There’s a CNN Hero in Maywood who’s all about solutions for the developmental disabled neighborhood

Neighborhood builder. Advocate. CNN Hero. Maywood native Debra Vines wears all of the hats as CEO and founding father of The Reply, Inc., a Forest Park-based group that helps Black and brown individuals with mental or developmental disabilities and their households.

The High 10 CNN Heroes nominee title is one Vines began sporting Nov. 3, a recognition for her work with the nonprofit The Reply since its inception in 2007.

Vines estimates The Reply has equipped sources, coaching and programming for hundreds of people and caregivers. A staple on the Far West Facet, The Reply hosts occasions that foster the inclusion of individuals with mental or developmental disabilities into the bigger neighborhood. From holding caregiver help teams; internet hosting fundraisers to ship people with disabilities to camp; to conducting anti-bullying workshops for colleges and autism consciousness seminars for first responders, Vines mentioned The Reply exists to be an asset to those that come by way of its doorways.

“Every little thing we create is a blueprint of a necessity from the neighborhood,” Vines mentioned. “When you consider Black and brown communities, disabilities are all the time on the backside of the totem pole. It’s like ‘Oh, by the way in which, let’s give them a little bit assist.’ That’s why I’m actually boastful and unapologetic in regards to the work that I do. My major concern is the underresourced neighborhood. We by no means flip anybody away.”

On a latest Saturday, a 6-year-old lady in a pink coat bounced on her toes inside a Broadview Park District neighborhood heart as her dad and mom signed her in to partake in three hours of actions inside The Reply’s Spectrum College, actions similar to dance, studying and social abilities courses. Open to people from elementary college and past, the programming provides college students a possibility to study and interact with friends whereas giving their caregivers a little bit of a respite.

“Debra is a godsend,” mentioned Willie Akins, Broadview resident and mom to Drenna Akins, a 47-year-old with Down syndrome. “Drenna noticed her brother go to varsity, noticed her sister go to varsity and he or she needed to go to varsity. She heard about Spectrum College, heard the phrase college and he or she’s in school. Drenna can be a performer and Music N Me, that’s her coronary heart … my daughter’s life is full.”

Lydia Riley has been a fan of Vines for years. She considers The Reply her village, one which she turned part of when her oldest son, Camron, now 35, was identified with Down syndrome. “This village proper right here, I feel is crucial one as a result of it’s about them and their confidence, how they really feel and the way they relate to their friends,” she mentioned.

Vines has been all about serving households with family members who’ve mental and developmental disabilities after struggling to seek out sources for her youngest son, Jason Harlan, 35, when he was identified with autism as a toddler. Along with her late husband working nights, Vines mentioned she felt helpless, alone and depressed as her world centered on in search of companies for Harlan. What help she discovered was expensive and never centrally situated.

So she determined to fill the necessity herself by beginning The Reply, which started on the Maywood library as a support-group assembly for folks and guardians to speak about their experiences and challenges. That was in September 2007. By April 2008, Vines and her husband had their 501(c)(3) and the nonprofit has been rising ever since.

“Our predominant aim is to make it possible for households get what they want,” Vines mentioned. “Numerous different businesses simply do one factor. Our company offers schooling, recreation, help, workforce improvement and social abilities. We need to be certain that our youngsters not solely have a great time, however get life abilities.”

Earlier than The Reply, Riley and Akins had been doing what Vines did along with her little one — driving wherever and all over the place so their youngsters might take part in high quality, participating programming. After leaving state-funded academic programming, each did what they might to ensure their kids weren’t simply sitting at house idle on daily basis. Camron and Drenna are in day applications through the week, however weekends and 24-hour help is one other area of interest that The Reply offers. Each mothers mentioned Vines’ presence made them higher advocates for his or her kids and different households that may relate to their circumstances.

“We’re not going to speak about it; we’re gonna be about it,” Akins mentioned. “Debra opened the door out right here to get it going.”

“The Reply was an awakening for lots of people on this neighborhood and simply to see it develop and prosper to her now being nominated a CNN Hero, speaks volumes,” Riley mentioned.

Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson mentioned she crossed paths with Vines when Thompson was govt director on the Broadview Park District and has been a supporter since as a result of Vines “is doing the work.”

“I can’t thank her sufficient for that consciousness of, ‘They’re no totally different from you and I,’ ” Thompson mentioned. “She’s doing the work not only for the those that dwell within the township or the West Facet of Chicago. She faucets into individuals throughout the state, and whenever you change into an influencer on a platform similar to a CNN hero, it ought to deliver extra consciousness to the companies that these households want.”

Illinois state Rep. La Shawn Ford, eighth, mentioned the state wants Vines as a accomplice given her work with households and serving to professionals discover ways to acknowledge and respect people with autism. He and others say Vines’ recognition on a nationwide degree was lengthy overdue.

For the High 10 CNN Hero nominees, Subaru matched donations by way of a GoFundMe marketing campaign from Nov. 29, 2022, to Jan. 3, 2023, as much as $50,000 per hero. Vines raised a little bit over $20,000. Previous to her nomination, Vines was conserving The Reply afloat by way of fundraising and grants.

The CNN Hero winner was Nelly Cheboi, who creates pc labs for Kenyan schoolchildren.

Vines mentioned her CNN honor is beginning to sink in.

“I would really like for the individuals within the metropolis of Chicago to be enthusiastic about us,” she mentioned. “Individuals have been calling me from all around the United States. I acquired a name from a corporation in Uganda that desires to fly me out for 3 weeks to show dad and mom tips on how to advocate. We’re intentional on growing relationships and networking so if somebody wants us, they’ve us.”

drockett@chicagotribune.com