New Facility Benefits
Meeting Rooms
Access to three private meeting rooms in the new building as described in the plan will dramatically affect the
manner in which NSSRA is able to conduct its business. Families and participants will be able to discuss private
and sometimes difficult information with staff in a private, comfortable meeting room without interruption. These
sensitive and confidential meetings typically occur when a family first becomes involved with NSSRA or when
behavioral issues arise. This addition provides space to deliver the professional level of services that families and
participants expect from NSSRA. Meeting rooms will enhance staff’s ability to accomplish goals by using them
regularly to meet with other NSSRA staff, partner agency staff and other community providers.
Programming/Training Space
The addition of accessible multi-purpose training/programming space and a teaching kitchen in the NSSRA
building will improve NSSRA’s all around service delivery. The training space will allow NSSRA to centralize
its training sessions, adding efficiency to this critical operation. The dedicated space will provide contingency
programming space when unforeseen circumstances at a scheduled facility results in program cancellation.
In addition, this dedicated space will allow ongoing programs to be scheduled at the new facility, but will not
detract from NSSRA’s need to primarily program in its partner agency facilities throughout the northern suburbs
of Chicago.
Safety
Providing a drop-off and pick-up area that is not part of the traffic pattern will eliminate a huge safety concern
that exists at the current NSSRA building. Locating with a partner agency’s facility will ensure that NSSRA is in a
recreation setting as opposed to an industrial park. Families, participants and staff will be safer when picking up
and dropping off after hours; as partner agency facilities are commonly open into the evening.
Office Space
Adequate office space for the NSSRA staff will ensure more efficient operations. Each NSSRA staff having
their own office will eliminate the distractions of others in the office on the phone or preparing for programs.
Adequate office space will also allow staff the flexibility to meet with families without having to find suitable
meeting space or to ask their officemate to relocate. Ideally, office space located on one level will promote staff
cohesiveness and improve morale.
Storage
On site storage in a new facility will save staff time and financial resources. Staff will no longer have to plan trips
to and from an offsite storage unit to pick up or drop off supplies needed for programs and events. Giving this
time back to staff will allow them the ability to use the time to focus more on quality programming and building
family and staff relationships. Having on site storage will also eliminate the additional cost that NSSRA currently
incurs to have two offsite storage units year round.
New Home with Partner Agency
Locating the NSSRA facility preferably with a Partner Agency, in a park setting and with programmable space,
establishes an NSSRA home for participants and families for many years to come. This facility creates a safe place
where participants and families can join together with their friends and neighbors to share in times of joy while
building lifelong relationships and unforgettable memories.
NSSRA Facility Acquisition Plan
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