Our speakers today were Sylvia Dow and Paula Davis from Visions for Creative Housing Solutions.
John Yacavone started by introducing us to Sylvia by reviewing her short biography.
Sylvia Kluge Dow, founder and Executive Director of Visions for Creative Housing Solutions, is a visionary leader. Mother of two daughters with developmental disabilities and a former special educator, Sylvia has been a lifelong, passionate advocate for people with disabilities in the Upper Valley and beyond. In 2014 she was the primary force behind the founding of Visions for Creative Housing Solutions, a nonprofit that offers an innovative model for supported housing for adults with developmental and similar disabilities. The first home that was established was in Enfield. Sylvia’s work and the efforts of Visions have been featured in multiple publications, including feature articles in Image Magazine and Challenge NH. Among her many accolades and awards, Sylvia received the “NH Impact Award” from the NH Center for Nonprofits in April, 2021.
Under Sylvia's leadership Visions for Creative Housing Solution held two very successful capital campaigns that permitted the organization to open two more residences in Lebanon and Hanover.
Sylvia Dow
Sylvia had hoped to start her presentation with this video, but the WiFi in the Dwinell Room did not permit this…so here is the link if you would like to watch it now. Click Here
Envisioning a world where people with disabilities are fully engaged members of our community.
Sylvia began her talk by reviewing Visions for Creative Housing Solutions' history. Sylvia is a mother who has two daughters that have different developmental disabilities. Ashley was born with Down's Syndrome, and Emma had more challenging disabilities that required her to have 24/7 support. Sylvian and Brandon were committed that from birth, that they would work to permit their daughters to have full and engaging lives. That they would be fully integrated into their communities. It would be important for each daughter to follow their own unique path.
Sylvia remembers when she was diagnosed with a brain tumor, that resulted in surgery and having to deal with a serious complication of an infections. Through all of this Brandon and Sylvia focus was “what will happen to our girls if we aren't able to support and care for them.” This began visioning a way for the girls to live in a safe, homelike environment with people who would always be present to help them. She learned early on in her quest to find a viable and wonderful way to support her girls, she would have to learn never to be stopped by the word, “NO”.
What follows is from the Visions for Creative Housing Solutions web site and is a summary of what Sylvia shared with us.
Visions for Creative Housing Solutions founding location at Sunrise Farm in Enfield, New Hampshire, offers a safe, rural, 80-acre setting with a built-in pool, hiking trails, and flower and vegetable gardens. Once the family home of founding Executive Director Sylvia Kluge Dow, the property was originally owned and operated as Kluge’s Inn on Sunset Hill by Sylvia’s family. She and her husband David Dow have two daughters, both with developmental disabilities. In 2004 they began meeting with other families, all seeking permanent housing and support options for their adult children. The result, Visions for Creative Housing Solutions, opened in 2014 with six residents at Sunrise Farm. Eleven individuals now live in apartments or shared houses at this Enfield location.
In response to an ever-growing wait list, Visions began exploring options for expansion in 2017. That led to further community conversations, a search for property and the launch of a capital campaign to renovate two adjacent apartment buildings just a short walk from Colburn Park and the center of town. The result, Green Street Commons, opened with eleven residents in 2021.
Just as the Green Street capital campaign began in 2019, another nonprofit, Outreach House, announced its closing and decision to donate their Hanover property to Vision. The existing building didn’t meet Visions’ needs for accessibility and safety, so a decision was made to tear down the existing structure and build from the ground up. The Visions Hanover Capital Campaign was launched and in July, 2024, Visions opened Spruce House, a brand-new fully accessible 3-story apartment building within easy walking distance of Dartmouth College and downtown.
Now with three sites offering permanent, affordable, supported housing for adults with developmental disabilities in the Upper Valley, the Visions model has proven itself to be financially solvent with a history of long-term sustainability.
Mission
The mission of Visions for Creative Housing Solutions is to provide supported housing and community engagement opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities.
Our core services: · 24/7 person-centered support tailored to individual goals · In-house preparation of nutritious meals with resident involvement · Coordination of mental and physical healthcare, including support with medication and appointments · Job coaching and support for employment and volunteering · Community engagement through arts, faith, recreation, and social outings · Strong family partnerships and opportunities for connection · Safe, inclusive housing that promotes dignity, independence, and belonging
Visions for Creative Housing Solutions was incorporated as a 501c3 nonprofit organization in 2014 and quickly became a recognized leader in providing supported housing and community engagement opportunities for Upper Valley adults with developmental and similar disabilities. Living among a caring circle of friends, with individualized support services, encourages each Visions resident to lead an engaged and fulfilled life as a contributing member of our community. Each Visions resident has their own living space in shared or individual apartments or houses, and each of our three locations includes common areas and family-style evening meals that encourage and help to sustain the mutually supportive community of residents that distinguishes life at Visions.
Visions is recognized as a leader throughout the State of New Hampshire and beyond in innovative housing solutions for adults with disabilities. As a result, in 2017 the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority provided Visions with a $50,000 Emerging Opportunities grant which, in part, funded creation of a “Supported Housing Toolkit” for others to use as a roadmap to replicate the Visions model. Since we began tracking downloads in September 2022, more than 180 people and organizations from 24 states have downloaded the Toolkit and several communities in our region have used it to form their own nonprofits to offer supported housing options, including Our Place in Dover, NH, and The Home Possible Project in the Lakes Region.
Read more: CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE VISIONS WEBSITE
When asked if Visions had plan to expand, Sylvia stated that at this moement in time they plan to stay small, but are more than willing to let anyone use their “toolkit” to develop other housing in their communities. Though she did mention that housing is needed for individuals who have dual diagnoses…these individuals would benefit from smaller housing. So yes, Sylvia still has dreams.
She also mentioned tht 95% of the residents are employed, and she mentions that Jake Markets and Deli have made space for their resident to work. When this comment was made, Bruce Bergeron stated the “Ashley gives the best hugs”.
Sylvia let us know that everyone who is served by Visions, works to give back to the communities that support them. Many of the residents help a the Upper Valley Humane Society, Listen, Haven and other non-profit organizations. She encourage our Club to reach out when we have community service projects as many of their residents would be willing to help us.
Sylvia let us know that each home has a vehicle, and some employees will use their own cars to transport residents, but the are alway open to having good working, reliable cars donated to make transportation easier.
Finally, there is a wait list for individuals looking for housing.
At this point in the program, Sylvia introduced us to Paula Davis, their Development Manager. Paula began her talk letting us know how much she enjoys playing the musical elements at Harmony Park on the Mall in Lebanon. We also learned this was the first time she had ever been to a Rotary Meeting.