"BUILDING DREAMS, DREAMING BUILDINGS" Capital Campaign - Case Statement

CAMPAIGN GOAL:
Children from this class include: Professional Artists, Lawyers & Award Winning Actors The goal of the “Building Dreams, Dreaming Buildings” Capital Campaign and Endowment Fund is to construct a state-of-the-art building designed specifically to meet the unique needs of the Deaf Community. Our new home will contain three sections with the first being a modern Artistic Center, featuring a fully accessible theater, a Children’s Museum on Deafness, an Art Gallery featuring the artistic works of Deaf and Hard of Hearing artists, a Dance Studio and a TV Studio. Second, our complex will feature a one-of-a-kind university teacher-training program at the graduate and undergraduate level. The third section of the building will provide an Intervention, Research & Diagnostic center for children as young as six months, adolescents, adults and seniors receiving a cochlear implant.

HISTORY:
The faces may be different, but their dream of success is still ICODA’s mission. In 1973, Dr. Patricia Scherer began offering educational programs in the arts to Deaf and Hard of Hearing children because she realized, through her research, that significant gains are possible when Deaf and Hard of Hearing students are given the opportunity to express themselves through the arts. Dr. Scherer started the Children’s Theatre and the Creative Arts Festival programs as a vehicle for the deaf child to not only participate in, but to be given the opportunity to “thrive” based on their own creativity and talent. Not only did our students excel, but they reached an unbelievable level of success in the world at large and our programs grew nationally and then internationally. Today, ICODA is a 501-C3 incorporated, not-for-profit organization, which is internationally recognized for its success helping Deaf and Hard of Hearing children and young adults to realize their dreams.

CURRENT PROGRAMS & SERVICES:
Camp Workshop with Bernard Bragg, Actor & Founder of The National Theatre of the Deaf

ICODA has been developed over the years and currently includes the
following programs:

    • CenterLight Theatre
    • Icodance Company
    • CenterLight Children’s Theatre
    • Story-N-Sign Performing Troupe
    • Traveling Hands Troupe
    • International Creative Arts Camp
    • Early Intervention & Childhood Program
    • University Partnership with Illinois State University, Oakton Community College & ICODA (I.O.I.)

In addition to these programs, we offer Arts Education and creative development to deaf and hard of hearing children with Mental Health issues. This is done through our affiliated organization, Mental Health and Deafness Resources, Inc. (MH&DR)
Shown in this photo is one of the students who benefits from our partnership with MH&DR. He is participating in a group mural project held during a Winter Camp session with the ICODA staff.


ICODA’S NEED FOR FUTURE GROWTH:
The need for ICODA to grow and expand its programs is based upon our universal success and our realization that we can help more people if we are able to move to a new modern facility. Our new building will allow us to:
• Give increasing numbers of talented children the opportunity to develop their artistic skills in our new Arts Center.
• Provide pre-service, graduate and in-service training for professionals in the field of deafness in our unique University Teacher Training Center.
• To provide new knowledge about the development of Deaf & Hard of Hearing children thru diagnostics and research and to create innovative intervention programs in education, mental health & specialized programs in our Intervention, Diagnostic & Research Center. The building will permit us to expand our current programs and initiate new ones, thereby giving us the opportunity to reach hundreds of children, irrespective of where they live.

PLAN FOR ADDRESSING THESE NEEDS:

The goal of the Capital Campaign is twenty-five million dollars. We will seek new funding opportunities as well as continue to raise funds through the following methods:

    • Individual donations and pledges
    • Corporate grants
    • Foundation grants
    • Federal and State grants
    • Small Business and Service Organization donations
    • Special Events

      The following agencies have recognized ICODA’s mission throughout the years:


      State & Federal:
      • U.S. Office of Special Education
      • National Endowment of the Arts
      • Federal Congressional Earmark
      • General Revenue Budget
      • Illinois First Funds
      • Illinois Arts Council
      • Illinois Museum & Humanity Services

      Foundations & Corporations:

      • The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation
      • Polk Foundation
      • Blowitz Ridgeway Foundation
      • Ada Crown Foundation
      • Chicago Community Trust
      • Dr. Scholl Foundation
      • AT&T
      • Lucent Technology

       

      • Abbott Labs
      • Walgreen’s
      • Northbrook Rotary Club
      • Lion’s Club
      • Kiwanis Club
      • Northbrook Civic Association
      • The Peacock Foundation

    Additional Funding to date has been received through ICODA’s internal fundraising efforts:

    • Annual Appeal
    • Golf Benefit
    • Art Show Benefit
    • Annual Benefit
    • Race Car Benefit
    • American Girl Fashion Show
    • Fashion Show Benefit