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TVC’s challenge: How will they go on after I’m gone?
by Rick DeClue · News · May 14, 2015
How do we continue to support our children as they start that transition to becoming adults? What changes occur in our relationship as we and our sons and daughters get older? What happens after we are no longer here?
Every parent faces these questions, but some grow more acute for parents facing children challenged by significant intellectual disabilities, like Down’s Syndrome and autism.
A group of families, whose special needs children have grown into young adults, are working to answer these questions at The Village Community, located at the 10-acre site of the former Wallace Winery, 5305 Herbert Hoover Highway, east of West Branch.
After attending a guardianship/conservatorship workshop two years ago, the families concluded that existing care and therapy options, while helpful, fell short of what they wanted for their children.
TVC’s Web site describes the group’s goal of providing a “sustainable living/learning/working residential model, with a family component.” It is designed to serve special needs young adults (middle school, high school or just out of high school) transitioning out of their parents’ homes, but not able to live independently.
After acquiring the winery property in August, with its outbuildings, fruit trees, grapevines and a variety of useful outdoor and indoor space, the group held its first programmed activities in November.
Ann Brownsberger and Brenda Kurtz, two of the founding members of TVC, emphasized the challenge of the “family component” of the group’s structure. Kurtz is a West Branch native and a member of the high school’s Class of 1985.
They said many organizations provide services for special needs children who are dropped off, participate in various activities, training and therapy, and are then are picked up by their parents. Yet TVC parents commit to participate in a collective effort dedicated to care, programming and supporting the group and its property. This also involves siblings, grandparents and other family members and supporters.
Each family brings its own knowledge from years of experience and its own network of supporters to provide an environment where their children benefit from social interaction with others with special needs, their families, volunteers and welcomed visitors.
“We know what makes them tick, and we know what ticks them off,” Brownsberger said of their charges.
Of the original eight founding families, three remain.
Brownsberger and Kurtz said there are few existing efforts like theirs. As TVC has grown, the families engaged in lots of discussions and disagreements, just like any collective family, they said.
There are currently seven area families with eight special needs children participating in The Village Community concept.
Programmed activities, which will grow to four days a week this summer, include music therapy provided by West Music Stores, art therapy, yoga and drama activities, and tae kwon do lessons provide by Chol Choe’s Black Belt Academy. The winery property also provides room for gardening, basketball and other athletics, plus all the curiosities that 10 acres can offer.
TVC wants to provide residential living, plus a storefront/roadside market program to create an outlet for artwork and produce sales, while providing social interaction, customer service and operating the store. TVC is currently holding a fundraiser by selling organic gardening soil in its parking lot.
The group hopes to announce an open house this fall. TVC also wants to get into West Branch more. Having already made trips to Herb & Lou’s and Main Street Sweets, they hope to attend a Bears football game this season.
Kurtz and Brownsberger said all of the families appreciate the warmth and welcome shown to their children by citizens and businesses when they visit “the city.”
Outside of TVC, the young adults may attend school, as well as participate in activities such as the Special Olympics and other transition programs.
TVC also receives support from various components of the University of Iowa, as well as an advisory board with a combined experience of over 180 years in the study, education, care and treatment of special needs individuals. For example, Joe Taylor, an advisor and part-time director of TVC, is a special education teacher and Special Olympics Coordinator for the Iowa City Community School District. He was named a Special Olympics Coach of the Year in 2014.
There is no formal cost to join TVC or its activities, though the time and financial support from families helping out with supplies, maintenance of the property and other costs is part of their commitment.
TVC is a qualified Medicaid provider eligible to bill for certain therapeutic and training programming. Its designation as a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation allows the group to receive support from tax-deductible cash and in-kind donations.
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