Ability House |
Altrusa International of Richardson has been the host to Ability House, a group home for six individuals with disabilities, since 1995. Established by United Cerebral Palsy, the service agency is today Ability Connection, at 7880 Bent Branch Dr. #150 in Irving, Texas, 75063.
Ability Connection maintains all the skills and life training, counseling, and medical needs of not only Ability House, but several group homes in the Metroplex, as well as approximately fifteen hundred others in the surrounding communities.
As of 2021, Ability House changed from being a co-ed home to an all-female home. There are six beautiful ladies who live at Ability House.
Our Ability House Committee faces the challenge of engaging the residents, including their family member and the caregivers in the birthdays, special events and extra-curricular activities that Altrusa International of Richardson funds, creates and orchestrates as "hands-on" experience. We do our best to search out the residents' wants and needs while staying within their physical health and nutritional constraints. Altrusa International of Richardson even decorates Ability House at Christmas and Halloween, inside and out! Ability Connection has a "Vote Online" contest for the best Christmas lawn decorations and Altrusa is always there to make Ability House glow!
Birthdays and holidays are opportunities to make magic memories and let each individual shine! Field trips open their world so they can get out and explore! Being restricted by a wheelchair is not a worry when Altrusans are there to help lead the way! Squeals and giggles explode when "Dolly" the therapy dog comes to visit, or whoops and hollers from winning Halloween Bingo for the fourth time! Then, after the party they settle down and have a Shirley Temple marathon with the new DVD's and dream about what they will get on a trip to Target with their very own gift card. This is what it is all about. The sweet souls at Ability House just can't wait until the next time Altrusa Richardson comes to visit! Activities change as the needs change, but the heart and love are always the same.
Over the years Altrusa International of Richardson has won several awards for our service to Ability House, including: in 1998 and 2012 first place, 2009 and 2018 second place in the Mamie L Bass Service Award from Altrusa International in 2007, we received the Outstanding Organization of the Year from National United Cerebral Palsy; and in 2020, first place for Christmas house decorating.
Let's meet the current Ability House residents:
Nina loves Country and Western music, sunflowers, the colors yellow and blue, baby dolls and pineapple upside down cake. Nina's twin sister, Dina visits often and likes to come to our parties. |
|
| Nina's best friend, Vera, loves purple and anything bling! Vera adores unicorns and any kind of horse. Vera listens to Motown but was happy to go see Charlie Pride with Nina when he came to town. |
Shelly is our sweet, petite lady. Shelly loves for her brother to come and play his guitar for her. She loves strawberry cake and fairies, mermaids and kittens. | |
| Kathleen is the clown of the house, always pulling a prank when she can get away with it! Kathleen loves the circus and clowns, Cat in the Hat, puzzles and anything sweet! Oh, and she loves popcorn! Kathleen has a swimming pool at her sister's house and Altrusa keeps her kitted out with snorkel and water wings. |
The two newest residents are Jane and Crystal. Jane is a lovely lady that has been slightly challenged with Cerebral Palsy but was married and lived independently for many years until her husband passed, she got older and needed extra help and support. Jane plays mother to the house and is a major help to Kathleen and our newest little love, Crystal. |
|
| Crystal has many challenges. Along with Cerebral Palsy, Crystal was born with no eyes. She is only 22 years old and requires support from everyone. Crystal is one of the sweetest little souls we have met so far. It's impossible not to fall in love with her! In fact, it's impossible not to love all these beautiful ladies. |
This year we have great new adventures in store, including field trips to Sea Life in Grapevine and an ice cream social on Flag Day, which will also be our Caregiver Appreciation Day. We try to honor the residents and families every day and do something special at Christmas, but we really think that the hard-working caregivers at Ability House deserve their very own day to be honored. You can see why we love Ability House so much! In giving our love to these beautiful souls, we get so much love back in return. Join us for a "Mad Hatter's Tea" or help us ride "Unicorns Over the Rainbow"! I will meet you on the "Yellow Submarine" and we will all have a ball leaving lasting memories. |
| Mailing Address: Altrusa International of Richardson P.O. Box 832101 Richardson, TX 75083-2101 |