NEWS RELEASE
Heritage Christian Services Unveils $9.1 Million Homes with Heart Capital Campaign
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Heritage Christian Services, a human services provider for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, today launched its Homes with Heart capital campaign to the general public during a kickoff event at the Pieters Family Life Center in Henrietta. The campaign will raise funds to build or renovate 12 homes in the Rochester and Buffalo markets to address the changing needs of people they support as they grow older.
More than half of the 400 people living in Heritage Christian Services’ 24-hour staffed homes are over the age of 50. The Homes with Heart sites will serve as models for future Heritage Christian Services homes that will be designed to support people in all phases of their lives.
A significant pledge amount to be matched 2-to-1 towards the campaign’s fundraising goal of $9.1 million has been made by Patricia Larrabee, founder of Rochester Clinical Research, and her two sons Adam and Brendan, in memory of David Larrabee, husband and father. The Larrabee Family gift is a matching challenge; for every dollar donated to the Homes with Heart campaign, the Larrabees will match it by donating two more dollars up to the pledge amount.
“This is one of the most impactful projects for the people we serve, their families, and communities in the agency’s history,” said Marisa Geitner, president and CEO of Heritage Christian Services. “We project that the renovations and new builds made possible by the Homes with Heart campaign will serve close to 400 people over the next 60 years. The work of today will serve future generations with high quality care and support.”
Renovations include widening hallways to better accommodate wheelchairs, eliminating steps and stairways for easier mobility, improving bathroom accessibility with walk-in showers and new railings, adding a first-floor laundry and medication administration rooms, creating larger parking areas for wheelchair-accessible vans, and more.
“These single-level fully accessible homes will improve the livability and accessibility for individuals and their families, creating safer environments that enhance our ability to provide care to people in need,” said Mark Zawacki, executive director of the Heritage Christian Services Foundation. “While Homes with Heart includes capital improvements, it’s really about ensuring that those we support may be afforded the same high-quality options to age in place and receive the end-of-life care at home that you and I want for ourselves and our loved ones.”
People can donate to the campaign or learn more at HCSHeart.org.
###
ABOUT HERITAGE CHRISTIAN SERVICES
At Heritage Christian Services, we believe in possibilities. Established in 1984, Heritage Christian Services strives to advance an inclusive and equitable community. Our more than 3,700 employees work alongside the people who choose our services, ensuring that everyone can achieve what is meaningful to them. Based in Rochester, with concentrations in the Finger Lakes and western New York, we’re innovating and expanding as the needs of our community grow. We serve our community with programs that promote housing options and the support within them, in addition to programs that sustain relevant employment and day habilitation. We have also established programs for high-quality childcare, setting the standard for statewide workforce education, ensuring robust health, wellness and equity, and embracing self-empowerment. Visit HeritageChristianServices.org.