Photo courtesy of ourHome.
Amanda Owens, middle, poses with Billy and Danielle Wade of Arc Realty at the purchase of ourHome's first duplex. OurHome is a Homewood based non-profit working to provide individuals with intellectual and developmental differences with community and independence.
Homewood’s close-knit community fosters strong connections, and local nonprofit ourHome is working to extend that support to adults with developmental differences. The organization is breaking down barriers to create a space where these individuals can thrive, gain independence and build meaningful relationships.
A Vision Rooted in Compassion
Based in Homewood, ourHome provides safe, inclusive housing and social opportunities for adults with developmental differences. The nonprofit was founded by Homewood resident Amanda Owens, who was inspired by her brother, Chris Clark.
Photo courtesy of ourHome.
From left: Chris Clark, Winston Firth and Lars Olsson went bowling during a Sunday social event hosted by ourHome. OurHome is a Homewood based non-profit working to provide individuals with intellectual and developmental differences with community and independence.
Clark, 39, sustained a traumatic brain injury at birth due to oxygen deprivation. When Owens realized she would eventually be responsible for his care, she began searching for housing solutions that would allow both Clark and her four children to live comfortably.
With thousands of people on Alabama’s waitlist for supported living services, Owens saw the need for a better option. So, she created one.
“I knew that there had to be a better way for someone like my brother, again, who has those low support needs,” Owens said. “He can live independently if someone just was willing to, like, help him pay his bills, or translate his schedule onto his calendar and make sure he has money, check on his refrigerator once a week to make sure he has lunch meat.”
Accessible Housing in Homewood
At the core of ourHome’s mission is its innovative housing model—shared living spaces designed for accessibility and community-building. The organization acquired a duplex in the heart of Homewood, giving residents the ability to live independently while accessing support staff and resources as needed.
The home’s location takes advantage of Homewood’s walkability and is near the Exceptional Foundation, a nonprofit offering social and recreational programs for people with intellectual disabilities. Clark will be among the first residents when renovations are complete.
Currently living alone in Homewood, Clark enjoys his independence but welcomes the idea of roommates.
“I like living by myself because I can do what I want to do,” Clark said. “I like to have fun, and I know all the firemen because I get to go visit the firehouse every day. I like to come and go as I please. I wish I had roommates because I get bored when I’m alone.”
Clark works at Bitty & Beau’s Coffee and Publix and will continue to do so once moved into the duplex.
Building a Community
Although the duplex isn’t ready for residents yet, ourHome uses the space to host regular social events for individuals with I/DD, their families and friends. These gatherings provide a chance to connect with peers while caregivers learn about available support services.
Jenny Firth, a Homewood High School teacher, said the events have been a great resource for her son, Winston, who graduated from HHS last year and is on the autism spectrum.
“He doesn’t need as much socialization as our other two neurotypical boys, but over the summer, after he’d been out [of school] for a few months at that point, he did come talk to us, and he was like, ‘I’m lonely,’” Firth said. “But he doesn’t know how to fix that on his own. He doesn’t know how to initiate appropriately and plan and organize. So this provides that for him.”
Photo courtesy of ourHome.
The ourTeam club at Homewood High School is made up of nearly 100 students who advocate for and support accessibility and inclusion in their community. The club is part of ourHome. OurHome is a Homewood based non-profit working to provide individuals with intellectual and developmental differences with community and independence.
Firth also sponsors the ourHome Team at HHS, a group of nearly 100 students advocating for accessibility and inclusion in the community.
Now that Winston, 18, is out of high school, Firth says they’re undergoing a “slow launch” and working on the skills necessary to live independently. Winston is currently taking online classes at Jefferson State Community College, working at Bitty & Beau’s and learning to drive.
“He deserves to be independent. We deserve for him to be able to launch,” said Firth. “We also didn’t want our two other boys to feel like that if something happened to us, it was their job to house their brother for the rest of their life. We want him to have as typical an experience as possible, but also meet those individual needs that he has that other people may not. So this is kind of the perfect in-between for him. When he’s ready, there’s a place that he can live but not be totally alone.”
Expanding the Mission
As ourHome prepares to welcome its first residents, its long-term vision extends beyond a single property. Owens hopes to expand by creating multiple small, mixed-living communities that integrate neurodiverse and neurotypical residents.
“ourHome is not the support. We’re the place for that support to happen,” Owens said. “There’s United Ability, Triumph Services, SimplyHome. There are all these places that support that independence, but there’s really not a place for it to go and happen where they also have community. And we don’t want to be the place on the corner where it’s like ‘That’s where they live.’ We want to be the gathering space for everybody and a safe place to ask the questions and be part of it together.”
For more information or to get involved, visit ourhomealabama.org.
