Thomas O'Brien
For 8 years I've had the privilege of serving as a Trustee of the Marbridge Foundation. Marbridge is located near Austin, TX. It serves adults with cognitive disabilities (Downs Syndrome, Williams Syndrome, Autism, Aspergers, brain injuries, etc, etc). Marbridge is comprised of 3 centers...the Village for individuals who can live with limited supervision (capacity 84), the Ranch for those who need more supervision (capacity 80), and the Villa which is a licensed nursing home (capacity 84). We have residents from 38 states and 4 countries other than the US. Marbridge is a wonderful place that is a safe living environment while providing educational, job training and social opportunities for its residents.
I'm posting this here because I know how difficult it is for people to find a place like Marbridge when they need it. My son is 32 and has Downs Syndrome and I know what it was like for us when he wanted to go to "college" like his older brother and sisters had done, and he had "aged out" for educational programs offered by the State of Texas (22). We were just plain lucky to find Marbridge. He's now lived there 7 years and considers it one of his homes. And now it seems like every week or so I run into someone who has a child, relative, neighbor, friend, business associate, church member, etc, etc, who can benefit from a place like Marbridge. When I meet with groups on behalf of Marbridge, I point out that a large number of our residents were living very typical lives until a car accident, slip on an icy sidewalk, fall from a step ladder, etc. resulted in their needing Marbridge.
As a Trustee, I've tried to emphasize the importance of getting the word out, and I thought I might as well use this forum to do that. So, if you, or someone you know, would like information about Marbridge, they can go to its website at www.marbridge.org or contact me.
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