We couldn’t be prouder of Ian McKay, one of Specialized Housing’s house members from South Portland, Maine. This past July, Ian took on his biggest swim yet—a 15-mile open-water challenge at Lake Memphremagog in Vermont.
Our house communities are shaped by the routines and habits of our members, creating unique cultures within each home. During a recent tour of our Brookline house, program manager Alexae Connor shared a story that captures this well—she mentioned the “News Crew.”
Margie was a cherished member of our SHI community for over 26 years. It's difficult to pick just a few memories because there are so many. But perhaps the best way to remember her is by reflecting on the wonderful person she was.
We’re excited to introduce you to Lauren Garrett, the program manager at Specialized Housing’s very first house, whose passion for working with people with disabilities began with a personal connection.
If you’re part of Specialized Housing, you’ve probably crossed paths with Steve at some point. Steve helps with solving some challenging routine and urgent maintenance problems, and does it all with a smile, which is why we’ve been wanting to highlight Steve and his positive effect on our community.
David and Margot are the co-founders of Specialized Housing, and I recently met with them to take a look back on the last 40 years and reflect on the experiences and events that made SHI the unique, tight-knit community it is today.
We thought it would be inspiring to highlight some of the neighborhood routines that help define our communities. Since 2017, a group of Brookline SHI house members has been going to Pino’s Pizza on Saturdays. They are well known by staff and other regular patrons.
Having reached this significant milestone, we are excited to celebrate our long-term success with all of our current families, staff, and house members. Meet Adam, who represents a new generation of SHI house members in our established Brookline communities.
“We realized that living alone was not going to be an option for her — she was always going to want some kind of support. So we were very fortunate to find Specialized Housing very early on. As she grows older and I grow older, it’s nice to know that she is really secure in where she lives and that her life has a pattern of its own, independent of me and the rest of her family.”
“The community of this house is the way I feel the community in the world should be. Everybody gets along and takes care of each other. That’s what you’ve formed — a wonderful community.”
