Best Buddies Living -- How a Major National Non-Profit is Developing their Model for Inclusive Housing

Are you familiar with the Best Buddies Program? Best Buddies Living falls right into that category of accessible housing, which means an environment where residents feel safe, welcomed, included, and have access to the same opportunities as everyone else. In this episode, Julia Moluf,  the Residential Manager for Best Buddies Living in Washington, D.C, shares how this organization provides a place for people with and without disabilities to live together, form relationships, and have access to resources and support. Best Buddies Living is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The Best Buddies Living program is one of the organization’s four key mission pillars, Inclusive Living. This program fosters an integrated experience for people with and without IDD to become active, contributing citizens who live independently in a dynamic environment where they can learn, grow, and thrive.

Let’s dig into how a major national non-profit is developing its model for inclusive housing!

Key Highlights:

[00:01 - 06:09]  Opening Segment

An overview of the need for more accessible housing options

Julia discloses what Best Buddies Living's mission is

[07:01 - 17:36] Developing A Model For Inclusive Housing

 The locations currently serving as Best Buddies Living locations

Creating a community with people with and without disabilities

How Best Buddies helps residents with disabilities to hone in on skills needed to live independently

[17:37 - 25:23] Best Buddies International

 Your housing program should have an environment where residents feel welcome and included

The opportunities that Best Buddies offer for people with disabilities

Julia’s outlook on the importance of collaboration and inclusion

The challenges and rewards of working in the disability community integration field

 [25:24 - 26:46] Closing Segment

 Raising awareness is critical in making a change in the way that we treat people with disabilities

Do you want to connect with Best Buddies Living? Head to  https://www.bestbuddies.org/living/, a  program that fosters an integrated experience for people with and without IDD to become active, contributing citizens who live independently in a dynamic environment where they can learn, grow, and thrive

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 Accessible Housing Matters is dedicated to raising awareness about important issues around accessibility and housing, and getting conversations going. I'd love to learn more about what's on your mind and get your feedback about the show. Contact me directly at [email protected] to share your thoughts or arrange a call.

Tweetable Quote/s:

 “If you give people the space to be inclusive and to have an inclusive environment, that inclusion does come.” - Julia Moluf

“We just want someone who understands that living in a diverse community has a lot of value” - Julia Moluf

“We're providing housing opportunities for people with and without disabilities to live together. So that's what we believe really sets us apart from a lot of other housing programs are group homes.” - Julia Moluf