Growing our programs and activities

We are focusing on community inclusion, housing, employment, classes and services as a provider agency for ID waivers.

We are engaging committed families to provide the highest quality services and create systemic change for people with developmental disabilities and autism. We are creating innovative programs that will enhance our clinical expertise.

Accomplishments this past year include:

  1. Participated as a vendor at the Media Farmer’s Market, providing inclusion opportunities for people with disabilities.
  2. Ran a 2-week arts and crafts class for young adults with disabilities with Sillynut.com.
  3. Ran a 4-week cooking and nutrition class for young adults with disabilities.
  4. Ran an outdoors/hiking class for young men with disabilities at the Tinicum Wildlife Reserve. Now in its 6th week.
  5. Participated in local employment initiatives (Delaware County and Philadelphia).
  6. Completed a house design (Linn Architects) as a model parent led house.
  7. Established a Yahoo group called Jobs4Disabled to talk about employment.
  8. Established Mark Comyns as the Director of Housing.

Our Housing plans and objectives include:

  1. Create an innovative  “Housing Supervision and Case Management Program” for young men on the spectrum similar to the PIN/JEVS model.
  2. Pursue the Delaware County OCED housing grant for FY2015
  3. Publish resource materials on housing
  4. Continue to work on cooperative and funding relationships with local university autism programs for clinical services and local sources of capital funding for create houses.
  5. Work on acquiring our 1st home for young adults in Springfield Delaware County.

Our Employment plans and objectives include:

  1. Continue to work with families to identify employment opportunities.
  2. Continue to be part of other parent-led groups where there is synergy. Learn and share.
  3. Continue as a member of the Delaware County Employment Forum, started by OID Delaware County.
  4. Continue to lead the Yahoo group called Jobs4Disabilities and hold meetings.
  5. Continue as a member of the Employment Working Group started by Tanya Regli, Executive Director of The Arc of Philadelphia.
  6. Continue to grow a relationship with the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute and ASERT.
  7. Participate at local employment-related conferences and workshops for people with disabilities.
  8. Start a business with other families locally to employ people with disabilities.

Our Programs and Classes plans and objectives include:

  1. Continue to work on providing relevant and useful programs and classes. Completed successful fall cooking and nutrition class. Working on next ones.
  2. Start a coffeehouse for young adults in Delaware County. Working with local church and provider agency. Work on making this a church ministry.
  3. Work on creating a “Get In Gear” program for fathers to actively engage them in the lives of their children. Moms need help in creating a good home and social environment for their kids.
  4. Continue our approach to community inclusion by actually getting out into the community to do something, volunteer, etc.
  5. Continue a young men’s outdoor hiking program with fathers at Tinicum Wildlife Preserve.
  6. Work to establish an outdoor education and hiking program at a Tyler arboretum.
  7. Create a clinical services advisory committee or mechanism
  8. Develop a complete set of housing resource materials and make those available on our website. Blog on housing topics.
  9. Add members to our Board of Directors.