Many Hands: A vibrant community for the Dexter and Ann Arbor area where everyone can thrive regardless of ability

Kerry Kafafian believes the need is great. It’s her goal to get the word out on the Many Hands Lifesharing Community.

With the hope to update the community about the proposed project off of Baker Road and look for like-minded supporters who would like to lend a hand, Kafafian and the Many Hands board are hosting an upcoming information event on July 10.

As the founder of the community and as a determined parent of a young adult son with intellectual and developmental disability, Kafafian said she knows how profoundly important the community and their work is. She said she believes in the Lifesharing model the local nonprofit Many Hands can bring to the Dexter and Ann Arbor area community.

The Sun Times News connected with her to talk about the community and an upcoming event.

“Aging parents of disabled adults face a frightening question,” said Kafafian. “Who will care for my child when I no longer can?”

To begin to answer that question for some, Many Hands Board of Directors announced adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) can look forward to an innovative lifestyle option in Scio Township. Many Hands now has 85 acres of land under contract on Baker Road, just outside of Dexter, to build a unique care and living community for adults with IDD including autism who need round-the-clock services.

They will be having an information event at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, July 10 at the WISD’s Teaching and Learning Center, 1819 South Wagner Rd. Some of the plans and progress will be shared then.

One of the main things to know about the project is that it plans to be a fully accessible, sustainable community with family-style homes for residents and caregivers.

Kafafian said the community will aim to provide residents and caregivers with miles of pathways that are accessible to all, a craft house, auditorium/gymnasium, kitchen with a bakery, therapeutic pool, and a cafe, alongside an organic regenerative farm with animals. Most of the land, she said over 60 percent, is staying agricultural or natural, with systems to reduce water run-off into Mills Creek.

In their announcement, Many Hands said, “The structures that will be built are using cutting edge sustainable systems including solar panels. The vision, when fully realized, will ensure that the whole disability community, not just those living onsite, will have access to our campus thus providing an unmet need for learning activities. To increase interaction with the Dexter community Many Hands is offering resources with the cafe, fresh produce, and a petting farm to the public.”

In thinking about the need in Washtenaw County, Kafafian estimates there are over 1,000 individuals in the county that need around the clock care.

“We plan to provide family-like homes for both individuals with IDD and their caregivers, addressing both the IDD housing and Direct Care Personnel crises simultaneously,” she said.

Of the 100 residents, Many Hands said one-third are IDD adults, the remaining space is providing staff housing in the community where they live. Kafafian said lifesharing is a proven, but not well known model.

In the Many Hands announcement, MHLC Advisory Board member Ron Hodess, also a Miller Canfield Attorney and Autism Alliance of Michigan board member, said, “An innovative solution for those with a developmental disability is desperately needed in our area. The waiting lists for existing communities are years long.”

Its supporters and planners say Many Hands will be a wonderful lifestyle option not currently available in the area.

“Our innovative model combines public and private funds to achieve a high level of care and a solution to the shortage in direct care professionals,” the board said in the announcement. “Medicaid funds approved under the Home and Community Based Services will cover most of our operational expenses, and private donations will develop a neighborhood of net-zero buildings that produce all of their own energy. We intend to partner with Brio Living Services (formally United Methodist Retirement Communities) as our developer and Jan Culbertson as our sustainability architect.”

With a $2 million donation, the land is secure, but now Many Hands is raising funds for site evaluation and planning to gain zoning approval. They are also launching a capital campaign to raise the funds for construction. They expect the first group of residents to move into their new homes in 2025.

For more information, go to www.ManyHandsLC.org or call 734-355-0991. The event on July 10 is open to the public and free.

To see a previous story about this and about the overall project proposed on the land off of Baker Road, see this link: https://thesuntimesnews.com/g/dexter-mi/n/155844/new-development-concept-sloan-kingsley-property-addresses-social-concern

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