What: Housewarming Celebration for People Inc. “On Our Way @Wayside”
Guided tours will be provided of the training apartments and the common areas used for group instruction.

When: Tuesday, June 29, at 11 a.m.

Where: 5235 Roberts Road, Hamburg, NY
Parking available at Wayside Presbyterian Church, 5017 Lake Shore Road (the church is adjacent to Wayside)

Who: Hamburg Town Supervisor James Shaw, Assemblymember Jonathan Rivera, People Inc. President and CEO Rhonda Frederick and a Wayside tenant will share brief remarks. 

Why: People Inc. On Our Way @Wayside is a transitional housing opportunity to help prepare people with intellectual and developmental disabilities for independent living, while developing skills through hands-on learning. 

The residential crisis facing people with intellectual and developmental disabilities negatively impacts the psychological, emotional and social well-being and health of affected families. Parents often live in fear of the future, as they wait for years for a residential opportunity to become available. Only people experiencing the greatest crisis and imminent

danger are prioritized for a group home. Too often, this means families must wait for an emergency, such as a death or physical incapacitation of a caregiver. 

The People Inc. “On Our Way @Wayside project started with the donation of a former daycare building, which was donated on the corner of Wayside Drive and Roberts Road in Hamburg, and a new building was recently completed. Three tenants at a time will live at Wayside for a three to nine-month period and their progress will be tracked monthly through an assessment process. The residence consists of three separate pods/en suites. Staff will be present at limited, set times to work on skills for independent living. The larger, common training spaces will allow for group learning activities on cooking, cleaning, laundry, budgeting and mobility training. On Our Way @Wayside will help provide people with intellectual and developmental disabilities the chance to gain independence by being progressively responsible for aspects of their “next step” community apartment, while living in a safe practice model.

COVID-19 safety protocols in place for this event. Social distancing and face masks required within the house.

People Inc., a multispecialty non-profit health and human services agency, provides programs and services to more than 10,000 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, special needs, families and older adults throughout Western New York and the Greater Rochester region. Since 1970, People Inc. has assisted people to achieve greater degrees of independence and productivity. With nearly 4,000 employees, People Inc. is one of the region’s largest employers. To learn more, visit people-inc.org, follow People Inc. on Facebook or Twitter @PeopleIncNews.