Board of Directors
Joan Purrington
Board ChairMichelle Olson
VIce ChairBob Morse
TreasurerAnn Tulloch
SecretaryGeorge Rossez
TrusteeJoan Henry
TrusteeBarb Damerow
TrusteeDale Roffers
Trustee
Northeast Residence (NER) is a responsive and innovative non-profit corporation providing services for children and adults with disabilities and their families. Incorporating in 1973, it was one of the first smaller “group-homes” in the area to serve children with a primary diagnosis of mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. In 1981, we began to provide overnight short-term care (respite-care services) for families who had children with developmental disabilities living in the family home. Today, NER is one of few, if not the only, program in the entire nation to provide housing exclusively for short-term care under the Intermediate Care Facility for persons with Mental Retardation (ICF/MR) license.
This cost effective, unique and most needed service has provided support to over 400 different individuals and their family members. In doing so, we have been able to offer the support that was needed to help maintain the child with the disabilities in the family home for a longer period of time than if help had not been available. Periodic breaks have also helped keep families emotionally healthy by providing opportunities for parents to have time for themselves, and for siblings to have the attention they need that often times is difficult to get when a person with special needs is in the home.
In keeping with the mission and in response to concerns from families, NER continually evaluates and seeks input from the people we serve. Family members, county and state office workers, and case managers are all invited to share information. In response, NER has expanded its services since 1994 and now has 19 long-term care homes, a short-term overnight respite program, a day program and 3 after-school care (extended-day) programs.
As time has passed and with due diligence in pro-actively taking steps to meet the mission, NER has helped to educated the public about the rights of, and more importantly, the gifts that individuals with special needs bring to our communities. A variety of activities within the community and in the home provide an atmosphere of total equality and acceptance of all. In providing community based activities, the general public is naturally given the opportunity to actually see the interactions of children and adults with special needs. In doing an excellent job of teaching appropriate social skills, ensuring that everyone in our care is clean and well groomed, NER can help change what often times has been negative perceptions into ones of positive acceptance.
We are able to provide basic necessities to all of our client and residents through a variety of state funding. However, any amenities like special events, field trips, vacation travel and more for our residents are made possible purely by private donation and public funding. Every contribution helps to improve the quality of living of our residents and the people that care about them.
Joan Purrington
Board Chair
Michelle Olson
VIce Chair
Bob Morse
Treasurer
Ann Tulloch
Secretary
George Rossez
Trustee
Joan Henry
Trustee
Barb Damerow
Trustee
Dale Roffers
Trustee
