ROOF's mission is to empower individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to successfully obtain and maintain affordable and inclusionary housing of their choice.

The ROOF Connector
Connecting you with housing news and resources
December 2015

As you are considering your holiday gift-giving, please consider an end-of-year donation to ROOF. 


Your gift can help empower people with intellectual and developmental disabilities obtain and maintain inclusionary housing of their choice.


Wishing you Happy Holidays and a Joyous New Year! 

The ROOF team would like to wish you and yours a joyous and safe holiday season!



Community Living Success Story
 
Louise's Story
 
We turn this month's spotlight to an exceptional individual who exudes the ROOF philosophy of independence in the face of adversity. With the support of family and friends, Louise is living a full
life with her own home and job where she proudly contributes to her community on a daily basis. 
 
Louise has made a conscious decision to take a proactive approach to her independence and can
now live a life that is her own.   

For more on Louise's story please follow this link:

  
 
A Sample of ROOF's Upcoming Activities

ROOF will be g athering specific housing information over the coming months through focus groups and surveys aimed at identifying where individuals with developmental disabilities desire to live.
 
ROOF is working hard on establishing regional housing networks in different areas of the state. A network has been established in Southwest Florida, and ROOF is working to establish the next two networks in Palm Beach County and the Tampa area. To learn more, contact us.
 
The ROOF Southwest Florida Regional Network is planning a series of affordable housing tours in January. The tours will focus on affordable multi-family apartment communities in Lee and Collier counties. If you would be interested in joining us, please contact us.

ROOF Executive Director Sheryl Soukup will be giving a presentation at the Florida Symposium on Aging and Disability on February 26, 2016. Please consider joining us for this  important day-long symposium on the critical topic of aging with developmental disabilities. Click here to learn more.

For more information on upcoming events, please visit the ROOF calendar of events.
 

Calling All Self-Advocates!

ROOF needs your help and advice! 

ROOF is looking for input from self-advocates who would like to help guide and shape the work we are doing.

There are many opportunities for volunteers to be involved, with a range of involvement levels. 

ROOF is seeking self-advocates who would have at least two hours of volunteer time to commit per month. At this level of involvement, a volunteer can join a committee or a work group that meets by phone monthly.
 
For volunteers who would like more involvement and have the ability to travel: T he Board of Directors is looking for  self-advocates who would be interested in participating on the ROOF Advisory Council. The Council offers the opportunity to be involved in face-to-face meetings that typical last 5 to 7 hours with short breaks throughout the day. The Council meets in Tampa once a year (in August). Council members are also invited to attend quarterly Board meetings and provide input on important matters. Travel reimbursement is available through funding from the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council (FDDC), in accordance with the FDDC Travel Policy.
 
We are also looking for self-advocates who are willing to tell their housing stories. Your stories can be told in writing, on video, or you can share your story as a presenter on a workshop panel.

ROOF is looking for self-advocates who would like to volunteer as peer mentors for people with developmental disabilities who want to choose a new residential option. This would initially involve having peer-to-peer phone conversations about housing using materials provided by ROOF to guide the conversation. 

We also need volunteers who are interested in looking for articles on housing and sending them to us to add to our website.  ROOF is looking for volunteers to help with our social media accounts. 

ROOF is also recruiting members for the following work groups and committees:
 
  • Advocacy (attending meetings by phone/computer, gathering information, contacting policymakers, etc.)
  • Data Collection (attending meetings by phone/computer, helping to design focus groups, surveys, etc.)
  • Housing Information (collecting stories of people who have been successful in their residential setting, public speaking, peer mentors, etc.)
  • Networking (attending meetings by phone/computer and in person in your own community, helping to establish a housing network in your region of the state
  • Conference planning
  • Marketing
  • Fundraising
If you are interested in volunteering in any of these ways, please contact us.

Residential Options of Florida | 239-774-ROOF (7663)  | Email | Website
2640 Golden Gate Parkway Suite 112-A
Naples FL 34105