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Our House
Communities
Changing the way people with developmental disabilities live in their community
who we are
Our House Communities (Our House) is a private non-profit organization established in Wilmette, Illinois in 2014. Our House was created by a group of families to provide private residential living opportunities for adults with disabilities. Driven by their own children’s natural individual need and desire for independence, Our House is creating cutting-edge options for applicants who want to live on their own, control their day-to-day activities and dwell in and with their home community. Our House supports individuals with varying abilities as they seek lifelong personal growth. Centered on a network of homes, Our House marshals personal, financial and community resources to enable residents to participate in the broader world. Residents of Our House have control of their own lives as they develop, achieve and dream.
About our house
Our House Communities Inc. is:
- A family-driven initiative incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit
- Designed to create a full quality of life for participating housemates
- Committed to affordable, independent housing within the community
- Diverse with regard to gender, race and disability
- Designed for interdependent living where housemates, along with residential coordinators, share responsibilities and are accountable to each other
- Committed to exploring all components of a full life
- Supported and maintained through the involvement of families and friends
- Connected contributors to the communities in which they live
Housemates will have access to organizational information and support in placement of adults, when deemed appropriate by their families. Family participants will help to shape the current services and future growth of Our House Communities by participating in committees as defined and developed by the Board of Directors. Families will help to plan, organize and participate in fundraising events, and host gatherings to strengthen socialization and engagement among those being served by OHC. Family participants will attend Our House Communities Board and ad hoc meetings whenever possible, contributing their time, talents, networking connections and financial support to the development of options for individuals with disabilities.
What started as a grant-funded grassroots training program has developed into a seed organization that will help change special-needs community housing and residential supports in the future.
Board of directors
George “Buz” Craven – President
Vicki Tassone – Treasurer
Kit Dammers – Secretary
John Martino – Director
Stephanie Jacob – Director
