My Story — Lindsey Birkel
CWTC Board of Directors President
I work at Caterpillar Inc. as a Global HR Director and serve as the President of the CWTC Board of Directors. I was born and raised in Central Illinois and have made it a priority to find ways to give back to the community that has given me so much.
Family means everything to me. My husband, my 10-year-old son, and I are committed to volunteering and supporting organizations aligned with our philanthropic goals. While we have provided time and resources, CWTC has provided us with so much more in return. My pathway to CWTC began with the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce Community Leadership School. Through this opportunity, I had a chance to tour the CWTC facilities and see firsthand the mission of the organization at work. This experience led to a nearly 20-year relationship where I have volunteered and served in a variety of leadership roles, including board service, fundraising, and event planning.
CWTC emphasizes its remarkable quality of care, creating an environment where the staff treats consumers as family. Each of these clients is treated independently and provided services designed to meet individual needs. Staff members — many of whom have spent years with CWTC and have developed personal relationships with the consumers — build confidence, capability, and skills that set clients on a pathway to contribute to the community in a meaningful way.
CWTC is a silent and humble hero in the community. Through their efforts, adults with disabilities lead more independent lives, learn valuable skills, and contribute to the community. Without these life-changing services, these incredible people and their families would be severely impacted. The community is a better place because of CWTC.
The services and programs provided to the extraordinary people served by CWTC not only benefit the consumers directly, but also allow the families and caregivers the chance to continue working and contributing to the community while their loved one receives the care and support needed to be more independent.
Without the pathways provided by CWTC, the kind, generous, and joyful people who rely on these services would be critically underserved — if not forgotten entirely. Their quality of life would be severely impacted. As a community, we would lose the opportunity to build capability and independence for adults with disabilities. The financial impact, social-emotional impact, and increased strain on an already fragile state welfare system would be drastic.
