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First Rainbow Village Home Comes To Florissant Street
RAINBOW VILLAGE: Lydia Rasis, Director of Operations, Rainbow Village, State Rep. Bert Atkins, Michael Rea, director of Development and Community Relations, Rainbow Village, and Ron Ekstrand, chief executive officer, TouchPoint
By Carol Arnett
“Everyone should have a choice of where they live, and for these residents, this is the best choice,” Missouri State Rep. Bert Atkins said at the ribbon cutting for the 50th house owned by Rainbow Village.
The home, on a quiet street in Florissant, will be home to three men with autism. TouchPoint Autism Services will provide the care and help the residents may need. Rainbow Village provides the house, and any maintenance it may need.
Rainbow Village started in the 1960s, and this house marks the 50th home the group has purchased, and the ninth home in the Florissant area. Rainbow Village works in partnership with other agencies, such as TouchPoint, that provide services. This is TouchPoint’s first venture with Rainbow Village.
Ron Ekstrand, chief executive officer of TouchPoint, said the partnership was the perfect fit. “It allows us to do what we do best, which is provide support to adults with autism and their families, while Rainbow Village does what they do best, which is provide these beautiful homes and the care that they need.”
The house in Florissant is tailored to meet the residents’ needs. Michael Rea, the Director of Development and Community Relations for Rainbow Village, explained the process.
“The agency we’re working with, such as TouchPoint, tells us where they would like the house,” he said. They decide based on where the residents work and where their families live. Rainbow Village then finds three or four houses that fit the criteria. They then look at the homes with the agency, the future residents, and their families, and agree on which house to buy.
At that point, Rainbow Village buys the home and does any work that needs to be done. Some things are put in all houses, such as smoke detectors and security systems. Other items vary, based on the needs of the residents.
“We work with the residents and their families when we renovate,” said Rainbow Village director of operations Lydia Rasis. They help choose furnishings and room décor. If residents have any physical limitations, Rainbow Village will make accommodations.
The Florissant house has four bedrooms, a cheerful living room that opens into a kitchen with dining table, and a finished basement with a TV room. Since only three people will live there, the fourth bedroom will be used as a staff office for the TouchPoint workers.
Ekstrand pointed to several benefits of the arrangement. He said his agency had worked with other landlords who didn’t understand the special needs of the residents. The long-term arrangement that Rainbow Village has with TouchPoint allows the residents to stay in the home, Ekstrand said, and Rainbow Village will make further renovations if they are needed to allow the residents to stay.
“With autism, predictability and sameness is very important,” Ekstrand said. “Just knowing that we won’t have to move anyone in a year when a lease is up is a big help to us.”
Rainbow Village has a staff of eleven. Four of those employees are dedicated to maintaining the homes. “The staffs at the homes know they can call us if they have a problem and we can send someone out to fix it,” Rea said.
Sherry, the mother of one of the residents, said she was thrilled to see her son in the house. “He’s been with TouchPoint since he was 19, and now he’s 31,” she said. She said he was living in another house, “but it wasn’t nearly as nice as this.”
“To me, it’s great to know that he’s settled in a safe environment.” Sherry also said that she appreciated that her son’s new house is only 15 minutes from hers. “I can visit him very easily,” she said, “and when I’m not here, I know he’s safe and cared for.”
