HOPE HOUSE

Hope For A Lifetime hope house

We are fortunate to live in a time and place in which some of the most vulnerable among us—people with special needs—are cared for and respected. Not only do these individuals have the benefit of vocational programs like Brookwood in Georgetown (BiG), and fun parks like Morgan’s Wonderland, they also have permanent residence at places like Hope House.

What makes Hope House special is that so few loving homes exist for people with severe disabilities.

“There just aren’t enough Hope Houses,” development director Erland Schulze says. “There are enough places for them to stay permanently in institutions, yes. But Hope House is not like that; it never has been.”

SECRET ROOTS

In generations past, special needs children and adults faced a different world, particularly in World War II Germany. Fortunately, there were also a few nonconformists who helped those who could not speak for themselves. One such champion was a nurse named Rose McGarrigle, who learned at a young age that disabled often meant disposable. Rose worked for a German psychiatrist at a facility for mentally challenged children he had spared from the Nazi regime during the war. That brief but profound experience led her to develop ideas about the care of disabled children that were way ahead of her time. She started a home

Hope House staff helps Mark participate in“normal” activities that many of us take for granted.

for children with severe disabilities, and cared for them in secret. Sadly, the children were eventually found and taken away.

Undaunted, Rose did not give up on her calling. She married an American and when their family relocated to Austin, she continued her mission by converting her garage into a home filled with music and toys for kids with disabilities. She later took some into her home, where they lived side by side with her own children until the pilot program outgrew her residence. One of her neighbors, inspired by her efforts, donated land on the outskirts of Liberty Hill and, in 1977, the community stepped up to raise funds for a house, which became the first Hope House.

HOPE HOUSE TODAY

More than 50 years have passed since Rose launched her program, and her original children are still being cared for, along with some new friends. Rose continued caring for residents, personally, until her death in 2003,

Rose McGarrigle started Hope House’s first location where these special kids can live full, active lives on the outskirts of Liberty Hill.

upon which the baton was passed to her assistant, Ginger Hernandez, and current Executive Director, David Gould. While providing for the care of these precious residents is important, the real beauty of Hope House is that rather than being confined to beds or restrained, residents play outside, enjoy arts and crafts activities, and embark on all kinds of adventures. They travel together to inclusive parks, zoos, aquariums, and even Dairy Queen for lunch. Children also attend special needs programs at schools in Liberty Hill. “We provide a home for them and treat them like a family,” Erland says. “We try to give them the loving care and respect they deserve so they can live as normal a life as possible.” Mark enjoys an afternoon at Morgan’s Wonderland, an accessible theme park in San Antonio. Over the years, citizens have bonded while growing up together, and many dedicated staff members have also stayed for a long time, some more than 30 years. Thanks to Hope House, people with severe disabilities have a family for life and a forever home. HOW TO HELP Hope House is able to maintain operations via tuition, fees, and tax-deductible donations, but there is always a need for more. As the population of the Austin metro area grows, so too does the demand for additional spaces for those in need of a safe and loving home. Rose’s legacy currently provides permanent homes at four locations in Liberty Hill for 35 people of all ages on a spectrum of extreme mental and physical disabilities. Nearly all residents are unable to speak and need 24/7 care for every function. Visit Hope House at www.hopehouseaustin.org

and make Hope House residents“your kids,” too.

Specialized transportation is essential to the Hope House mission.

Long-term care at Hope House literally means “for a lifetime.” Many of the children who came to the House more than 50 years ago are living there today as senior citizens. In light of this lifetime commitment, building more homes is the only way they can reasonably accommodate individuals on their growing waitlist. But, large or small, all help is welcome to support many special projects not funded through their annual budget.

Hope House is always looking for volunteers as well, whether you want to build a picnic table, bake cookies, play in their golf tournament, or spend quality time with their special residents. The staff at Hope House promises volunteers the experience will be deeply rewarding and will generate a profound sense of gratitude.