CLEVELAND — Over 200 participants gathered on Sunday at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo for the second annual "Race You Home event." The 5K run and one-mile-stroll raised more than $65,000, and the funds raised will help North Coast Community Homes (NCCH) provide housing and resources to individuals living with disabilities and/or mental health challenges.
The organization has more than 600 residents in nearly 200 properties across Northeast Ohio.
"Typically, there are four residents that live in the home," Chief Development Officer Jillian Frazier said during an interview on WKYC Studios’ community engagement show, "We The People." "It's an opportunity for them to come together and share resources and have a support team that can help them, and they can live with maximum independence."
NCCH works with possible properties throughout Northeast Ohio that can accommodate or can be altered to meet the specific needs of the individuals who will live in the home. Examples of modifications include fire safety systems, ramps, lifts, barrier-free showers, and more.
"Some of us who are more fortunate don't maybe think about what home really means to us because we live in a fast-paced life," board member Matt Soful during the "We The People" interview. "But for our residents and our clients, it's just so much more meaningful that they even have the opportunity to be in their own environment."
If you or a loved one would like to apply to live in a NCCH home, the first step for eligibility is to apply at your local county board of developmental disability. Then, a support administrator will help to plan and find potential housing options for you. If you have never worked with a county agency before, then you must complete an application for services to be connected to a support administrator. Click here to find a county board of developmental disabilities in your area.
"We excel at providing housing that is stable and safe to support the physical and emotional wellbeing of the individuals and helping to provide resources so that they can live with supportive independence," Frazier said.
If you would like to donate to North Coast Community Homes, click here.