What does “Inclusive Housing” Really Look Like? Let’s talk about Our Stomping Ground Inclusive Communities in Virginia

Welcome to Accessible Housing Matters!

 

In today’s episode, I welcome Paula Manion & Donna Budway

 

Paula Manion is the Founder and Chair of Our Stomping Ground - Inclusive Communities.  She is a strong and passionate leader of the mission to create affordable, inclusive communities and meaningful lives for adults with disabilities. Paula’s belief is that the greatest barriers adults with disabilities face are not their disability--they are the barriers to housing, employment, and meaningful social experiences. Paula also serves the community as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and Primary Care Mental Health Specialist with a special focus on advocacy and care of children and adolescents with developmental disabilities and mental health issues.  She and her husband reside in Northern VA where they have raised their 3 children, the oldest of whom has autism.  

 

Donna Budway has served as a community organizer in Arlington for the past two decades.  She is active in autism advocacy, food insecurity, and homeless issues, LGBTQ teen supports, hospice, and tutoring for at-risk students.  Donna and her husband Robert have three children, their youngest Emma, a non-speaking autistic, lives in Our Stomping Ground’s first community, Gilliam Place in Arlington.  Donna manages our programming and is instrumental in her outreach in sharing the mission and the importance of making a community.  Her passion is in developing and sustaining inclusive settings and ensuring the well-being of adults of all abilities.

 

Listen to find out more about:

 

[00:01 - 04:13] Opening Segment

I welcome Paula Manion & Donna Budway to the Show Bio Providing accessible housing to give an opportunity for people with disabilities to live as independently as possible

 

[04:14 - 12:13] What does “Inclusive Housing” Really Look Like?

Not a housing solution for everyone, but could be a larger solution Inclusive Communities Looking into issues of diversity and equity Affordable complexes are multigenerational How People without Disabilities Experience Inclusive Communities

 

[12:14 - 23:52] Stomping Ground Inclusive Communities in Virginia

Addressing the problem of a lack of inclusive schools The Most Organic Way to Have Inclusion Spontaneous Opportunities for Inclusion  Paula shares the biggest lesson they learned from creating their accessible housing model “We’re changing and learning.” The Inclusion Penalty

 

[23:53 - 30:53] Closing Segment

Paula and Donna share how they found themselves in this space See links below to know more about Paula Manion & Donna Budway Final word

Tweetable Quote/s:

 

“We had the potential not to build just one place… we could partner and not have one but several communities to provide solutions for affordable and accessible housing.” - Paula Manion

 

“We're trying to make up for all this time where people have not been familiar with people with different abilities being in their space.” - Donna Budway

 

You can connect with Paula & Donna through [email protected] or visit Our Stomping Ground and take the next step to living meaningful lives outside of the family and group homes.

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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.