By Barry Wise Smith
Photo by Jordan Wald and courtesy of ourHome
Growing up, Amanda Owens did not enjoy sharing a bathroom with her younger brother Chris Clark. But as Chris, who has cognitive disabilities, got older, Owens worried if he could ever expect to have his own bathroom.
Chris was fortunate to live with his parents, and his sister when it became necessary—in fact 80 percent of adults with cognitive disabilities live with a family caregiver—but Owens wondered, “what are people like Chris doing” without family support. What she found was disheartening—approximately 1,000 Alabamians with cognitive disabilities are on waitlists for home and community-based services; some housing providers have waitlists of more than a decade; and rents for available options are several times higher than Alabama’s median family income. And in Alabama, with over 750,000 adults with cognitive disabilities, the situation is expected to worsen with a projected 50-percent increase in demand for affordable and accessible housing for these people over the next 20 years.
“Everyone deserves their own toilet and sink,” became Owens’ mantra, and that mantra became her mission, leading her to form her nonprofit ourHome in 2023. The goal of ourHome is to enable independent living for adults with cognitive disabilities at a price that the average Alabamian can afford. And while her brother was her motivation, Owens wants her organization’s reach to be far broader than just one person.
Starting at Home
Like all good ideas, Owens decided to start where she lived, making Homewood the starting point for ourHome. When Owens married and started her family, she purposefully moved to Homewood because of the city’s walkability and emphasis on inclusion for people with disabilities. “When we chose Homewood, we knew Chris would be with us one day, and we knew Homewood would be so walkable for him,” Owens says. Owens believes Homewood will offer the same opportunities to other ourHome participants.
Serving as ourHome’s Executive Director, Owens has built a board that includes professionals in the disability field. Dr. Mary Rose Sallese is an expert in special education from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Dr. Laura Fiveash is the Head of School at Spring Valley School, a private school for students with diagnosed learning differences. “These professionals are helping us to come up with policies and procedures to provide the safest, best practices to our participants,” Owens says.
In February 2024, an anonymous donor helped Owens purchase her first property—a duplex in Homewood that is within walking distance of the Exceptional Foundation and Bitty & Beau’s coffee shop, which employs adults with cognitive disabilities. Once renovations are complete, Owens anticipates housing four adults (two in each unit) in the duplex, with residents having their own bathrooms.
Owens turned her fundraising focus to raising the $225,000 needed to make the duplex renovations, including adaptive technologies to help the residents live successfully. With anticipated completion is in Summer 2025, Owens is excited about putting her first residents in place. “There is dignity in taking the risks inherent in living independently,” Owens says. “Adults with cognitive disabilities experience belonging and dignity when they live independently in a community setting personalized to their needs. Residents discover capabilities and develop new skills, which changes how they see themselves and improves their self-esteem.”
Using grant funds and donations, Owens started by making over the duplex’s back yard, and in Summer 2024, launched ourHome Social to provide social outings and opportunities for her members (her term for participants in the program). What started out as a group of 10 people quickly grew to over 50 people in Fall 2024 at back yard parties, bowling and Super Bowl outings and holiday and birthday celebrations. “From the parents of our participants, what we hear is, ‘You have no idea what this means to us,’” Owens says. “With ourHome, everyone is loved and accepted for what they bring to the table.”
Owens has felt an outpouring of support from the Homewood community for her efforts. “Sometimes when you have an idea like this, you have naysayers,” Owens says. “But from the start, I haven’t experienced that. I’ve had nothing but kindness and support.”
Neighbors and friends have joined in on the social outings, and Jane Fowlkes, a junior at Homewood High School, became interested in raising money for ourHome. She set up a lemonade stand with all proceeds going to help with the duplex’s yard renovations. What started as a simple lemonade stand, has grown to 94 students at the high school starting a club called ourHome Team. The group meets Tuesday mornings before school and acts as ambassadors for ourHome and assists with social outings. “It gives these kids the chance to learn and interact with people with disabilities,” Owens says.
As for Chris, he currently lives independently in Homewood, not far from Owens, rides his bike around town and works at Publix. But he is anxiously awaiting the day ourHome’s first home is ready for occupancy. “He asks me probably five times a day, ‘Manda when will it be ready?’” Owens laughs.
And Chris will likely be one of Owens first residents. “These folks can live independently with a little support,” she says. “They get to have their own lives, and that’s what we all want for our children.”
For more information on ourHome or to contribute, visit ourhomealabama.org.
