UTICA —At an open house on Wednesday, March 22, the Resource Center for Independent Living (RCIL) showed off the changes made to the Dorothy Smith Center for Advocacy.

The Dorothy Smith Center for Advocacy, 1607 Genesee St., provides the organization with spaces for programs and services provided by RCIL, aiding in their mission to integrate people with disabilities into society and provide them the resources to sustain an independent lifestyle. The center is located up the street from RCIL’s main office at 131 Genesee St.

“The mission of the organization is to ensure a fully accessible and integrated society for people with disabilities, so full access, full inclusion, full equality,” said Holly Saupp, executive vice president of communication and impact at RCIL. “At its core, we are a civil rights organization, so everything that we do is founded on civil rights principles, the focus being independent living for people with disabilities.

During the open house, tours of the renovated spaces in the facility were provided, alongside live entertainment, during RCIL’s Social Adult Day, one of the many programs and services run by RCIL at its south Utica center. Major renovations to the center included a complete remodel of the kitchen area, updates to accessible bathrooms, new flooring, and a beauty salon, which all encompassed the space utilized for RCIL’s Social Adult Day.

“Caregivers feel confident that their loved ones are in a good place” said Mary Brognano, program director at RCIL.

The building that houses RCIL’s Dorothy Smith Center for Advocacy was built in 1928 and originally served as a Jewish temple. RCIL took over the building around the late 2000s, and it is one of four locations RCIL has a presence at. The organization also has offices in Herkimer and Amsterdam.

This year marks the 40th year that RCIL has been helping the community, speaking up for people with disabilities, and giving them the tools they need to live on their own.

“[RCIL’s 40th anniversary] is a huge deal for the community, for the people that we support, for our staff,” Saupp said. “We have a number of staff who are pushing high 20s, low 30s in terms of the amount of time they’ve been here.” Saupp added that the longevity of the staff and the caring and dedication that the staff shows on a day-to-day basis exemplify the mission and core values of the organization.

For more information on the Resource Center for Independent Living, as well as the programs and services they provide, visit rcil.com.