The past few days have been a little overwhelming for two Chicago-area women - Gladys Fondrn, 57, and Barbara Henry, 42. Soon, they’ll be moving into a new home - one made just for them.
“I love my room, I love all of this house,” said Henry.
“I’m so excited, I love it all,” Fondrn commended.
Located at 9135 S. Brandon Ave. in South Chicago and opened by Ada S. McKinley Community Services, the home will house a total of eight women who have disabilities. But the organization wants to make it clear that this is not a group home. The women have jobs, keys and can also have visitors.
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‘It is not a home put together for someone to come live in – it is a home for women with intellectual disabilities and it is giving them an opportunity for choice and freedom,” said Oladimeji Olokun, vice president of community living and support services for the organization. “I remember the first time they were here. They said, 'Is this our house?' I said, 'Yes this is your house - how do want your bed and the living room to look like?'"
The home has eight bedrooms, five bathrooms, a large living room a dining room and is staffed 24 hours a day. The hope is to create more homes like this one all across the city.
