SHARONVILLE, Ohio — St. Joseph Home raised thousands of dollars for children and adults who have complex developmental disabilities during its 24th annual Incline to the Finish Line 5K.
St. Joseph Home currently has 48 residents — the youngest is a 1-year-old and the oldest is 64 — and the nonprofit is aiming to raise $50,000 during the 2023 race.
“That $50,000 dollars will go toward all of the extras that our folks need that medicaid doesn’t pay for, for example, the tubs that we use. Everybody gets a bath here from head to toe everyday. It would go to equipment like special switches and communication devices and trips out and about in the community,” said Chief Development Officer Lucienne Dreihaus.
She said it’s important for their residents to have different life experiences outside of their campus.
“We feel it’s really important to support our folks and really our best lives, so we make sure the money that we raise that we are able to do that for people looking at each person as an individual,” she said.
Driehaus also said caring for their residents is expensive.
“For example, the bathtubs that we have cost $15,000 dollars a piece and so we are raising money for those,” Driehaus said.
She said the funds raised will also help with staffing to have continuity of care, purchasing generators and vehicles, as well as building new community homes.
“Everyone is set up in a cottage. We have one pediatric ventilator unit. We are extending that to another cottage and then we have another ventilator unit for adults,” she said.
Driehaus added that St. Joseph Home is a unique facility.
“There are not a lot of places like St. Joseph Home. There are only five places in the state of Ohio that actually care for folks on ventilators the way that we do. We’ve actually had those young kids leaving St. Joseph Home as well, which doesn’t happen very often,” Driehaus said.
She said they have had six children leave St. Joseph Home.
“They’ve been weaned from their ventilator and have gone home, but most other people live with us through their life,” she said.
They will have a big golf outing fundraiser in September to also raise money as St. Joseph Home celebrates its 150th year.
