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.

PEOPLE: OHANA COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND AWARENESS PROGRAM SINCE OUR INCEPTION WE HAVE CONTINUED TO CONNECT ONLINE AND IN PERSON TO HELP COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS UNDERSTAND AND COME ALONGSIDE OUR WORK TO SUPPORT VULNERABLE PEOPLE WITHIN NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES. WE DO THIS THROUGH PRESENTATIONS TO UNIVERSITY CLASSROOMS CITY COUNCILS BUSINESS ENTITIES NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS. WE ARE ALSO AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AS THEY SEARCH FOR SERVICES THROUGH THE LIFESPAN AND TO COLLABORATE WITH ORGANIZATIONS ALIGNED WITH OUR MISSION. DURING MUCH OF 2021 80% OF THIS WORK WAS DONE ONLINE AND BY PHONE AND AND 20% VIA IN-PERSON PRESENTATIONS AND MEETINGS TO INCLUDE E AND A FOR OVER 600 STAKEHOLDERS. ADDITIONALLY WE WORKED WITH DESIGN AND WEB DEVELOPMENT EXPERTS TO BUILD A NEW WEBSITE WITH AL-NEW CONTENT AROUND OUR THREE SERVICE PROGRAMS: 1 PEOPLE: COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND AWARENESS 2 PLACE: RESEARCH DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT AND 3 PURPOSE: OHANA PROGRAMS OF SUPPORT. THIS WEBSITE HAS RECEIVED OVER 500 HITS PER MONTH AND OVER 200 NEW SUBSCRIBERS FOR OUR NEWSLETTER AND TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR COMMUNITY-ENGAGED DESIGN PROCESS. 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. IN 2021 OHANA BEGAN NEGOTIATIONS WITH A LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT TO 1 SECURE PROPERTY FOR LAND ACQUISITION AND CONSTRUCTION IN 2023 2 DESIGN OHANA VILLAGE AS A PART OF A COMPREHENSIVE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AS WELL AS FOR SENIORS AND WORKFORCE FAMILIES. IN 2021 OHANA ESTABLISHED WORKING PARTNERSHIPS AND MOU'S WITH KEY DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AND FUNDING PARTNERS INCLUDING CENTENNIAL MORTGAGE GREEN CANOPY DAVIS STUDIO LAND AND LIFE AND MORE. OUR DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS HAVE PROVIDED OVER $25,000 IN EQUIVALENT IN-KIND SERVICES TOWARD TO BUILD MULTIPLE STRATEGIES FOR THE BUILDING OF OHANA VILLAGE.

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 2020-2021 REDIRECTED 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 2021 WE PARTICIPATED IN OVER ONE HUNDRED MEETINGS AND SEVERAL ONLINE PANELS FOR CONFERENCES DISCUSSING BEST PRACTICES IN HOME AND COMMUNITY SUPPORTS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. OHANA ALSO SUPPORTED 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.