The History of HELP
HELP Foundation is still a relatively new neighbor in Euclid after opening our first program here in 2011 at our Shore Center Adult Day & Vocational Program, but as an organization we’ve been assisting people who have developmental disabilities since 1965!
Our organization began with two dedicated mothers who had children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Marietta Kelly and Joanne McDonnell found little support and only shaky, inappropriate public systems in place to provide services or even good information on caring for their loved ones. Their children were in fact barred from attending public schools, and few if any private institutions were equipped or willing to help. Not content to let this stand these courageous women made a pact to find the help their sons desperately needed. Unwilling to settle for the status quo, they created their own organization and recruited prominent members of their community to serve on the first HELP Advisory Committee. It was an emotional rollercoaster requiring substantial amounts of hard work, perseverance, and grit but their determination began to pay off. By 1967 the first HELP home for children was purchased in East Cleveland and would become home for twelve children who received state of the art care from trained social workers and care givers.
Today, HELP Foundation, Inc. has grown to care for more than 500 individuals (adults and children) in 26 locations across Northeast Ohio. Our mission is to ensure that people with intellectual and development disabilities have the homes, environments, and opportunities to be valued members of the community. HELP serves this mission by providing group homes, individual apartments, the HELP Adult Day Support & Vocational Program, a unique program serving senior citizens at the Lakefront Community Center, and the HELP Summer Program for children. All of our programs are dedicated to providing the best quality services to our clients based on their needs and desires, so that they may live their best life possible.
We’re proud to be part of the enormous positive changes made in our social systems to provide excellent care for those who need it. Truly some great strides have been made over the past fifty years and we still have a long way to go before those with disabilities are treated as equal, deserving members of our society. You can do your part to help! Join us for our annual Run for Awareness taking place on Saturday, September 9, 2017 at HELP Adult Day Program.
For more information please visit www.helpfoundationinc.org.