THE ENDEPENDENCE CENTER, INCORPORATED (ECI) IS A CONSUMER CONTROLLED, COMMUNITY-BASED, CROSS-DISABILITY, NON-RESIDENTIAL, PRIVATE, NON-PROFIT CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING (CIL)OPERATED BY AND FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES IN SOUTH HAMPTON ROADS, INCLUDING THE CITIES OF CHESAPEAKE, NORFOLK, PORTSMOUTH, FRANKLIN, SUFFOLK, VIRGINIA BEACH AND ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY. ECI PROVIDES AN ARRAY OF INDEPENDENT LIVING SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES AND TO THE COMMUNITY. THE PURPOSES OF ECI ARE TWO-FOLD; TO PREPARE INDIVIDUALS, AND TO PREPARE THE COMMUNITY FOR FULL INTEGRATION OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES INTO SOCIETY. THESE GOALS ARE ACCOMPLISHED BY THE FOLLOWING STRATEGIES: (1) THE PROVISION OF DIRECT SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS WITH SEVERE DISABILITIES, THAT RESULT IN A GREATER LEVEL OF INDEPENDENCE AND COMMUNITY INTEGRATION/ FUNCTIONING (2) THE PROVISION OF SERVICES/ADVOCACY IN THE COMMUNITY THAT RESULT IN A GREATER AWARENESS OF DISABILITY ISSUES, PHYSICAL AND PROGRAMMATIC ACCESSIBILIT