About Us

SHORE’s mission is to improve the quality of life for persons with developmental disabilities through educational, residential, vocational and related programs provided with community integrated supports and services.

SHORE Sign

SHORE's Milestones: 1949 - 2008

Milestones are symbols. They represent countless hours of volunteer and staff effort, the sharing of talents and resources, and the passions of people who wanted to build a better future for individuals with developmental disabilities. As you read the highpoints of SHORE Community Services, try to remember the very human side of these Milestones.

1949 The first school for North Shore children with mental retardation was held in the Evanston home of Lois and Thomas J. Lloyd.
1951 The North Shore Association for Retarded Children was legally incorporated as a private not-for profit. A summer play school was started at Leahy Park in Evanston.
1952 The school was relocated to the basement of the Covenant Methodist Church for 12 children. A Sunday School group was started at First Baptist Church.
1953 The school program, now known as Park School, became one of six state supported pilot projects for children with moderate and severe intellectual disabilities.
1954 The Evanston School Board assumed responsibility for Park School for children ages 6-16. The program the Lloyd's started was renamed Shore School and continued as a private, non-profit organization, supporting children more severely disabled who were not eligible to be served by the new district rules. A nursery was also developed at the First Baptist Church.
1955 Christmas Tree sale proceeds began as a Building Fund for a permanent school facility.
1957 Shore School moved to the Unitarian Church. Local United Fund monies assisted Shore.
1959 Property along the Sanitary Canal on Church Street was secured to build a new school.
1960 Shore School was again relocated to the Bethlehem Lutheran Church.
1962 Shore School was constructed and opened three classrooms and a workshop for 40 youngsters, which included: administrative offices for the North Shore Association for Retarded Children at 2525 Church Street in Evanston.
1963 The Department of Mental Health began subsidizing programs.
1965 Two classrooms, a multi-purpose room and a sheltered workshop plant were added to Shore School through private fundraising.
1966 A diagnostic nursery began serving youngsters ages 2 - 5.
1967 Five offices for professional and clerical staff were built onto the workshop plant through public funds under the Laird Amendment. Recognizing service to adults, the Association name was changed to North Shore Association for the Retarded.
1970 A second Evanston workshop plant was leased on 616 Hartrey Avenue to provide service to 75 adult work trainees.
1971 Shore receives its' 1st National Accreditation from CARF - The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.
1972 The diagnostic nursery was reorganized to serve children from birth to three and was renamed the Early Childhood Intervention program.
1974 A third workshop plant opened at 8900 Gross Point Road in Skokie to adequately serve increased applicants and provide greater accessibility to west suburban residents.
1976 Shore purchased a row of five townhomes in Evanston for residents with developmental disabilities and named them the Patricia Lloyd Townhomes, in honor of SHORE's first student.
1978 The Patricia Lloyd Townhomes opened after many legal battles as a Supported Living Program.
1980 The Work Activity program and the workshop programs moved out of 2525 Church and 616 Hartrey into a larger facility located at 1225 Hartrey, Evanston.
1981 The north end of Shore School was remodeled to create office and classroom space.
1982 Shore received a $1.2 million Housing and Urban Development loan to begin looking at building two group homes.
1983 A separate location at 616 Hartrey was established for the Work Activity Program for individuals age 21 years or older and became Shore Adult Center.
1984 Shore Homes East, an ICF-DD (Intermediate Care Facility for Developmentally Disabled) opened in Evanston and Shore Homes West, a CLF (Community Living Facility) opened in Skokie.
1985 Through a connection made by Lois Lloyd, Shore forms a partnership with ChildServe to jointly operate a volunteer re-sale shop, Second Time Around Thrift & Gift Shop, 4123 Oakton in Skokie.
1986 Supported Employment was added to the vocational services.
1987 North Shore Association for the Retarded changed its name to Shore Community Services for Retarded Citizens. Shore initiates In-Home Respite Services, providing temporary supervision for high-risk adults with developmental disabilities.
1990 Shore Adult Center moves from 616 Hartrey into the rehabilitated section of SHORE School, thus eliminating the leased Hartrey building.
1990 Shore's Administrative offices move from the north end of Shore School, to an office suite in the Gross Point Road Office Complex in Skokie.
1991 Shore purchases a 27,000 square foot building at 8035 Austin Ave. Morton Grove to eventually accommodate both of Shore's Training Centers (1225 Hartrey and Gross Point Road).
1993 Shore Training Center initiates a Seniors Program for adults with developmental disabilities who are 55 years or older and choose a retirement activities day schedule.
1994 Shore begins a CILA (Community Integrated Living Arrangement) program with small group homes in Evanston and Skokie.
1995 Shore moves into its own office building at 4232 Dempster, Skokie, and named it Regenstein Center in honor of the efforts of Betsy Regenstein Hartman, whose family foundation underwrote the cost of building.
1998 Organization changes its name to SHORE Community Services, Inc.
1998 SHORE acquires Bronx Tile Building, adjacent to Regenstein Center, remodels the building and constructs offices for program personnel.
1999 SHORE became the sole owner and operator of the Second Time Around Thrift & Gift Shop.
2000 SHORE opens new CILA in Skokie and organizes an agency-wide staff training program.
2000 SHORE closed the school program for 3-21 year olds.
2000 A condominium was converted from a CILA to a Supported Living apartment unit.
2001 SHORE celebrates it's 50th Anniversary.
2001 SHORE marks 30 consecutive years of being accredited by CARF, a prestigious international accredited organization.
2001 Renamed SHORE School at 2525 Church Street to the Lois Lloyd Center, in honor of SHORE's founder and inspiration.
2001 Renamed Skokie CILA to Karger House, after longtime supporter and friend, Mrs. Jean F. Karger.
2002 SHORE initiates Home Base Support Services Coordination.
2002 Renamed SHORE Homes East to the Buehler House, in honor of Board Members and longtime supporters, Arthur and Joyce Buehler.
2005 Purchased the Second Time Around Thrift & Gift Shop building (4123 Oakton, Skokie) and the building next door (4125 Oakton) for the Early Childhood Intervention program.
2005 Opened a new CILA in Skokie, named Laura House, after the daughter of a major supporter in its development.
2006 Finished the rehabbing of 4125 Oakton and the renamed Early Intervention program moved into this site.
2007 Renamed the Training Center in Morton Grove to the Joseph Koenig, Sr. Training Center in honor of his support in expanding the warehouse by 33% or 8400 additional square feet.