Organization
Center for Independent Living(CIL)
Founded in 1972 by Ed Roberts and peers, the Center for Independent Living in Berkeley is the world's first independent living centre and a foundational force of the disability rights movement. CIL provides peer counselling, advocacy, and direct services to over 1,000 people each year in the San Francisco Bay Area.
About
Established in 1972 by disability rights pioneers including Ed Roberts, Hale Zukas, and Jan McEwan Brown, the Center for Independent Living (CIL) in Berkeley, California is the world's first organisation of its kind. Built on the principle that people with disabilities are the best experts on their own needs, CIL sparked the global independent living movement and helped shape landmark legislation including Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
What They Do
CIL offers peer counselling, benefits navigation, independent living skills training, assistive technology support, housing assistance, and community integration services. It also advocates at local, state, and national levels to remove systemic barriers and expand civil rights for people with disabilities.
Who They Serve
CIL serves youth, adults, and seniors with any type of disability in Northern Alameda County — Berkeley, Oakland, Alameda, Emeryville, Piedmont, and Albany. Core services are free for people with disabilities.
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