h“I have an adult daughter named Ilexis. When she was born, I didn’t know she had a development delay,” said Cherie Long, founder/president, Heart of the City Development Center. “It wasn’t until she was about three years old that I started to notice that she wasn’t reaching certain milestones like holding her bottle or keeping her head up. I went to the doctor, and they told me she was ‘spoiled’ and that I should try holding her less.”

Cherie wasn’t satisfied with the opinion provided by her doctor. She sought a second opinion and had her daughter examined at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan. 

“The tests revealed the Ilexis was born missing a portion of her brain that was causing a delay in her development,” said Cherie.

Cherie has spent her daughter’s lifetime advocating for her. There are programs in place to assist persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities from birth through age 26, however after reaching age 26, there are scarce services available. In 2022, Cherie founded the Heart of the City Development Center to address this shortfall in services.

Mission-Driven to Help Families

Saginaw Community Foundation awarded the 2024 Board of Directors’ Community Improvement Initiative $40,000 grant at our 40th Anniversary Gala event in September 2024. The grant will be used to enhance Heart of the City’s Adult Day Support Program.

The Heart of the City Development Center was created to empower individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and promote inclusion for those ages 17-55 in Saginaw County. Through its comprehensive programs and services, the organization works to enhance participants lives while positively impacting the community through job creation, supporting families, and focusing on inclusion and diversity within their community safely. 

“We offer a range of programs tailored to the needs of our participants,” said Cherie. “Things like Career and Technical Education training, cognitive rehabilitation, adaptive physical education, all-inclusive social events, recreational activities, and STEAM courses.”

The grant award will be used to enhance and provide specialized equipment for members of the community with intellectual and developmental disabilities; offer training for staff, families, and community members; and develop inclusive activities. 

Filling a Need

Through Cherie’s investigating, she found there is a great need for programs that support families with a person with intellectual and developmental disabilities between the ages of 26-55.

“Individuals in this age group do not qualify for any childcare services in the state of Michigan,” said Cherie.

Heart of the City Development Center provides a safe space where families are welcome to participate in activities with their child. Since receiving the 2024 SCF Community Improvement Initiative Grant, Cherie was able to expand her services from serving four to seven individuals to now serving over 25.

“Helping so many families warms my heart,” remarked Cherie.

Cherie found working with Saginaw Community Foundation to be a welcoming and straight-forward experience.

“I wasn’t sure how to begin writing and applying for a grant,” said Cherie. “The staff at the community foundation is extremely knowledgeable about the entire community and really helped guide me through the process.”

For more information about Heart of the City Development Center, visit heartofthecity989.com