✅ Customer Profile

Name: Little City Foundation
Location: Illinois
Size: Serves 1,000 individuals across six counties in Northeastern Illinois, including a 56-acre campus in Palatine, with 550+ employees
Services Offered: Residential Services, Therapeutic Day School, Community Day Services, Employment Services, Clinical Services, Recreation Services, Foster Care and Adoption Services
How They Use Kibu: Live classes, pre-recorded lessons, trivia games, daily activity planning

At Kibu, we are inspired by providers who build connection, purpose, and fun into every part of the day. That energy is exactly what we saw at Little City, an Illinois-based nonprofit serving individuals with disabilities through day services, therapeutic recreation, and deeply person-centered programming.

We sat down with Cortney Lucente, Director of Day Services and a certified recreation therapist, and Laura Barroso, a seasoned DSP with more than two decades of experience. From structured morning routines to spontaneous trivia celebrations, their team has made Kibu a key part of how they build dignity, engagement, and joy into every moment.

👀 Discovering Kibu

Cortney’s Kibu journey began during a search for better tools. “When I stepped into this role two years ago, we were relying on things like Teachers Pay Teachers and piecing together our own curriculum. A lot of it was designed for younger students and didn’t feel age-appropriate or flexible.”

After catching a glimpse of Kibu, she kept the name in the back of her mind. When the opportunity to pilot it at one of their sites opened up, she jumped on it.

Now, with rollout underway across multiple buildings, Cortney sees Kibu filling a critical gap in their program structure. “We’re a person-centered, choice-based program. Kibu gives us the flexibility to meet each person where they are while keeping things engaging, structured, and fun.”

Laura added that the excitement started right away. “As soon as we turned it on, they were waving at the TV. They love when the coaches call out, 'Hey, you in the blue shirt!' Even though we don’t have the camera set up yet because of privacy rules, that level of connection still comes through.”

⭐ Everyday Wins That Stick

Folks at Little City enjoying some Kibu lessons and games!

Laura uses Kibu live classes daily, incorporating sessions like Name That Tune, chair yoga, and dance workouts into her group’s routine. The results speak for themselves.

“One of my guys absolutely nailed a rock music trivia game. He went home telling everyone, ‘I’m the king of rock and roll.’ He was glowing with pride. These little moments matter. They build confidence. They make someone’s whole day.”

Kibu helps Laura’s group start each day with shared ownership. “We pick activities together. Sometimes someone will say, ‘I’m going to go home and practice so I can win tomorrow.’ They look forward to it, and that motivates them to show up excited and ready.”

The live interaction, sense of familiarity, and dignity in the presentation make a difference. “When Coach Gage shares about his baby or talks about his martial arts background, it feels real to them. They remember it. They relate to it.”

Even when using pre-recorded content, Laura sees the impact. “The life skills videos show people like them cooking, cleaning, budgeting. When they see someone else doing it, they say, ‘I can do that too.’ That representation is powerful.”

🛠️ Tools That Make Planning Easier

Before Kibu, Laura spent mornings loading up to 25 browser tabs. She searched for content that was age-appropriate, safe, and engaging…often from several different sites.

“Now, I open Kibu, and I don’t worry. I know everything is reviewed. I’m not going to stumble on language that isn’t appropriate or content that feels condescending. It’s a platform I can trust.”

She also pulls ideas from Kibu’s Daily News feature and uses national holidays as springboards for the day’s theme. “Sometimes we’re learning about public transportation. Other times, it’s Judy Garland’s birthday and we’re talking Wizard of Oz. Kibu gives me the tools to make the day meaningful.”

🎵 Movement and Motivation

It's easy to get up and moving with Kibu's Dance and Fitness classes!

Fitness is a big part of Laura’s program, but she needed something beyond five-minute filler videos. These bursts of movement have become part of the culture. “We’ll finish an activity and I’ll say, ‘Alright, let’s move!’ Everyone’s up. Even if someone stays seated, they’re still engaging. That’s the magic.”

Cortney echoed that these types of flexible formats help structure their day. “We have core activity blocks that last an hour to ninety minutes. A five-minute energy boost is great in the afternoon, but we also need full-session content to plug into those longer blocks.”

💡 Ideas for the Future

Both Cortney and Laura shared ideas for how Kibu can continue evolving alongside their needs:

- Longer fitness and dance routines

- Continued flexibility for staff to adapt lessons to daily themes and personal interests

Cortney added that part of the ongoing effort is building consistency across their locations. “Laura’s a standout DSP. She takes initiative, she loves her work, and she integrates Kibu naturally. The next step is getting everyone else up to speed so we can all use Kibu with the same level of confidence.”

🤝 Why They Recommend Kibu

When asked what she’d say to other providers considering Kibu, Laura didn’t hold back:

“With other platforms, you never know what you’re going to get. I’ve seen videos that look great, but the language is wrong, or it’s made for little kids. I serve adults. They deserve content that respects that. With Kibu, I don’t have to question it. It’s a trusted space.”

Cortney has even presented on Kibu at her statewide co-op of day programs. “Everything out there for people with disabilities is geared toward schools and kids. Kibu actually fits our adult population. It’s not about forcing a square peg into a round hole. It’s about finally finding the right fit.”

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