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RAMP tells DeKalb Township it served more local residents last year, highlights youth and employment programs
Summary
At a July 21 DeKalb Township meeting, RAMP representatives described services for people with disabilities — independent living supports, employment programs including Project SEARCH, and youth curricula — and said DeKalb County saw a 38% increase in residents served from FY25 to FY26.
Representatives from RAMP briefed the DeKalb Township Board of Trustees on July 21 about the nonprofit’s local services and recent increases in clients served.
“Kram's mission is to build an inclusive community that encourages individuals with disabilities to reach their full potential,” said Katie Lee, introduced by the board as RAMP’s chief services officer. Lee and Jessica Wixel, RAMP’s community engagement coordinator, described four core program areas: independent living services, youth services, employment services and community services. Lee told the board that in the last fiscal year RAMP provided one-on-one support to 175 DeKalb County residents and handled 307 information-and-referral contacts; she also said the number of DeKalb residents served rose by 38% between fiscal years 2025 and 2026.
The presenters outlined specific supports: Jessica Wixel described independent living services such as budgeting help, bus training and home-management supports meant to prevent institutionalization, noting that some programs (for example, traumatic brain injury case management) require documentation while many services accept self-identification. On employment, the presentation highlighted Project SEARCH, a hospital-based internship program with multi-site rotations that RAMP said produces strong job-placement outcomes for participating students.
Supervisor (meeting chair) thanked RAMP for the presentation and noted township funding supports the organization’s work. RAMP representatives said they would follow up with requested budget and operating figures.
