At Shore Community Services, CEO Alexis India Alm said it is easy to keep her passion ignited. “I simply need to take a walk down our hallways,” she said. “I see our clients learning new things, interacting with their friends and excited about their experiences.”
Simply put, Alm said she enjoys seeing the clients enjoying life. “They inspire me every day,” said Alm. “We are changing people’s quality of life for the better, every single day.”
For more than 72 years, Shore Community Services has been meeting the needs of children and adults with intellectual and other developmental disabilities throughout Chicago and its North Shore communities. The nonprofit’s tagline is “Guiding Individual Abilities,” which aims to empower every individual to achieve greater independence and a higher quality of life.
With more than 25 years of nonprofit success, when Alm joined the organization as CEO, her primary role was to help with fundraising needs. The agency was in the midst of a stalled multi-million capital campaign while facing significant financial challenges. Her efforts have led to more state funding for specialized services as well as an increase in donations and the number of donors for the nonprofit.
“Ms. Alm secured a $500,000 gift, which is one of the largest in Shore’s history, by having the time to cultivate a strong relationship with a long-time donor,” said her staff. “She is dedicated to our mission, looks for ways to address our current needs and knows how to sustain a brighter future for individuals with special needs.”
Alm said she sees the future of Shore Community Services as an exciting endeavor. “I believe the future of support services to individuals with developmental disabilities will see more integration of AI and technology so that people can safely be more independent,” she said.
Her vision also includes enhancing the agency’s current offerings, including a premier vocational and job training program and the creation of a 12-week certificate program that focuses on job training while promoting best practices in employment services.
Alm credits her commitment to being a lifelong learner and her admiration of her dedicated staff as the only way to reignite her passion as the CEO. “Their efforts inspire me to keep learning and growing to find ways to continue to add value, quality and passion in each of their lives,” Alm said.
For her passion and work to provide care to people of all abilities, Alm has been named a titan.
