Suburban school for students with intellectual, developmental disabilities hosts special holiday event

COUNTRYSIDE, Ill. - Holiday events are happening in schools throughout Chicagoland this week. 

But not many like the one that took place Wednesday at Helping Hand in Countryside.

Helping Hand is a school for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It serves children and adults from more than 70 communities around Chicagoland. 

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But never before had they had a holiday event like this one. 

Some kids played drums, others played the tambourine. There was dancing, heads bobbing and so much joy everywhere you looked.

"This makes my heart filled. This is what Christmas is about. This is what the holidays is about. It's just about connecting with these beautiful children," said Bill Dwyer, Helping Hand CEO and President.

Even some non-seasonal tunes made the program. Jasmine Alverez from Plainfield was largely non-verbal until recently. 

Her mom said she wouldn't have missed this for anything.

"She's 12 years old, and she's never had a school concert, so it was just amazing to see this concert and it was so much fun. So proud," said Irene Alverez, Jasmine's mom.

Helping Hand has been in the business of transforming lives since the 1950s. 

And full disclosure, FOX 32's Corey McPherrin's daughter, Margaret, works there as a speech pathologist.