A HOUSE FOR ME
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
In 2013, some concerned parents in Southern York County contacted the Governor’s Office with questions about supportive services for their daughter, who has an intellectual disability (ID). They had learned that there was a statewide waiting list of nearly 800 people for Mainecare funding that would pay for these services. That list has now grown to nearly 1800! "Traditional" Group homes have a growing problem of an inability to attract and retain qualified Direct Care workers, Many report that because of the low reimbursement rates paid through Mainecare, the problem is compounded. So the problem is two-fold - long waits for funding for those needing supports, and when the supports are offered, agencies have insufficient staff to provide services. We believe (and research supports us) that people are NOT best served with 24/7 paid staff anyway. We surround our residents with a circle of support and help them become fully involved in their community.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
The Parsonage Project
We have entered into a long term lease, and are supporting one woman with an intellectual disability. A volunteer companion resides with her. We are currently reaching out for two additional women to reside in the home.
Where we work
External reviews
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of meetings or briefings held with policymakers or candidates
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of list subscribers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
VISION
Our VISION is a community where people with disabilities live and work as participating members.
MISSION
Our MISSION is to create safe, supported living situations that enable people with disabilities to fully integrate themselves into their local community.
VALUES
Everyone has a right to a home where they feel safe. Everyone should be afforded the opportunity to be fully involved in their community. Everyone should be encouraged and supported to reach for their goals, with hopes that the community will support and welcome them.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
We surround our residents with a "Circle of Support" - Since birth, we have been creating an intricate network of people in our lives; friends and/or family who are there for us in times of trouble, sorrow, and celebration. Those friends take an interest in us and our lives because we share common threads that bind us to one another. This group is called our Circle of Support. They are people we value in our lives who help us achieve our dreams or lend a hand when we are in need. We can count on them to be there for us. These relationships are formed in many ways, but generally come from meeting people in different places and environments. Meeting people, for most of us, occurs naturally and for the entirety of our lives.
Circle One: The CIRCLE OF INTIMACY is made up of those who we share great intimacy, our secrets, and heartfelt emotions. These are people or perhaps animals or objects that are so dear to us that their absence would impact us greatly. This may or may not include family members.
Circle Two: The CIRCLE OF FRIENDSHIP is made up of those people who are friends or relatives who we call upon to go out to dinner, see a movie, but are not those who we consider our most dear friends or those we must see regularly.
Circle Three: The CIRCLE OF PARTICIPATION is where you belong and includes the names of the people or organizations you participate with in life. This could contain spiritual groups, where you work, where you went or go to school, clubs, organizations, athletic teams, or where you participate and interact with people. Some of these individuals may later be in Circle one or two! Circle Three is the garden for sowing future relationships.
Circle Four: The CIRCLE OF EXCHANGE is made up of people who are paid to be in our lives. Doctors, teachers, dentists, social workers, therapists, hairdressers, car mechanics, and the like make up the numbers here.
When we look at the four circles for people without disabilities, we can see that there is a fair number in each circle. However, if we were to look at the circles for people with disabilities, we would see a VERY DIFFERENT PATTERN. For people with disabilities, there may be people in Circle One and Circle Four. Actually, in many instances, circle four explodes with people paid to be in their lives. Circle Three, the key circle, has minimal organizations or social opportunities available for them and thus, people with disabilities are excluded from creating connections to others and developing a true circle of friends or support.
While most of us have an easy and natural time creating wonderful circles of support, people with disabilities or autism are left to struggle with this aspect of their lives. That is why helping them create a circle of support can be a way to support their ability to develop meaningful relationships and help them be successful and fulfilled as members of their community.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We are an all-volunteer board and staff, with what we believe to be exceptional backgrounds and experience to make this program continue its success. I would refer you to our website www.ahouseforme.org for biographies, but among our volunteers we include six parents and grandparents of adults with disabilities, four nurses, three business owners, a retired banker, a former HR Director and a former CEO of a transitional housing program. We have also been blessed to have the support of the local housing authority and their Director. We have the support of DHHS, having recently welcomed the Commissioner and the Director of the Office of Aging and Disability Services to our home for a tour and a briefing.
We have built strong community support across a broad spectrum. Local businesses have made monetary and large in-kind donations of products, furnishings and manpower. Civic groups have held fundraisers on our behalf. The faith community has rallied to our support. And our own hard work at fundraising and grant writing has raised additional funds.
We are fully invested in this project - we are making it work because it HAS TO WORK! For many of us, the people served are our loved ones, dear friends and family members.
Some brief statements from others:
From DHHS - "I am intrigued by the promise this project holds and further encouraged by the passion and skills of those who are leading this effort. ...the unique service model being pursued by A House for ME aligns with our goals."
From Community Housing of Maine - "As a supportive Housing Developer, CHOM knows that two things make supportive housing work: Affordable Stable Housing and Adequate Support. We believe A House for Maine's model could improve the housing and supports available for people with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)."
From Special Olympics Maine - "I worked at Pineland prior to de-institutionalization in the 1980's. I know firsthand the positive effects of what living in the community has had on so many...I feel this new model is the next logical step in truly helping our special citizens become fully involved in their communities."
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
We have leased a historic colonial home in Kittery that will provide housing and supports for three women – the first has moved in and we project the additional two in early 2019. A resident companion has moved in as well and stays rent-free in return for her help. We have been clear in our approach to grant makers, civic groups and State Agencies that we want this first home to be a model for more – starting in Southern York County, and then expanding across the County and the State. We will serve adults with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorders and assist them to become active and contributing members of their communities.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We share the feedback we received with the people we serve, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
A HOUSE FOR ME
Board of directorsas of 07/30/2023
Heather Kinsey, FNP, MSN
York Hospital
Term: 2016 - 2025
Kenneth Kinsey
Hussey Seating
Tom Chase
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
Kristen Crawford
Measured Progress
Karen Taylor
Kristin Taylor
Maine Medical Center
Steven Graves
Measured Air Performance
Debra Dean
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? No -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? No -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 07/30/2023GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.