Our Place for adults with intellectual disabilities moving ahead in Dover: Help needed
DOVER — Our Place is moving forward with one, possibly two projects, to provide safe housing for adults who have intellectual developmental disabilities.
Founded in 2019, Our Place has been actively raising funds to use in the creation of its first residential home. Laurie McIntosh founded the nonprofit with other families who, like herself, have adult children who want to live where they can feel independent. She has two sons who will be residents of Our Place.
"Our Place NH hopes to raise $75,000 to go toward the renovation and construction costs of the building that we are purchasing in Dover that will house 11 individuals," McIntosh said. "Hundreds of adults with (intellectual developmental disabilities) are waiting to find supportive housing where they can live and be included in the community."
She said more than 27% live with aging caregivers who are reaching the end of their ability to support their loved ones.
What Our Place in Dover could look like
The current plan is to renovate a former day care center at 105 Durham Road in Dover. The nonprofit is currently going through Dover land use boards as part of the process. McIntosh said she feels the process is going well, with variances granted by the city Zoning Board earlier this year.
"The plan for 105 Durham Road is to have apartments for 11 people with intellectual developmental disabilities," said McIntosh. "There will be two two-bedroom apartments and seven one-bedroom apartments. There will be one bedroom for overnight staff. We will have a common area with a kitchen, dining area and living room. There will be a main office for administration and another office for staff to complete paperwork."
Second development possible, too
A second part of the plan involves working with Ken Regan, an out-of-state developer looking to purchase property in Dover to develop a unique housing plan.
"Our Place NH put together a team of people, including people from Easterseals, the Bureau of Developmental Services and the Institute on Disability, to learn how this inclusive model works," McIntosh said. "This would be a great model for New Hampshire because it would provide housing for staff as well as individuals with intellectual developmental disabilities."
McIntosh said the Regan model features apartment complexes for workforce housing, with 25% of the apartments reserved for adults with IDD.
"There are offices for staff, and the tenants with disabilities get services based on their level of need," she said. "The services are covered by Medicaid. This model is very inclusive as the people with IDD are living alongside regular workforce people. There is a common room where they can socialize, have classes, movie nights and other recreational activities for everyone in the building to attend."
McIntosh said the adults with IDD have support with their daily living skills, and transportation to their jobs and other activities.
"Having staff in the building at all times provides the building with monitoring so that all the residents can feel safe," said McIntosh. "We are hoping that this model will catch on in New Hampshire and that other developers will see the value of including these folks in their buildings."
How to help Our Place NH
Fundraising will remain a strong focus of the group as a nonprofit, McIntosh said. With New Hampshire Gives coming up, she hopes people will once again choose to help Our Place.
"New Hampshire Gives is a 24-hour online fundraising event that is happening on June 11 and 12 between 5 p.m. and 5 p.m.," she said. "This has become the biggest annual fundraiser for Our Place NH as well as other New Hampshire nonprofits."
To donate go to nhgives.org/organizations/our-place-nh.
Information: ourplacenh.org
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This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Our Place for adults with intellectual disabilities coming to Dover
