OVERVIEW
Located in Texas City, Texas, HRA Village offers assisted living in a family setting to adults with either mild mental retardation or mental or physical disabilities. Our mission is to provide safe, affordable housing for individuals with physical or mental challenges and to foster a healthy, happy home that not only promotes community involvement but also supports independent lifestyles.
HISTORY
In 1982, Gladys Stephenson placed an ad in local newspapers, calling a meeting of those persons who shared concern for the long term care and residential needs of handicapped and retarded persons. Sixteen parents of adult children with disabilities from Galveston County responded and later that year formally organized as a non-profit entity under the name Handicapped and Retarded Association, Inc. (HRA). With an elected Board of Directors willing to volunteer time and effort, this dedicated group was intent on safeguarding their children's futures by building a local, affordable assisted living facility.
Membership, as well as support from citizens, businesses, churches and other charitable organizations increased and HRA began to receive increasing news media coverage. For the next several years HRA Inc. harnessed the energy of community volunteers, leaders, and businesses, raising $250,000 to build the first wing of HRA Village. In 1983, former Galveston County resident, Mrs. Virginia Ball donated a parcel of land. In 1989 a groundbreaking ceremony celebrated the beginning of construction of HRA Village. Under the enthusiastic leadership of Byron Holley, the "Building Because We Care" dream became a reality. In October of 1992, HRA Village officially welcomed its first three residents and the State licensing process was completed in April of 1993. As a Small, Type-A Personal Care facility, HRA Village was licensed to provide long-term care for twelve residents. Local merchants and craftsmen donated much of the construction labor and material. Architect and contractor Rolf Schuett, President of Professional Construction, Inc., donated his time and his company to design and build the Village.
The original construction contained six resident suites, each with very generous accommodations for two residents. Each suite was fully furnished and consisted of a sitting room, a bedroom, a bathroom and ample closet space. The building also contained a common kitchen, laundry room, dining room and a common sitting room and entrance foyer. Office space for an administrator and for the 24 hour staff required to operate the facility was also provided. In addition to these finished facilities, the shell of a second wing was also included in the original construction project. This shell was walled off and remained unfinished and vacant for the next 10 years.
In 1997, the Texas City's Chamber of Commerce invited HRA to participate as one of three entities representing the city in its successful bid for the designation "All American City". HRA Village participation and support, including resident participation in the selection competition contributed significantly to that success.
In the latter part of the 1990's, the Village fell into financial difficulty. To maintain liquidity, a portion of the originally donated land fronting on State Highway 3 was sold. In 1998, the Board of Directors, led by Board President J. L. Hill and with strong support from Texas City's Mayor Chuck T. Doyle and Mainland Communities United Way Director Jack Erwin and with excellent press coverage and support averted short term financial difficulties for HRA Village. The Board developed a series of new fundraising strategies. In June 1999, the new Administrator, Linda Roten increased the Village occupancy from 7 residents to the licensed capacity of 12 within a month of taking over the position. Not content to rest on that accomplishment, on discovering that the square footage available per resident at HRA Village far exceeded State guidelines, HRA petitioned the State to increase the maximum capacity of the Village to 14. A revised State license was issued permitting 14 residents. This required placing three residents in some of the suites, which, due to the oversized suites turned out to be not only feasible but also practical. With new fundraising strategies and increased resident fees due to the doubling of the Village population, the Village was again on a sound financial footing.
Our first annual Gala fundraiser, held in February of 2001, drew 240 citizens, and raised $26,000 toward finishing out the shell of the Village's second wing. The 2002 Gala raised $32,000 for the building project. Board member Judy Slocumb provided the inspiration and leadership as well as a lot of hard work for these successful fundraisers. Finishing the second wing became known as the Phase II project with the motto "Build it, they will come". Through consistent, effective networking, a strong waiting list of applicants was developed which justified grant applications for the expansion. Major grant awards from The Houston Endowment and The Meadows Foundation provided much of the over $ 400,000 needed to complete the Phase II project. Phase II ground breaking took place in September 2001 with a ceremony attended by residents, staff, Board members and community leaders. Phase II was completed and dedicated in June of 2002 with a dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony. The project was managed from beginning to end by volunteer and Board Treasurer Mike Johnson. At the dedication ceremony, Board President Claire Donovan read a proclamation creating the "Michael R. Johnson Excellence in Service and Leadership Award" and presented the award to the first recipient, Mike Johnson. By the end of the summer of 2002, the new wing was licensed by the State as a Type B Personal Care Facility and 14 new residents from the waiting list had moved into HRA Village Phase II, doubling the Village population.
Phase II consists of six furnished resident suites that are essentially identical to Phase I suites. There is also a large open central area used as a recreation room and for additional dining space. There is a desk for the required Phase II 24-hour staff person as well as cabinet space for records and medications. The room is attractively furnished with several round tables, each with four chairs, used for dining, table games, or relaxed conversation, a piano, a pool table, and a large screen television with seating. Both Phase I and Phase II have central fire alarm systems. Phase II is also protected by a sprinkler system.
HRA Village grew from an idea to succeed and prosper because of the dedication of its Board, volunteers, and staff and because of broad and meaningful community support and commitment. Local industries and businesses, their employee and volunteers, as well as community service organizations have provided outstanding support to HRA, contributing to the success of the Village through fundraising events, organizing maintenance work days, and by organizing outings and parties at the Village for the residents. These assets point to a bright future for HRA.
PHILOSOPHY
Our mission is to provide safe, affordable housing for individuals with physical or mental challenges and to foster a healthy, happy home that not only promotes community involvement but also supports independent lifestyles. Residents are adults, citizens, and members of the community in addition to being physically or mentally challenged. They differ from you and me in that they face greater challenges. Residents work either in the private sector or sheltered workshops, participate in day programs, volunteer in the area, or attend college. Physically healthy and functioning at a comparatively high level, these persons are ineligible for publicly funded assisted housing, however their limitations preclude their living without assistance and significantly limit their earning potential. Almost all cannot drive.
"Community" is a defining, unifying, and recurring theme for HRA Village. HRA Inc. built the Village not only to provide shelter for this population but also to promote their participation as citizens. A new philosophy was implemented and became a part of HRA Village life: residents began giving back to the community on a regular basis. HRA residents became truly "citizens" and came to be recognized as such by the community. To that end, Village residents, staff, and volunteers attend local churches and functions, make presentations to schools and mental health providers, run concession stands at Chamber of Commerce events, bowl in a league, attend dances and sporting events, play challenged baseball, and volunteer at the library. Annually, residents and staff participate in such community service activities as the Cancer Walk, Muscular Dystrophy drive, Heart Walk, Little League carnival, fundraisers for underprivileged children, health fairs, and school supply drives. One resident has volunteered over 2000 hours at the Mainland Hospital. HRA belongs to four Chambers of Commerce.
Networking with other community entities is a key element in the success of the Village. Graduate students in the College of Education at the University of Houston-Clear Lake participate in a semester-long Special Education program with Village residents. An Occupational Therapy/Physical Therapy student, recipient of the Robert Bing Scholarship at the University of Texas Medical Branch, chose the Village to conduct her five-month practicum. In its fourth year, UTMB's School of Nursing includes experience at the Village as a regular component of their curriculum. These students enrich the lives of our residents in many ways while enriching their own educational experience.
Years ago, when HRA Village was little more than a vision, its founders aspired to provide an exceptional quality of life for persons with physical and mental challenges. Today, in addition to having a superior home, Village residents embrace life beyond our doors. Our promotion of activities that foster the highest possible quality of life and community involvement makes HRA Village unique.
In 2001, the Board redefined the acronym HRA to better reflect our mission and philosophy. Today, HRA is known throughout the community as "Helping Residents Achieve".
January 2003
