Meet Your Neighbor: RVI marks 50 years of helping people with developmental disabilities
OAK HARBOR - This year, Riverview Industries, Inc. (RVI) celebrates 50 years of impacting individuals with developmental disabilities and the families who care for them. RVI’s roots began in 1973 with a few families who wanted their children to have a place to find connection and further opportunities for personal growth after high school.
Those parents collaborated with the Ottawa County Board of Developmental Disabilities to found a sheltered workshop for eight individuals.
“Within a couple of years, it was providing services to over 100 people,” said RVI Executive Director Laura Borows.
RVI became independent in 1998
In 1998, RVI disassociated with the county board and privatized. In doing so, it became one of the first nonprofit, day service sites in Ohio.
“From there, we focused on the employment side, but then parents and advocates started to ask how we could expand to offer more help,” Borows said.
RVI expanded to include adult day services and residential services in the home to help caregivers. Through those services, individuals are taught independent living skills such as hygiene and self-advocacy.
“They focus on any task that builds skills to live independently, like taking trips to the movies. The individuals plan the trip so if they want to do it on their own, they can,” Borows said.
Today, RVI’s services include residential, adult day support, employment, community integration, nursing, money management and transportation. It serves individuals in six counties: Ottawa, Sandusky, Erie, Lucas, Wood and Huron. RVI serves between 75 and 135 individuals in day services annually and 25 individuals utilizing residential services.
RVI also has a day hab site in Wood County
The main site is at 8380 W. Ohio 163 and RVI now operates a second site in Perrysburg.
“We created a second day hab site in Wood County. Both sites do a lot of volunteering at places like the Metroparks, Habitat for Humanity and United Way,” Borows said. “It gets them more involved in the community and also helps nonprofits.”
The future of RVI will follow the lead of the needs of the individuals it serves. In the past 50 years, RVI developed programs in response to need, and it will continue that successful trend into the next half century.
“If people need help, we’re there to meet the demand. As more people ask for help, we will keep answering the call for services and support,” Borows said.
Borows believes that philosophy created the foundation that kept RVI thriving for 50 years.
Program changes as need change
“We’ve been around for 50 years because we’re so unique,” she said. “Programs were started because someone needed help. That’s all it takes. We figure it out. In the future, things will continue to change.”
As they change, one thing will remain the same: RVI will always be ready to offer a helping hand.
“There are all kinds of needs where people need support. That’s what we’re here for,” Borows said. “Our purpose is to move people toward the life they want to live.”
More information on RVI can be found at rviinc.org.
Contact correspondent Sheri Trusty at sheritrusty4@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Meet Your Neighbor: RVI began in 1973 under county board of DD
