Northern Star Diana King, information and referral specialist working at RAMP's new location 115 N First St.
RAMP hopes move will increase community recognition
Publish Date:02/18/2010
By James Peters
DeKalb RAMP, a non-profit, non-residential center for independent living, moved to a new location Jan. 11.
Tina Vavra, DeKalb County RAMP manager, said “circumstances beyond RAMP’s control” led RAMP to move from the corner of Lincoln Highway and Annie Glidden Road, a location it occupied for almost 10 years, to 115 N. First St.
Vavra said she hopes the move will allow RAMP to better serve the community.
“We are now located at the gateway to downtown DeKalb,” Vavra said. “We are in a central location for all our consumers and close to the bus stop.”
DeKalb Mayor Kris Povlsen, whose mayoral campaign office was located in the same building as RAMP’s new location, said he believes the new location will provide RAMP with the chance to be more visible to the community.
“It’s a high traffic area, and there are a lot of cars there that go along First Street,” Povlsen said. “There is plenty of parking, making it very accessible, and I think being located in the downtown area will make it much more visible to the community.”
Vavra said RAMP is also now located in the same building as United Way, which has been a Ramp affiliate since 2000.
“It’s always a great thing when you know and respect your neighbors,” Vavra said. “As affiliates of the United Way, we strongly believe in [its] mission and know [it is] an important part of our community.”
Betsy Petrie, the coordinator of finance and outreach at the Kishwaukee United Way, whose office is directly above RAMP’s office, said RAMP is one of 30 area organizations that United Way funds. Other local organizations include Safe Passage, Hope Haven, the Red Cross and Opportunity House.
Petrie said the move will allow members of the community to recognize and remember RAMP.
“The move can only be positive for them; services such as RAMP depend very much upon visibility because they desire to assist and kind of even the playing field for persons with disabilities,” Petrie said. “How do you spread the word for an organization like that? Having a sign on the street with [its] logo on Lincoln Highway may cause people to draw a connection to [RAMP] and remember them.”
RAMP’s move also allows the center to be more accessible.
“One of our goals is to be as accessible to our consumers as possible and we feel our new location will help us do that,” Vavra said. “We hope to continue building a great relationship within our county we serve.”
Povlsen said RAMP helps the community provide opportunities to those who may not otherwise have them.
“I think that a community needs to embrace all of its citizens and recognize that different people have different strengths,” he said. “We need to make sure we are a community providing everybody with opportunities and involvement in the community. That is something RAMP helps provide.”
Petrie agreed with Vavra.
“This is a very beautiful space with good parking and easy access,” Petrie said. “I know these are some of the things they were looking to improve when they had made the decision to move.”
According to a document provided by Vavra, RAMP was established in 1980.
The document says RAMP’s mission is “to promote an accessible society that allows and expects full participation by people with disabilities.”
RAMP also has offices in Boone County, Stephenson County and Winnebago County.
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