Everyone should be able to choose where and with whom they live

It's nice to meet you.  Wishing you all the best.

I have my oldest son born with brain damage, my youngest has fragile X
syndrome.  Both are adults now, 23 and 19.  They have never had any
help.  Once both were adults nobody cared about them.  They were not
children.  Somehow they did not deserve to be considered for holiday
or birthday gifts...they were adults.  Then when you want them to live
and work among other adults...suddenly they are not adults they are
oversized children.  Don't worry about going on about this...please
CONTINUE

You have a great website!  I urge people to visit.  As soon as you get
your documents into MicroGiving and get moved to level 3 you could
list your profile on your site to help raise donations.  

This cause has my support.  I do have questions though...as you
already know most "help" programs for the DD take a huge cut
under the shelter of administrative needs and very little actually
goes into helping the individual people.  How will your program be
different?

Thank you for your comment on my profile and it's so very true!  So
many really do not realize that the DD are basically forced into their
bedrooms!  These young adults become home bound because there is no
place for them in our society.  You are right, most charities don't
want these people to actually succeed...they wouldn't get the grants
if they started losing the amount of available DD in their programs
because everyone started working in the national economy.

My son is 23 going on about 12 or 13 with some lower end down to about
8 years and some upper ranges to about 15.  He is forever a young
teen.  Old enough to know he's different and hurt by that, young
enough in mind and emotion so he can't understand why he doesn't have
a chance to become someone special.  He knows he's special needs...he
wants to be special for more than being needy.

We tried to get him into volunteer work, we tried our local animal
shelter because I run a private sanctuary and he's always grown up
with special needs animals.  He's extremely tender hearted and would
be wonderful at helping with animals...nobody wants the responsibility
for a disabled person though.  My partner tried to see if her employer
would allow him to volunteer to empty trash bins at night.  It would
have freed up the cashiers and kept them both behind the counter where
the cash is.  It was politely explained though that being responsible
for a disabled volunteer or employer is a huge insurance risk.  If he
were ever injured or because he's DD failed to understand an important
safety protocol and caused damage or injury to a customer they would
have to pay big bucks.  It's all about insurance from what I can see. 
Employers don't even want disabled volunteers especially those with
developmental disabilities.  We finally gave up, he was hurt by
rejection and not intellectually old enough or emotionally mature
enough to understand and it only causes serious depression.

Please take the time to add a photo and complete your About me
section.  Your voice needs to be heard, your profile shared with the
world...but that can't happen if it's incomplete.

I have a developmentally disabled adult son who pretty much spends his
life in his bedroom.  The school had tried to involve him in voc.
rehab. but his emotional immaturity and inability to grasp common
tasks made him ineligible.  When he was done with school he was just
done.  We tried a daycare type setting but there was no guidance.  The
disabled adults simply smoked cigarettes all day and played pool. 
That was not the right environment for him.  I hope your program
really takes off, it is a program that is sorely needed everywhere. 
Developmentally Disabled adults in my opinion are far more limited
than severely physically disabled people.  Society simply doesn't want
the DD around and they make it rather clear so that the DD adult
doesn't even want to venture beyond their bedroom.  They may not
understand all of what is being said...but they get the point.

Independence Heights is dedicated to improving the future for young
adults with developmental disabilities(DD) by helping them to access
supported living and employment within the their community and in a
setting or their choice. We are bringing  families together with a
common goal, to make their loved one as independent as possible. 
People with disabilities deserve better than being left on the
sidelines of life. Sheltered workshops and group homes, institutions
and intermediate care facilities contribute to the seclusion and
exclusion of this population.  Most non profit agencies are also
service providers and therefore it is not in their best interests, to
see people with DD become independent.  I am not saying that the
services they provide are bad or unnecessary.  What I am saying is,
everyone should have the opportunity to choose where the live, how
they spend there time and with whom.  With the right supports, people
with (DD) can realize their dreams of employment, a home of their own
choice and participation in the same social activities enjoyed by
their typical peers.
Please help us to help them become fully participating members of
society.    

Hello and Welcome to MicroGiving!!

Can you tell us a bit more about yourself? What brought you to
MicroGiving? What can you offer to other MicroGiving members? What do
you hope MicroGiving can offer you?

When you have a chance come on into the forum and let us get to know
you. You will find the link under the home page tab.

It's a good idea to start a MicroGiving journal to keep us all updated
on your progress.

Oh yeah, don't forget to check out the MicroGiving Blog!

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask, if you check
out my profile you will also find ways to contact me 

Hi welcome to mircrogiving.  Don't forget to go to the forums its the
upper left corner tab that says home Page then go to member forums. 
It will explain the site and help you get through the whole process. 
Good luck if you have any questions feel free to ask.

This comment was removed by the profile owner

This comment was removed by the profile owner