Building Ohana

BUILDING OHANA WAS FOUNDED BY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH THE MULTIPLE LIFELONG BARRIERS AFFECTING PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES BARRIERS OFTEN VISIBLE FROM ONE'S FRONT PORCH. OUR MISSION IS TO IDENTIFY THESE BARRIERS AND ADDRESS THEM WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF HOME AND NIEGHBORHOOD TO BUILD A DIVERSE INCLUSIVE AND INTERGENERATIONAL COMMUNITY OF INTENTIONAL NEIGHBORING IN SPOKANE WA. ONE IN WHICH ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES WILL BE SUPPORTED THROUGH THE LIFE COURSE TO THRIVE ALONGSIDE THEIR NEIGHBORS. SEE SCHEDULE O.

OHANA COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND AWARENESS PROGRAM BUILDING OHANA HAS ALWAYS BEEN A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROJECT. AS OUR PROJECT DEVELOPS AND OUR LAND IS SECURED WE CONTINUE TO CONNECT TO EDUCATE COMMUNITIES GROUPS FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN THE CONTEXT OF COMMUNITY GROWTH AND NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT. IN 2022 AS COVID RESTRICTIONS LESSENED OHANA WAS INVITED TO PRESENT TO LOCAL BUSINESS GROUPS COMMUNITY LEADERS ELECTED OFFICIALS AND CITY COUNCILS SCHOOL BOARDS CLASSROOMS OF GRADUATING MEDICAL STUDENTS AND NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS ALL INTERESTED IN A MODEL FOR SUPPORTIVE AND BROADLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT WITH A MISSION TO HELP INDIVIDUALS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES TO THRIVE. WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AS THEY SEARCH FOR SERVICES THROUGH THE LIFESPAN AND TO COLLABORATE WITH ORGANIZATIONS ALIGNED WITH OUR MISSION. ALTHOUGH MANY CONSTITUENTS ARE STILL CONNECTING ONLINE WE ARE ONCE AGAIN CONDUCTING AND PLANNING COMMUNITY BASED CONVERSATIONS LOCALLY AND PARTICIPATING CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. DURING 2022 WE RECEIVED OVER 250 ONLINE INQUIRIES PRESENTED TO APPROXIMATELY 700 INDIVIDUALS AND RESPONDED TO OVER 120 REQUESTS FOR SUPPORT BY PHONE. ALL OF OUR WORK IS FREE TO THE PUBLIC. SEE WWW,BUILDINGOHANA.ORG

PLACE: OHANA RESEARCH DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM OUR DESIGN DEVELOPMENT TEAM WORKS TO 1 RESEARCH EXISTING EMERGING COMMUNITY MODELS ACROSS THE COUNTRY; 2 ASSESS PROPERTY NEEDS AND EXPLORE UNIVERSAL AND SPECIAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES TO AUGMENT INDEPENDENCE SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS AND ACCESSIBILITY ACROSS THE LIFESPAN AND 3 FORMULATE NEW PUBLIC PRIVATE FUNDING AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES TO DESIGN AND BUILD THE OHANA NEIGHBORHOOD MODEL. FOR SOME TIME OHANA HAS HAD WORKING PARTNERSHIPS AND MOU'S WITH KEY DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AND FUNDING PARTNERS INCLUDING CENTENNIAL MORTGAGE GREEN CANOPY DAVIS STUDIO LAND AND LIFE AND MORE. IN 2022 THOSE PARTNERSHIPS INCREASED TO INCLUDE PROGRAM COORDINATION WITH CENTRAL VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT'S I DD EDUCATION AND TRANSITION PROGRAMS FOR GRADUATING STUDENTS HOUSING COLLABORATION WITH THE ARC OF SPOKANE'S RESIDENTIAL SUPPORT PROGRAM AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH TWO LOCAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SITE DESIGN FIRMS. IN 2022 OUR RESEARCH EXPANDED TO DISCOVER AND BLEND NEW FINANCIAL STRATEGIES TO BUILD BROADLY AFFORDABLE HOMES AND NEIGHBORHOODS THAT SERVE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES ABILITIES AND INCOMES RESULTING IN A FULLY DEVELOPED FINANCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL NOT ONLY GUIDE US TO BUILD AND OPERATE OHANA VILLAGE OVER THE LONGTERM BUT THAT WE WILL SHARE WITH OTHER GROUPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY INTERESTED IN BUILDING INTENTIONAL NEIGHBORHOODS OF SUPPORT.

PURPOSE: OHANA PROGRAMS OF SUPPORT THIS PORTION OF OUR WORK CENTERS AROUND RESEARCHING AND DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES FOR COMMUNITY FORMATION BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND SUPPORTT O RESIDENTS WITHIN OHANA VILLAGE. THE CAREGIVING CHALLENGES OF RECENT YEARS EDIRECTED OUR RESEARCH AND PLANNING EFFORTS TOWARD A MEANS TO IDENTIFY OUR PROJECT'S IMPACT ON HOME CARE THROUGH INTENTIONAL NEIGHBORING FOCUSSED NATURAL SUPPORTS AND NEW METHODS OF EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT. OUR WORK ALSO INCLUDES ADVISORY LEADERSHIP AND GENERAL MEETING FACILITATION TO THE I DD CHAMPIONS NETWORK A VOLUNTEER MEMBERSHIP OF 70 PLUS INDIVIDUALS AND AGENCIES COMMITTED TO MAKING POSITIVE CHANGE FOR PEOPLE WITH I DD. IN 2022 OHANA HAS CONTINUED TO SUPPORT THE SPECIAL ACTIVITIES OF I DD AGENCIES AS THEY SEEK TO FOSTER INCLUSION FOR AND IMPROVE THE LIVES OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ACROSS OUR REGION INCLUDING THE ARC OF SPOKANE NORTHWEST AUTISM CENTER PROJECT I DD AND SIDE-BY-SIDE. IN 2022 THESE EFFORTS HAVE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE SUPPORTS FOR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS 2 AND OUR REGION'S NURSING PROGRAMS THROUGH WSU. ALL OF OUR WORK IS FREE TO THE PUBLIC.