Aug 2024 Newsletter: Who Decides What a Meaningful Life Is?
I’ve had the good fortune to meet and get to know Ron Suskind, father of Owen Suskind, the young man with autism featured in the Oscar-nominated documentary, “Life, Animated” at a couple of screenings and post-viewing discussions. If you’ve never watched this movie, I highly recommend it.
At the heart of this beautiful and moving story is advocacy. For Owen. For others like Owen. And so on. The question above emerges in a tearful scene of the movie between Ron and his wife, Cornelia. I won’t spoil it because I’m hoping you will watch the film and experience it. The second I heard it, however, I pulled out my phone and wrote a note to have it for whenever I need the reminder.
Advocacy is one of the three pillars of the purpose and business of LTO Ventures. As a father of two significantly developmentally disabled adult daughters, I fight every day for the lives that I believe they are telling me that they want. And the most important thing they want is choice.
Since the day I formed LTO Ventures, we have had this core value: “We believe that adults with IDD have the human and civil rights to live, work, play, love, learn, and worship in the setting and manner of their choosing with the help of their families, friends, and caregivers.”
We help build intentional residential and mixed-use communities for adults with IDD around the U.S. to provide safe, supportive, integrated, affordable, long-term settings because self-advocates and their families tell us they want them. We know that you can’t have real choice if you don’t have real options.
We understand the federal and state regulations around the funding that adults with IDD need to pay for the supports and services they require to live meaningful and independent lives, and our communities are designed to provide those opportunities, experiences, and outcomes.
Our Autumn Hills Village community will offer a range of options for adults with IDD including:
Four different housing types: 1- and 2-bedroom small homes; 3-bedroom townhomes; and, 2 small apartment buildings comprised on 1-bedroom apartments
Homes for sale, and apartments and rooms for rent in some homes
An supportive building designed for adults who require higher levels of supports
A number of units for adults with IDD who have limited income and resources (e.g. SSI and SNAP)
A Community Inclusion Center within walking distance that provides educational, vocational, recreational, and social engagement opportunities, plus the Boerne Aquaplex co-located with us.
Our goal is to provide the opportunities and options that empower each adult with IDD who lives in our community or utilizes our community resources to realize their most meaningful lives. I invite you to help us make this vision a reality.
There is a lot more news. [Click here to read the full e-newsletter]
