Welcome
You can help build homes where parents feel good about having their adult child living in a safe and rewarding environment. Your investment will last longer than a lifetime by educating the next generation of service providers to improve the lives of all who are impacted by or work with the disabled.
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What does the community include
Can you imagine 85 acres of land in Dexter, just 10 minutes west of Ann Arbor? Two-thirds of the land will remain actively farmed or a nature preserve. Many Hands will have 8 homes, a Community Center, Cafe, Craft House, Barn, and a therapy pool. Each home has 12 bedrooms and will have 4 Residents, 6 PALs and 1 House Parent (possibly with a partner and/or children). The Cafe is vital as a means to increase interactions with the wider community and will be offering beverages, baked goods and crafts made on site. A Craft House with woodworking, clay, painting, and weavery areas for creative activities. The large Community Center will have many functions with an auditorium that can also be used as a gym, along with administration offices and the licensed commercial kitchen and bakery. A Barn for all the farming needs with animals including chickens (eggs), sheep (wool), goats (milk) and several large hoop houses for growing vegetables yearlong, providing food to the homes and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares. Between the Community Center and the homes is a large open grassy area to hold the many different celebrations and festivals. The remainder of the land is farming fields, grazing pastures and wooded nature areas.
Who lives and works here
You can improve the lives of not just those with disabilities, but also their families and caregivers. By you helping to establish a vibrant community where over 100 people live and one-third will be Residents, it’s a catalyst for a fundamental shift in meeting the high need for the most vulnerable in our society.
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How can it be built
Your support is the solution to create a better world by providing an amazing place for everyone to live and learn regardless of ability. You can help create an innovative solution to the housing and service support issue for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism. With Medicaid funds as the main source of the yearly operating budget, it will allow financial stability compared to fundraising annually. Therefore the combination of Medicaid and Lifesharing is a cost effective model while providing a high level of care. The first phase will cost $10 million and the fully developed cost is estimated at $35 million.