CNL Member since 2003
Founded: August 1985
Visit Website: www.freed.org
Contact Email: Ana Acton – ana@freed.org
Mission & Purpose: FREED’s mission and purpose is to help people with disabilities live in a barrier-free community where they enjoy the same opportunities afforded every citizen, and to educate the community as a whole to the needs and talents of the disabled community.
Freed Success Story:
In 2012, FREED supported 15 people as they moved out of institutions (e.g., nursing homes) back into the community. One woman in her mid-sixties, had lived in a local nursing home for almost 5 years. By all accounts, her family and others expected her to continue living in the nursing home forever, feeling that she was “safer” there. After a short time living in institutions, people tend to lose their sense of self determination & independent living skills, since everything is done for them.
This woman was highly motivated to return to independent community living, and with the help of FREED services, was able to do so. She started out in her transition with no family support and in need of independent living skills. With FREED’s staff support and financial resources from federal and state transition programs, she was assisted to return to community living and get set up in an apartment. She benefited from all of FREED’s services: including assistive technology (e.g., medication management, installation of grab bars, and access to a computer) and had a Friendly Visitor volunteer assigned to her for a weekly visit.
In her first weeks out of the institution, she would call FREED twice a day for support; as the weeks and months passed, she gradually regained her independent living skills and now manages her own life completely including medication, in-home support services, and transportation. She calls FREED occasionally to check in, or comes to FREED on Telecare to use the computer. She has also become a FREED Friendly Visitor volunteer to visit someone else! This is a wonderful success story from several perspectives. Not only has her quality of life, sense of independence and self-determination increased dramatically, but the cost of subsidized housing and in-home supportive services is a fraction of the cost of continuing to live in a nursing home.
How we have benefited from being a member of CNL:
Board and Staff members have participated in trainings and workshops provided by CNL. CNL has provided the opportunity for networking and valuable collaborations with other organizations serving individuals with disabilities.