Founded in 2023, Redefining Independence is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, dedicated to providing vocational, educational, and social services for adults with disabilities, starting with work training programs and employment opportunities. RDI’s initial project is the opening of Rae’s Café, a restaurant serving breakfast and lunch in the community of Edwardsville, Illinois. The plan is to open Rae’s Café in the fall of 2024.

Redefining Independence founders, Susan Converse and Kris Ellsworth, are passionate about empowering individuals with disabilities. Well-known in this community, Susan founded the highly successful Tiger Den, located within the walls of Edwardsville High School. The Tiger Den was developed to teach life and job skills to students with disabilities in a hands-on, food service environment. Susan, Kris, and so many others saw the students shine brightly in their roles while working at the Tiger Den. The impact the Tiger Den had and has on the high school students, both with and without disabilities, was evident and continues today. While leading the Tiger Den Program, Susan recognized the need and envisioned the plan to develop additional employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, specifically after these individuals leave high school.

Kris Ellsworth began volunteering in the Tiger Den when her then high school age son worked at the Tiger Den. She too saw the impact, specifically as she worked with students who were given the opportunity to learn important life and job skills, find meaningful work and purpose, and feel integrated into their high school community at large. As a parent of a son with disabilities, Kris knew firsthand how few resources were available for adults with disabilities, specifically related to vocational training and employment, within the St. Louis/Metro East area. She knew there was a need.

Together, Kris and Susan envisioned meeting the recognized need by developing an organization that was dedicated to empowering adults with disabilities by fostering independence. The founders recognized that this diverse population of individuals wanted what all adults want, meaning and purpose, a chance to feel valued, and a place to thrive through meaningful employment. This dream became the catalyst for starting this organization, Redefining Independence. RDI founders and board have placed the initial focus on the opening of Rae’s Café, named after Rae Ellsworth, a strong supporter of The Tiger Den and its mission. Both the founders and board are confident that Rae’s Café’ will not only meet the needs and fulfill the hopes of many adults with disabilities, but Rae’s Café will also be a success within the Edwardsville Community.

RDI has developed a partnership with the Edwardsville YMCA and has initial plans to open Rae’s Café within the YMCA- Meyer Center, in the fall of 2024. Rae’s Café will employ people of all abilities, working side by side, providing the necessary support needed to allow all employees the chance to thrive. In the future, the goal is to add an additional Rae’s Café location outside of the YMCA, in the Edwardsville Community.

We hope that our future will also include further developments that will expand employment opportunities, increase our ability to provide valuable job training, and include opportunities to offer support for many individuals and families within this community.