Chicago-based Center for Independent Living providing advocacy, peer support, IL skills training, and transition services to persons with disabilities. Operates the same federally recognized CIL model as DRC at a larger metropolitan scale, making it the closest comparable peer in Illinois.
• Springfield Center for Independent Living: Illinois CIL operating in Sangamon and surrounding counties with advocacy, IL skills, and transition programs. Same CIL designation and INCIL affiliation as DRC.
• Southern Illinois Center for Independent Living: Federally funded CIL serving a multi-county catchment in southern Illinois with the core CIL service suite (advocacy, peer counseling, IL skills, transition). Comparable in scope, governance, and funding model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DRCJoliet
• Xx.com/DRCJoliet
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/will-grundy-center-for-independent-living

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Disability Resource Center