Jill’s House, Inc., is a 501 (c) (3) non - profit organization that is an integrated auxiliary of McLean Bible Church. Jill’s House was established to serve children with special needs in the Greater Washington, DC area with short-term overnight care, social activities and a range of therapy activities, providing the opportunity for respite for their families. It is estimated that over 40,000 children with special needs (developmental and/or physical disabilities often complicated by complex medical conditions) live in the Greater Washington, DC area.

Despite the critical importance of respite care, there are few options available for families and the necessity for reliable respite care is repeatedly cited as parents’ most urgent, unmet need. Parents are naturally reluctant to leave their children with their unique behavior problems or medical conditions with a caregiver, after school program or day-care provider. According to a U.S. Health and Human Services report, 13.5% of parents report spending at least 11 hours each week just coordinating care for their child. [1] The limited options available continually strain families, many times to the breaking point. More than half of children with special needs live in households headed by single mothers, due to the fact that many marriages fail following the birth of their children.[2] These families are also much more likely to struggle financially partly because of the expense related to raising a child with complex needs and because they may also need to leave their job or decline additional job responsibilities, and resultant pay increases, due to the demands they face at home.[3] The current state of the economy and uncertainty about the future only adds to parents’ worries. Parents also find themselves struggling to devote adequate quality time to the non-disabled siblings of their child with special needs out of concern that they may feel neglected and resentful. Overall, almost three-quarters of parents, or primary caregivers reported some physical or emotional effect from their responsibilities. [4] Children with special needs between the ages of six and 17 and their families will be welcomed without regard to race, religion, ethnicity, gender, or financial means. Upon final completion, Jill’s House, each night, will be able to accommodate up to 45 children, in three separate lodging areas. Children will be grouped appropriately by age and the severity of their medical needs. In addition to the sleeping areas the 42,225 square foot facility will include classroom and therapy spaces, a computer lab, library, kitchen, administrative and counseling areas, an indoor therapeutic pool, handicap-accessible gymnasium and outdoor playground. The center will be staffed by child development specialists, qualified medical personnel, therapists, and volunteers. Jill’s House will be located in Northern Virginia on Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) near Tyson’s Corner, conveniently located for residents in the Greater Washington DC metropolitan area.

History of Jill’s House:

Many people are not particularly aware of the overwhelming challenges of raising a child with a disability until it becomes personal. Shortly after she was born, Jill Solomon, the daughter of the McLean Bible Church’s senior pastor and his wife, developed a severe seizure disorder. Thousands of uncontrollable seizures in the course of a few years left Jill developmentally and physically disabled and in need of full-time, permanent care. In 1996 their church launched Access Ministries for four special children like Jill. The overwhelming response from the community made it clear that the needs of families far exceeded the available resources. Jill’s parents, Lon and Brenda, were extremely fortunate to have access to a strong network of friends, family and professionals to help provide the support they needed. As they learned, the availability of respite care, which allows parents to take an urgently needed break from the constant responsibilities they face, can truly mean the difference between success and breakdown in many families. They were dismayed to see so many families struggling, so in 2003 Jill’s House was established with the mission to build a community network of integrated services and support with respite care, therapy and family assistance in a state of the art facility.

Developing and Building a Model for Expansion:

Jill’s House has raised more than $5.7 million of the $12.5 million needed toward its building campaign, and broke ground on building construction in January 2009. The project is expected to be completed by the latter half of 2010 when Jill’s House will be open and begin providing services.

Jill’s House will benefit from the experiences of services and programs provided by McLean Bible Church’s Access Ministries. Since 1996 day time respite, therapy, family support services have been provided in a nurturing, caring environment. Access Ministries’ inclusive summer day camp program serves approximately 130 children annually and is attended by children with disabilities as well as typically developed children such as siblings. Campers participate in arts and crafts, music, drama, aquatics and life skills training. Access Ministries also sponsors the annual Accessibility Summit, a national conference focusing on topics of concern to individuals with disabilities, their families and professional service providers. The integrated and expanded range of services and overnight respite care provided through Jill’s House will benefit a much larger segment of the population and ensure that more children with disabilities have an opportunity to reach their full potential and live as independently as possible in the future.

The future plans with Jill’s House are to expand services through multiple models in the greater DC metropolitan area and to stimulate similar programs and overnight respite centers across the country. We hope to be a catalyst for change in how our country serves our local communities, adding to the voice of those interested in caring for children with special needs and their families.

Key Contacts:

Denny R. Harris, President, CEO
C. Lee Vaughn, Executive Director

Federal Tax Exempt Number: 37-1465256
Total Capital Expense Budget: $12,500,000
Fiscal Year: 01/01 – 12/31

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[1] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2007
[2] Sloan Work and Family Research Network, May 6, 2008
[3] Council for Disabled Children, July 2006
[4] ARCH National Respite Network