OHANA Village will foster close and caring relationships in a community where all residents have something to contribute—no matter age, ability, income or background—and for whom such a connected way of life gives meaning and purpose. Every person who lives in OHANA will be valued, especially when we are vulnerable and in need of help.
We know a lot about isolation these days, but for many of us the problem is chronic. According to social scientists, we are lonely when our place in our community is not clear to us, and when deep and reliable relationships are scarce or nonexistent. We can feel isolated and alone in the middle of a crowd, in our workplace and even in our own homes and neighborhoods. The barriers can be environmental, medical, social, economic… It’s not good enough to have Facebook friends and Twitter followers. Personal, daily interactions with the people we know and trust are essential to human wellbeing. An OHANA neighborhood of support is a response to this universal need.
By design, ours will be a diverse population who will choose OHANA because they want, and in some cases, need, to live out its values, opportunities and purposes in daily life. The resident lists below will grow as our project develops.
Our vision for OHANA Village originated to address the barriers faced by adults living with developmental and intellectual disabilities as they exit the public school system, a primary source of community connection and support. Our values and our design aim to reduce these barriers, strengthen social bonds and welcome individuals with I/DD to participate and contribute to a thriving intentional village life. They will be at the heart of our OHANA community.
Every strong neighborhood needs the stability, wisdom and caring capacities of older adults. OHANA welcomes seniors to live in our intentional neighboring community, a neighborhood well designed for aging and social engagement. A diverse group of senior residents may also include parents, friends and other family members (siblings, grandparents etc.) of residents with I/DD — people who wish to live in close community with a loved one even as they transition from the role of primary caregiver.
Living in OHANA means getting to know and care for all kinds of people. We think that makes for a great place to raise children, helping them to respect and learn from the experiences and perspectives of others. We welcome anyone seeking to live and raise their families in a diverse community of inclusion and support and willing to invest in the cooperative intentions of our OHANA community.
OHANA will be home to people from all walks of life who wish to bring the passion of their work — their knowledge, expertise, gifts and talents into OHANA Village. A few examples might include people who provide personal care, education and training, respite, therapy, or health care, both in and out of OHANA, and university students in various areas of related studies such as community development, urban planning, social work, or health services.
Video credit to Dragonfly media
OHANA’s approach brings together elements of different models to build something not yet created. Understanding the complexities of the challenges we are solving and the data we are using to inform our path is important. We think you’ll find the following resources helpful if you want to explore the salient issues around designing a diverse, inclusive and intergenerational neighborhood where all people can thrive.
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