Ottawa Friendship House unveils newest ‘forever home’

What up until Thursday was just a quaint little house in Ottawa is now truly a home.

Friendship House in Ottawa cut the ribbon on a fully refurbished, three-bedroom, two-bath structure that will be the “forever home” for three of the people it serves, all more than capable of living semi-independently.

The project is “historic,” Friendship House Executive Director Tony Barrett said, in that it is the ninth such home the organization has created in the Ottawa and Streator areas, each giving between three and six people the opportunity to live virtually independently.

It also continues its commitment to intermittent community-integrated living arrangements, a type of supportive living environment designed for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are capable of living semi-independently, with occasional support from Friendship House staff.

The goal of the program, which drew representation from several entities including the Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce, is to integrate people into a broader community [and] help them participate in community activities and lead fuller lives.

“We’re really excited about this because this is their home, their forever home,” Barrett said. “We’ve been around for 60 years, but this is a brand-new program, and we’re excited about the effect it can have on those we serve.

“This is not a residential home because there’s so much more [red tape] to go through for that. It’s just a regular house. They live here, they pay rent, and we support them in their house. We’ll help them with their budget, grocery shopping, transportation, all that good stuff. … They’re living independently, but we’re there if we’re needed.”

The home has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room, a kitchen, a large laundry area, a two-car garage and is almost completely remodeled from floor to ceiling.

There is new heating and cooling units, ceiling fans, hard-wired smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, some new windows, new wiring and all new furnishings in the living room and kitchen, all thanks to Friendship House, its staff, its many volunteers and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

“I like it. In the place I used to live, at my height I was only three fingers away from the ceiling. This is better,” joked one of the new residents, who is originally from Chicago but has lived and worked at a variety of jobs in the Illinois Valley for several years. “I know I’ve been through some hard times when I was younger, but I’ve come over those obstacles. The grace of God has kept me going, and now he’s rewarded me with this. I’m very grateful.”