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Historic time capsule placed in the second home of the Rockford Children's home

during construction was opened on January 3, 2007.

A time capsule placed in the cornerstone of the second Rockford Children's Home, now known as Rocvale was removed from the building and opened on January 3, 2007. Milestone, Inc. President and CEO Jim Hamilton, and Building Owner, Perry Sabet opened the time capsule. Contents included photographs, the original by laws and newspaper articles. Several current Rocvale residents attended the event and designed art projects which were be placed in the new time capsule. All three Rockford Television stations and the Rockford Register Star attended the time capsule opening.

2006 marks the 100^th anniversary of RocVale Children’s home, and while the population served has changed over the years, the mission of caring for children has not. RocVale, formerly known as the Rockford Children’s Home opened its doors in 1906 after a group of concerned citizens saw there was a need for a home for dependent children. Up until this point Mrs. James T. Joslin, a local probation officer, would keep the children in her home overnight rather than allow them to spend the night in jail, the only other alternative.

The original Children’s home was at the corner of sixth street and second avenue on a piece of property purchased from R.H. Shumway for$8,000. By 1920 the number of children cared for each month had increased to 20 and a larger facility was needed.

After two fund-raising drives property was purchased at the corner of Longwood and Rural and ground was broken for the larger facility in 1924. In the spring of 1925 38 children moved into the new facility, by the fall that number had grown to 81 and requests were coming in daily. The children attended public school, church, received allowances, joined scouting, and celebrated birthdays and holidays. In 1966 space became a problem once again and the Maguire home on Arlington Avenue was built and opened as a result.

1970 marked a new era in the history of RocVale and the Children’s Home of Rockford. In February of 1970 the Children’s Home purchased 12.9 acres of land on North Rockton Ave from Mr and Mrs. William Johns, the current site of RocVale. Increasing repair and maintenance costs at the Longwood facility combined with a desire to provide better service in a homelike atmosphere were the reasons for the decision to build a new facility.

Ground was broken for the new complex on November 15, 1970 and it was a festive occasion marked with skydivers and an appearance by Chicago Cub star Billy Williams. One year later the children moved into the $750,000 Rockton Ave complex. The Children’s Home could now serve 40 school age children at the Rockton Ave facility and another 6 teenage girls at the Maguire Home on Arlington.

In 1972 the mission of the Children’s Home changed from adoptions and foster care to serving children involved with the judicial system.

In 1975 the name was changed to RocVale Teen Homes to reflect the ages of the children living at the facility. The residents all ages 13 to 17 chose the new name.

Because of a change in the needs of the community the mission of RocVale changed again in 1976 and it became a home for children and young adults who were developmentally disabled. The Maguire Home was now called home by six young men ages 18 and over. In 1996 a second group home, Forbes, was opened and served young women. This was also the year RocVale started a respite program for families in Boone, Winnebago and Ogle Counties. Over 90 families were helped during the first year. In 1998 RocVale was accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, after an on site survey by the commission. This placed RocVale in a very select group of care giving facilities. In 2000 a group respite program was developed to help the growing number of families on the respite waiting list.

In 2001 RocVale Children’s Home merged with Milestone. The merger provided expanded opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities all across Northern Illinois. At the time RocVale provided services and programs for children ages six to twenty-one while Milestone provided services for adults. The merger was termed a win-win situation by both organizations. The merger also allowed the staff to focus on long term goals and plans for the individuals. Most RocVale residents move to a Milestone Adult Group home once they reach the age of 21 making it an easier transition. This also allowed for the continuation of programs designed to help each RocVale resident reach his or her fullest potential, with a focus on self help skills and behavior management. There were also physical changes to the RocVale campus. Following the merger, each of the five homes was remodeled to increase the amount of living space. A second remodeling project in 2005 allowed each child to have a private bedroom. In addition the recreation path has been expanded , basketball courts replaced and an exercise room has been added. Making sure the individuals were involved in the community continued to be a priority . The Special Olympics program was expanded and new partnerships were forged with organizations including the Rockford Park District. While the population served at RocVale changed during its 100 year history, the mission of providing quality care remained the same.