Southwestern Independent Living Center

What Southwestern Independent Living Center does

Southwestern Independent Living Center, Inc. (SILC) is a private, non-residential nonprofit organization founded in 1983 under a grant from the New York State Office of Vocational Rehabilitation and headquartered at 843 N. Main St., Jamestown, NY. The organization delivers independent living services to individuals with disabilities in Chautauqua County, with the vast majority of services provided free of charge. Core services include information and referral, advocacy, benefits advisement (SSI/SSDI), housing assistance, architectural barriers consultation, peer support, independent living skills training, transportation (wheelchair-accessible van), TDD/relay services, interpreter referrals, and equipment loans. Specialized programs include Medicaid Facilitated Enrollment, the No Wrong Door/NY Connects Program, the Family First! family support initiative, and youth peer support programs. The organization is staffed by approximately 8 members including a licensed attorney Executive Director (Marie T. Carrubba, Esq., serving since 1983), NY Certified Case Managers, and Independent Living Specialists.

SILC's business model is grant-funded and community-served rather than commercial. Revenue is derived primarily from government grants and contracts — historically the NY State Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, and most recently a $500,000 Opioid Recovery Trust for Schools grant awarded in September 2025 through collaboration with Brocton Central School District. Only two services generate direct fees: transportation and Social Security appeals representation. The go-to-market motion is community-led: referrals come from schools, healthcare providers, social services agencies, and word-of-mouth, with services delivered through office visits, home visits, community events, and the Rural Mobile Medical Unit Health and Wellness Initiative. Distribution is geographically concentrated to Chautauqua County; the organization does not operate technology products, APIs, or proprietary software, and relies on the NY State 711 Relay Service to reach deaf and hearing-impaired participants.

Name

Southwestern Independent Living Center

Legal name

Southwestern Independent Living Center, Inc.

Website

https://silcchq.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Southwestern Independent Living Center is a nonprofit founded in 1983 that provides free independent living services, advocacy, and benefits support to individuals with disabilities in Chautauqua County, NY, funded primarily by government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Living and Disability Support Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Housing Transition & Supported Living Navigation (EDAKANAK)

Keywords

• Disability services
• Independent living
• Benefits advisement
• Community advocacy
• Peer support

Headquarters

HQ city

Jamestown

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. Grant Funding: Established in 1983 under grant from New York State Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. Operates as a private, nonprofit agency primarily funded through government grants and contracts.
2. Fee-Based Services: Majority of services are free to participants. Two exceptions may incur fees: Transportation services and Social Security appeals handled on behalf of participants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Southwestern Independent Living Center is a nonprofit Independent Living Center delivering free, person-centered services to individuals with disabilities in Chautauqua County, NY. Core offerings include advocacy, benefits advisement (SSI/SSDI), housing assistance, architectural barrier consultation, peer support, independent living skills training, transportation, TDD/relay and interpreter services, equipment loans (loan closet), Medicaid facilitated enrollment, and the No Wrong Door/NY Connects program. The center operates its Rural Mobile Medical Unit Health and Wellness Initiative and the annual Family, School, and Community Connections Symposium to reach rural residents.

Product overview

Southwestern Independent Living Center (SILC) offers a comprehensive suite of independent living services for individuals with disabilities, delivered through multiple coordinated programs. Core services include Information and Referral, Advocacy, Benefits Advisement, Housing Assistance, Architectural Barriers Consultation, Peer Support, Independent Living Skills and Training, Transportation, TDD/Relay Services, Interpreter Referrals, and Equipment Loans. The organization also operates specialized programs including Medicaid Facilitated Enrollment, the No Wrong Door / NY Connects Program, and the Family First! family support initiative. Services are primarily free to participants, with transportation and Social Security appeals as fee-based exceptions. The center serves as a hub connecting disabled individuals with community resources across Chautauqua County, NY.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Information and Referral Services Staff members assist individuals with disabilities in locating appropriate services and providers for their specific needs.
• Advocacy Services Advice on legal and civil rights of persons with disabilities for individuals experiencing difficulties obtaining benefits or accessing services, with emphasis on self-advocacy.
• Benefits Advisement (SSI/SSDI) Helps SSI and SSDI recipients understand how working will affect their benefits such as Medicaid and Medicare, maximizing employment opportunities.
• Housing Assistance Maintains a list of subsidized, accessible housing and assists individuals in locating or adapting homes to their needs.
• Architectural Barriers Consultation Consultation and advocacy concerned with the removal of architectural barriers for individuals with disabilities.
• Peer Support Disabled individuals meet with staff (peer counselors) to discuss common experiences, support one another's efforts, and provide guidance toward increased independence.
• Independent Living Skills and Training Training in community mobility, home management, personal care attendant selection and supervision, self-care, financial management, time management, consumer affairs, social skills, sexuality, educational and vocational options, and wheelchair maintenance.
• Transportation Services Referral to community services and driver training, plus wheelchair-accessible van transportation for participants needing housing viewings, staff consultations, or otherwise inaccessible services (fee-based exception).
• TDD/Relay Services Communication access for deaf and hearing-impaired individuals to contact the agency through NY State 711 Relay Service.
• Interpreter Referral Services Referral services for hearing-impaired or speech-impaired persons.
• Equipment Loans (Loan Closet) Loan of wheelchairs, walkers, and other personal equipment to participants.
• Medicaid Facilitated Enrollment Helps elderly, legally blind, and disabled persons in Chautauqua County navigate the Medicaid application process.
• No Wrong Door / NY Connects Program A program that connects individuals with disabilities to services and resources across multiple systems.
• Family First! Program A family support program providing year-round family and individual supports for students and families affected by the opioid crisis, with emphasis on additional summer supports; reduces stigma and promotes healing within the community.
• Youth Peer Support Programs Peer support services for youth, including transition services for students with disabilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 429 attendees and 112 unique programs at 2026 symposium
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Brocton Central School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2025Strategic partnership for opioid crisis support and community wellness. Collaboratively awarded $500,000 Opioid Recovery Trust for Schools grant. Partnership includes annual symposium hosting and Rural Mobile Medical Unit Health and Wellness Initiative events.
• UPMC ChautauquaminorOthersSponsor of the 2026 Family, School, and Community Connections Symposium and Rural Mobile Medical Unit Health and Wellness Initiative Event.
• RefrescominorOthersSponsor of the 2026 Family, School, and Community Connections Symposium.
• Brocton BoostersminorOthersSponsor of the 2026 Family, School, and Community Connections Symposium.
• Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit UnionminorOthersSponsor of the 2026 Family, School, and Community Connections Symposium.
• M and T Bank MayvilleminorOthersSponsor of the 2026 Family, School, and Community Connections Symposium.
• Wegman'sminorOthersSponsor of the 2026 Family, School, and Community Connections Symposium.
• Prime Care CoordinationminorOthersSponsor of the 2026 Family, School, and Community Connections Symposium.
• University at Buffalo Health on WheelscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMobile health unit partnership providing free health screenings and care directly to communities at symposium events.
• Vet CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVA healthcare partnership providing veteran outreach and services at community wellness events.
• Fidelis CarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMobile health units providing services at community wellness initiative events.
• CHQ TransportationminorOthersProvides free transportation to symposium and wellness events to ensure community members can participate.
• The Resource CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical founding partner; originally received grant through The Resource Center in 1983 to establish the Center for Independent Living. The Resource Center continued administrative assistance until 1987.
• NY State Relay ServicecoreTechnology or Integration711 relay service enabling deaf and hearing-impaired individuals to contact the agency via TDD.
• Senator George BorrellominorOthersNew York State Senator for 57th District who supported the Opioid Recovery Trust for Schools grant application.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc. Chautauqua Opportunities is a community action agency serving Chautauqua County that delivers anti-poverty, housing, and disability-related services. As a fellow Chautauqua County-based human services nonprofit with overlapping service populations and referral relationships, it is a direct comparable peer operating in the same geographic market.
• AccessCNY: AccessCNY operates as a Center for Independent Living in the Syracuse/CNY region, providing advocacy, independent living skills training, benefits advisement, and housing assistance to people with disabilities. It operates the same federal CIL service model as SILC, making it a closely comparable peer in terms of service mix and target population.
• The Resource Center: The Resource Center was SILC's founding partner in 1983, receiving the original NY State grant to establish the Center for Independent Living. It continues to operate as a community-based disability services organization serving Chautauqua County, providing vocational rehabilitation, employment services, and disability supports—directly overlapping SILC's service portfolio.
• ARISE: ARISE is a New York State independent living center and disability services organization serving Onondaga County and surrounding regions. It provides advocacy, benefits advisement, independent living skills training, and peer support—directly mirroring SILC's service portfolio under the federal CIL program model.
• Directions in Independent Living (DIIL): DIIL was originally established by SILC in 1988 as its Olean Center for Independent Living before becoming independent after the first year. DIIL now serves Cattaraugus and Allegany counties, the same two counties SILC originally served before consolidating to Chautauqua, making it the closest organizational peer with shared heritage and identical service offerings.

Others

• National Council on Independent Living (NCIL): NCIL is the national membership organization for Centers for Independent Living, providing advocacy, training, and federal policy representation for the CIL network that SILC belongs to. While not a direct service provider, NCIL shapes the federal funding environment and policy direction that determines SILC's operating context.

Broad incumbents

• ACCES-VR (NYS Adult Career and Continuing Education Services - Vocational Rehabilitation): ACCES-VR is the New York State agency that has funded SILC since its 1983 founding and oversees all NY Centers for Independent Living relationships. While not a direct service competitor, ACCES-VR sets the regulatory and funding framework that defines SILC's operating model, making it a defining incumbent stakeholder.
• NYSARC, Inc. NYSARC is the statewide umbrella network for chapters serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities across New York. As a much larger and broader organization, it provides overlapping disability services and advocacy, but is a multi-county, multi-program network rather than a single-county CIL.

Regional players

• Rochester Center for Independent Living (RCIL): RCIL is a federally funded Center for Independent Living serving the greater Rochester, NY region. It provides the standard CIL portfolio of advocacy, peer support, independent living skills, and benefits navigation—directly paralleling SILC's service mix but operating in a different upstate NY geography.
• Center for Independence of the Disabled in New York (CIDNY): CIDNY is a New York City-based Center for Independent Living providing advocacy, benefits counseling, and independent living services. As another NY CIL operating the same federal model, it is highly comparable in mission and service structure, though it serves a major urban market rather than a rural county.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southwestern-independent-living-center-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Southwestern Independent Living Center