Northwest Special Recreation Association- NWSRA

Northwest Special Recreation Association- NWSRA NWSRA was formed in 1974 and is a partnership of 17 park districts in the northwest suburbs of Chicago This type of agency is unique to Illinois.

The Northwest Special Recreation Association (NWSRA) was formed in 1974 to provide recreation services to individuals with disabilities. NWSRA is an extension of 17 member park districts located in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. NWSRA offers public access, year round recreational programming to over 14,000 individuals with disabilities in its service area. NWSRA is the largest of all special re

creation associations and is a leader among peers with over 18,000 registrations for programs in 2011. NWSRA is a two-time National Recreation and Park Association National Gold Medal Award winner and was recognized as a Distinguished Accredited Agency by the Illinois Park and Recreation Association, an honor only 10% of Illinois park and recreation agencies have received. The mission statement of NWSRA is “We exist to provide outstanding opportunities through recreation for children and adults with disabilities.”

NWSRA participants took on Portland, Maine for another Long Trip adventure! 🦞🌊From exploring the coast and taking in the...
09/11/2026

NWSRA participants took on Portland, Maine for another Long Trip adventure! 🦞🌊

From exploring the coast and taking in the sights to enjoying local favorites and everything Maine has to offer, the group packed plenty of fun into their getaway. Another Long Trip in the books and another destination explored!

View more photos here: loom.ly/hmt234o

Thrive Mt. Prospect participants headed to Trader Joe’s in Arlington Heights to shop for ingredients for Apple Cinnamon ...
09/10/2026

Thrive Mt. Prospect participants headed to Trader Joe’s in Arlington Heights to shop for ingredients for Apple Cinnamon Pancakes that they planned to bake.

While shopping, Trader Joe's staff went above and beyond to make our participants feel welcome. They surprised the group with some free fall goodies in an adorable fall tote bag, which our participants brought back to Thrive to share and sample!

We are so grateful for community partners like Trader Joe’s who help make our participants feel valued, welcomed, and part of the community!

We were excited to welcome Search360 to the Hanover Park District for an interactive public transportation workshop with...
09/09/2026

We were excited to welcome Search360 to the Hanover Park District for an interactive public transportation workshop with participants from Hanover Park and Hoffman Estates Thrive! 🚍

Participants learned how to:
- Read bus schedules and route maps
- Plan trips using PACE
- Pay fares and use fare cards
- Practice bus safety and rider etiquette
- Travel with greater confidence and independence
These skills help open the door to greater independence and opportunities for employment, education, volunteering, and community participation.
We can’t wait for our other Thrive sites to welcome Search360 for their upcoming workshops!

NWSRA’s Long Trip brought the fun to St. Petersburg, Florida! Participants spent time at the beach, checked out some coo...
09/08/2026

NWSRA’s Long Trip brought the fun to St. Petersburg, Florida!

Participants spent time at the beach, checked out some cool reptiles, explored the area, and ended the days with beautiful Florida sunsets. It was a great getaway with an awesome group!

View more photos here: loom.ly/asqgDnA

Happy Labor Day!
09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day!

Thrive Hoffman Estates had a blast celebrating the end of summer! Our participants joined in on the fun at the End of Su...
09/04/2026

Thrive Hoffman Estates had a blast celebrating the end of summer! Our participants joined in on the fun at the End of Summer Bash hosted by Northern Illinois Special Recreation Association (NISRA), enjoying games, activities, delicious food, and plenty of opportunities to celebrate with friends. ☀️

Thank you to NISRA for hosting such a fun-filled day and helping us wrap up an amazing summer in style!

Food trucks, karaoke and a day outside! All Thrive sites enjoyed a fun afternoon at the annual Food Truck Day! Particip...
08/28/2026

Food trucks, karaoke and a day outside! All Thrive sites enjoyed a fun afternoon at the annual Food Truck Day! Participants shared lunch and took turns on the karaoke mic. It was a great day in the sun!
View Photos Here: loom.ly/NimqSeA

08/26/2026

Vacation filled with laughs and sunshine, long trip is having so much fun in Florida! 🌴

During our last board meeting, we took the time to celebrate NWSRA anniversaries. Please join us in congratulating Andi,...
08/26/2026

During our last board meeting, we took the time to celebrate NWSRA anniversaries. Please join us in congratulating Andi, our Manager of Inclusion Services and Danielle, our Administrative Coordinator for 5 years of dedicated service! We are so lucky to have them both on our team.

Address

3000 W Central Road
Rolling Meadows, IL
60008

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+18473922848

Website

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