Where We've Been...
In 2005, Marty and Randy Owens realized the necessity of a home for handicapped young adults. They had no idea the lengths that they would go to to make this a reality, nor did they suspect the number of people who would become involved with the project. As Randy stated, “When Our Neighbor took shape in our hearts, we planned on one house.” It didn’t take long for mother and son to discover the deep desire of so many families to find a place such as Randy’s House for their own children. These homes are a double blessing – not only do they give the residents independence, but their families can have peace in their hearts knowing that their adult children will have more meaningful lives.
Where We Are...
As of 2011, Our Neighbor, Inc. supports 10 residents in three homes and one apartment. Through both private & public funding, volunteer efforts, an incredibly dedicated staff, a tireless board of directors, and the efforts of our residents, ONI offers a broad range of support for disabled young adults. At present, our services include: Housing, employment & resume building, networking & referrals to additional resources, volunteer opportunities, social & legislative advocates, support for families, as well as numerous classes and activities for people with varying levels of ability.
Where We'll Go...
The long-term goals of Our Neighbor include serving as a model for other communities. By proving that an independent community-sourced organization is capable of providing comfortable & meaningful lives to disabled persons - at a fraction of the cost of institutionalized treatment - we can work to bring Georgia up from its present ranking as 49th in the nation for care of the disabled.
In the more immediate future, we are striving to institute another home specifically for disabled young women. By participating in Our Neighbor's efforts, you can help dramatically improve the quality of life for disabled young adults. By assisting our efforts in bringing as many disabled young adults as possible into the ONI program where they can lead semi-independent lives, participate in their communities, and come to value themselves as we will value them.
