No-cost Day Program Opens for Caregivers in East St. Louis

East St. Louis, Illiniois, Oct. 09, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Joni’s House East St. Louis, a Christian, no-cost day program for adults living with disabilities, has opened its doors in East St. Louis, IL, to provide much-needed respite for caregivers. The facility, located at 1111 Bowman Ave, East St. Louis, IL 62205, is the first domestic location of Joni and Friends, an international disability ministry that has been operating for over 45 years.

CeCe McCoo, Executive Director of Joni’s House East St. Louis, expressed the organization’s commitment to supporting families.

The day program, which runs from 8 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday, is designed to give caregivers a break to run errands, attend school, or work a part-time job. In addition to the day program, Joni’s House offers caregiver support groups and spiritual resources to address challenges like burnout and social isolation. The facility features amenities like a custom sensory room, proudly provided by Synapsory, a faith-based nonprofit specializing in sensory rooms and calming kits for churches, schools, and families. The sensory room is designed to help participants with disabilities feel more comfortable and engaged during their time at the facility.

The land for the new facility was donated by Lansdowne UP, a redevelopment nonprofit that is revitalizing East St. Louis one property at a time. Lansdowne UP donated the land along the Mississippi River to build Joni’s House with the St. Louis Arch in full view, aiming to address the urgent need in the community. East St. Louis was chosen because the city’s disability rates are twice the national average, and as the City of Champions, it is worth investment as a place of deep character and future promise.

Joni and Friends was founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, who was paralyzed in a diving accident as a teen. God helped her come to terms with her quadriplegia, and she started Joni and Friends in 1979 to share the help and hope she had found with others. The organization operates Joni’s House programs in over a dozen countries to meet the social, spiritual, and economic needs of people with disabilities through wholesome programming underpinned by the Gospel message. While Joni’s House East St. Louis is the first domestic location, the program is designed to address the specific needs of the East St. Louis community, where disability rates are twice the national average.