1/19/2021 CHTFWI Meeting

We welcomed Jim Whittaker, CEO of The Arc Jacksonville in Florida, and Tom Toronto, President of the Bergen County United Way in New Jersey, to our latest meeting to talk about their housing options for people with disabilities.

Jim shared his expertise as he walked us through The Arc Jacksonville’s affordable, independent-living, apartment-style neighborhood called The Arc Jacksonville Village. The neighborhood is designed to maximize community inclusion for adults with IDD. The community has 97 one- and two-bedroom rental apartments, a community center, game and fitness rooms, a theater, computer lab, dining hall, and swimming pool. Residents enjoy countless activities and recreational amenities. The Village is located near by grocery stores, a bus route, and more! Click here to see gorgeous photos of The Village and learn more about the model.

Tom shared information about the supportive housing initiatives of the Bergen County United Way in New Jersey. He showed us this video about the Independence Way development, which provides affordable living options for 102 adults with developmental disabilities!

Both of our speakers answered many questions about how we can bring similar models here to Wisconsin. We were lucky enough to have many influential special guests that can help us make change, including a local mayor and alderpeople. Both Jim and Tom left us feeling incredibly inspired, and we look forward to using what we learned from them to champion housing projects in Wisconsin.