Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamilah Rahim.
Jamilah, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
As a young adult obtaining a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and pursuing a Master’s Degree, I was unsure of exactly what direction I wanted to go. I knew I enjoyed working with children but not sure in what capacity. A family member recommended getting a Master’s Degree in Special Education. I thought ‘why not’ I can always change my major if I wasn’t interested. Once I began the coursework I fell in love with the field. I decided to start working in a group home with children with severe disabilities. At the point I finished school I decided to teach special education in a classroom setting. From there I moved into working in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for children with autism. All of my work in ABA was in-home. This is where I worked not only directly with children but with families. Here I was able to learn first-hand what parents of children with autism needs were. Many families discussed their desire for a place local to shop for sensory products and toys that fit their child’s needs. At this point I decided to provide a store not only where families could shop but also where they could find programming tailored to their child.
Has it been a smooth road?
The struggles have mostly been competing with the online community, especially some of the big names such as Amazon. However, by providing programs, exceptional customer service and a personal shopping experience you can overcome these hurdles.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Spectrum Toy Store story. Tell us more about the business.
We are the only toy store in Illinois specifically for children with developmental disabilities and one of few in the entire country! We offer a variety of toys, sensory items, children’s books as well as resources for caregivers and educators.
We are the source for special needs toys, products and adaptive equipment. What makes Spectrum Toy Store unique is although we specialize in toys for children with disabilities we also carry toys for all children of all types and ages. Our toys focus on the mental, physical and social development of your child.
We believe in learning through play by engaging in both individual and group skill building activities for children with disabilities. Our groups are broken down into seven functional skill groups, cognitive, communication, social, play, life skills, gross and fine motor skills.
We provide individual, family and group programs and services for youth using an ABA approach as well as play therapy. The comprehensive services provided by our team of experts in their fields are individualized for each youth to ensure they are equipped with the needed skills, encouragement and support to discover their authentic self. Our staff collaborate with family, school and community agencies to create a connected and engaging individualized service plan.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
We are looking to expand our business to other parts of the country in late 2018.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1911 W. Belmont
Chicago, IL 60657 - Website: www.spectrumtoystore.com
- Phone: 773-231-8001
- Email: info@spectrumtoystore.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/spectrumtoystore
- Facebook: facebook.com/spectrumtoystore
- Twitter: twitter.com/spectrum_toys
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
