Agencies

Independent Living of Niagara County

Name: WNYIL Annual Meeting
Start: 2025-06-10
End: 2025-06-10
Location: Salvatore’s

Serving people with disabilities in Niagara County.

Our Vision

Independent Living of Niagara County is a premier peer support provider serving as a catalyst for community advocacy and the empowerment of people with disabilities.

Our Mission

Independent Living of Niagara County is the leader in providing peer-run programs and services that encourage and educate individuals with disabilities. Employing experience and utilizing genuineness, the dedicated staff of ILNC facilitate community change that empowers persons with disabilities to live, work, and engage within their communities.

Ways We Can Help

Housing Referrals and Support

Consider Lilly’s story. Lilly was 58-year-old woman who was sent to a nursing home for rehabilitation and developed gangrene in her leg. While the nursing home staff attempted to treat it, they denied her request to see a different medical provider. When Lilly was finally permitted to see an outside doctor, her leg worsened and had to be amputated. After the operation, Lilly was transferred from rehabilitation to long-term nursing, resulting in a reduction of her Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) to $30 per month, with the balance of the money used to pay her nursing home medical bill. No longer able to pay her rent, this resulted in Lilly losing her residence and her possessions. While in the nursing home, Lilly also began to decompensate mentally from inadequate care and restrictions on her movement.

In need of an advocate, our Independent Living Specialist (ILS) met Lilly at the nursing home to explain how the New York State Department of Health’s Olmstead Housing Subsidy grant could help her to live independently again. Lilly signed a lease for a new apartment and received furniture paid for by Olmstead. Back in charge of her own life, Lilly is in better mental health and has hope for the future.

Our Programs and Services

Want to get involved?

Council Membership

ILNC has a regional board of directors who monitor, direct, recommend, and oversee the budget, and assist the Director in achieving the agency’s overall goals.

Volunteer

Do you have a passion for helping others? Do you often find yourself sharing advice or connecting people with one another? Are you a leader or would you like a chance to practice your leadership skills? Join our team.

For these or other opportunities, contact us at 716-284-4131.