History Home > About > History A A A Purchase the Heritage Christian Services History Book The story of how three sets of parents who had children with developmental disabilities helped bring a community together, inspire change and create a culture where all of God’s children are valued. Purchase the book here. 1979 Founding Families November 15, 1979 Marie and Bob Pieters, along with Gail and Bob Otto, held their first founders meeting at Jobina and Pete Bruinsma’s home on Homewood Lane in Irondequoit, N.Y. 1980 Articles of Incorporation Filed November 3, 1980 Articles of incorporation were filed with the Department of State. 1980 First Board of Directors Meeting Held December 2, 1980 The first Board of Directors meeting is held. 1981 Agency Approved as Not-for-profit February 19, 1981 Heritage Christian Home Inc. was approved to operate as a not-for-profit agency. 1981 United Church of Christ Gifted Land May 3, 1981 The congregation of United Church of Christ of Webster, N.Y., voted to give land to found the first Heritage Christian home. 1981 Fundraising dinner at Rochester Christian Reformed Church Held November 12, 1981 Heritage Christian holds its first annual fundraising dinner at Rochester Christian Reformed Church. 1983 Ground Broken on Jennifer Lane September 15, 1983 Ground is broken for the first Heritage Christian home on Jennifer Lane off of Klem Road in Webster, N.Y. 1983 First Executive Director Hired November 1, 1983 Timothy Weider was hired as the first executive director. 1984 First Home on Jennifer Lane Opened June 24, 1984 The first home on Jennifer Lane opened to welcome nine young adults: Ellen Baxter, Michael Bogdan, Bill Case, Kim DeSarra, Steve Jones, Amy Kingston, Laurie Otto, Bob and Karen Pieters. 1985 Parents Started Faith Foundation January 1, 1985 Similar to Heritage Christian, a group of parents started the FAITH Foundation in the western New York area., looking to provide Christian homes for their children, led by Anne Wolf. Eventually, the group came to include: Rev. Robert and Delphine Bohall; Carol and Ernie Forth; Carol and David Dusenbury; Sue and Granson Geis; Vicki and Ron Grout; and Barb and Jim Quimby. 1985 Bob Pieters Hired June 15, 1985 Bob Pieters was hired as executive director to become president and C.E.O. 1985 First Community Residence October 15, 1985 The first community residence is opened in a renovated home at Ridgeway Avenue in Greece, N.Y. 1986 HCS Opened a Home September 3, 1986 Heritage Christian opened a home on State Road in Webster. The property was donated by the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd. 1988 Heritage Foundation February 10, 1988 Heritage Christian incorporates its fundraising Foundation. 1988 Corporate Office Moved March 30, 1988 The HCS Corporate Office moved to leased space at the Piano Works Complex in East Rochester. 1993 Springdale Farm Opened April 1, 1993 In partnership with Monroe County, Heritage Christian assumed operations at Springdale Farm in Ogden, N.Y., and opened its first day habilitation site. 1993 Medicaid Service Coordination October 1, 1993 The agency began providing Medicaid service coordination from its main office in East Rochester. 1993 Groundbreaking for Respitewood November 7, 1993 Respitewood, Heritage Christian’s first short-term care home, opened. 1994 Respitewood Opens March 27, 1994 Respitewood opens; it’s Heritage Christian’s first short-term care home. 1996 First Home in Buffalo June 3, 1996 The first home in the Buffalo, N.Y. area opened on Hoover Road in Sanborn, and Heritage Christian began offering service coordination there. The home was transferred to Heritage Christian from the Wolf family. 1997 Day Habilitation Service Opened July 1, 1997 Heritage Christian opens its unprecedented day habilitation service for people living in intermediate care facilities in Brighton, N.Y. 2001 Heritage Christian Stables February 14, 2001 Heritage Christian Stables opens on Salt Road in Webster. 2001 Heritage Hollow November 1, 2001 Heritage Christian Services opens Heritage Hollow, its Adirondack retreat center, on Sixth Lake in Inlet, N.Y. 2002 A Second Thought Resale Shop Opened January 1, 2002 The first group of volunteers traveled to Guatemala for International Ministries. A Second Thought Resale Shop opened at the Piano Works Mall in East Rochester. 2002 Top 1% January 1, 2002 HCS receives a Compass designation, recognizing the agency for being in the top 1% of service providers in New York state. 2003 New regional office in North Tonawanda October 3, 2003 In addition to the Rochester operations, Heritage Christian opened its regional office in North Tonawanda. 2005 Agency grew to 51 Homes June 1, 2005 2006 HCS opened its first WNY respite program, Club Adventure March 1, 2006 2006 Center for Human Services Education Established April 1, 2006 Heritage Christiana launched its statewide educational division: The Center for Human Services Education, which started as the state-organized Developmental Disabilities Education of Network. 2006 Ground broken for the Pieters Family Life Center in Henrietta June 24, 2006 2007 Pieters Family Life Center Opened April 2, 2007 2008 Anne Wolf Quality of Life Fund Established November 1, 2008 The Anne Wolf Quality of Life Fund was established in the HCS Foundation in memory of Anne Wolf, one of the original members of the WNY FAITH Foundation. 2009 WNY Community Hab Services Established March 1, 2009 Heritage Christian begins offering Community Hab services in Western New York; a new program for the agency. 2009 The 25th Anniversary of Heritage Christian Services is Celebrated June 24, 2009 2011 Employment Alliance is Established February 1, 2011 The agency launches its Employment Alliance, an expanded approach to work readiness and the employment of people with disabilities. 2011 First Customized Residential Option March 1, 2011 Heritage Christian opens its first customized residential option — a home without 24-hour staffing — on Farnsworth Way in Henrietta for three young men. 2011 First Expressive Beginnings Child Care Opened August 1, 2011 Expressive Beginnings Child Care opened in Henrietta and fills to capacity within one year. 2012 Oxbow Lane in Lewiston Aquired May 1, 2012 Heritage Christian took over operation of a New York state run residential home on Oxbow Lane in Lewiston; the first time the agency acquired a home in such a way. 2013 Marisa Geitner became president and C.E.O. January 1, 2013 2016 Toddler’s Workshop & Railroad Junction Aquired January 1, 2016 HCS purchases Toddler’s Workshop & Railroad Junction in Webster, expanding its service to 300 more children. 2016 HCS Named Community Organization of the Year March 12, 2016 Heritage Christian Services was recognized as the TOPS St. Patrick’s Day Parade community organization of the year in Rochester. 2016 CDPAP Services Began April 1, 2016 Heritage Christian began serving people through the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP), which includes people directly hiring their own staff. 2016 HCS Received Ethie Award September 28, 2016 HCS earned an Ethie Award from the Rochester Business Ethics Foundation. 2016 Corporate Office Moved November 14, 2016 The corporate office moves from E. Rochester to 275 Kenneth Drive in Henrietta, New York. 2016 CHUNNY Services Premiered December 1, 2016 HCS becomes a Care Management Agency (CMA) partnered with CHHUNY (Children’s Health Home of Upstate New York), increasing opportunities to serve children outside of OPWDD. 2017 Expressive Beginnings Greece Opened June 27, 2017 Expressive Beginnings opened its third and newly constructed child care center in Greece to serve 120 children. 2018 Care Coordination July 1, 2018 Medicaid Service Coordination evolves to Care Coordination across New York state. 2018 Heritage Gardens Opened September 27, 2018 Heritage Gardens opens in partnership with Home Leasing. The apartment complex currently includes 83 units for income-eligible community members. 2020 Regional Office Moved January 13, 2020 The regional office moves from North Tonawanda to 130 John Muir Drive in Amherst, New York. 2020 Eleversity Announced May 1, 2020 The Center for Human Services Education announces its rebranding as Eleversity, a name which encompasses its enduring work in human services and next-level supports available to businesses in every sector. 2021 HCS Celebrated 25 Years of Service in the Buffalo-Niagara Region June 24, 2021 2021 First Senior VP of People and Culture Hired October 11, 2021 As the Heritage Christian Services workforce grows and changes, the agency hired its first senior vice president of people and culture. This role works to advance diversity and inclusion initiatives and integrate justice and equity in our employment philosophies. 2022 Cam Lewis chose HCS for My Cause, My Cleats December 1, 2022 Buffalo Bills player Cam Lewis chose Heritage Christian Services as his organization for the NFL’s My Cause, My Cleats initiative. He wore custom sneakers bearing the agency’s brand against the New England Patriots. The sneakers were later put up for auction on the NFL’s auction website. 2022 HCS Premiered Refreshed Logo December 1, 2022 Heritage Christian introduced a refreshed logo and tagline to better reflect how we’re welcoming the community to the next generation of services, and how we invite people to work here. We are people of possibility! 2022 Refreshed Mission Statement Rolled Out December 1, 2022 “Our compassionate and talented team reflects Christ’s inclusive love for all people, by honoring their dignity and worth and helping them to fulfill lives of endless possibility.” 2023 NADSP E-Badge Academy Pilot Program Began January 3, 2023 Our partnership with the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) allowed us to launch the E-Badge Academy. This pilot program offers direct support professionals and frontline supervisors opportunities to earn national certification for their knowledge and skills. 2023 Direct Support Wages Increased September 4, 2023 Heritage Christian Services continued to implement its multi-year strategic plan to improve work experiences of its care professionals Their base wage for the third time in two and a half years. 2023 Honored with Inaugural Elevating Women Awards September 28, 2023 Heritage Christian Services was recognized as an RBJ Elevating Women Award honoree for its commitment to the advancement of women. 2023 Gold Award Given for Team Excellence October 11, 2023 Heritage Christian Services received a Gold Award in the Team Excellence category in the Greater Rochester Quality Council Performance Excellence Awards. This recognizes the work of the strategic project team focused on Reimagining Community Habilitation Services. 2024 Homes with Heart Campaign A Success April 3, 2024 The Homes with Heart campaign was established to allow people to remain in their homes through every stage of life through new home purchases and construction, and renovations to existing homes. 2024 Refreshed Corporate Values April 26, 2024 We introduced values that reflect the spirit of who we are, our work, and the bonds between employees and the people we serve: integrity, Inclusion, Compassion, Excellence, and Joy. 2024 Self-Direction Milestone Reached May 1, 2024 Over 1,600 people are served across Heritage Christian through self-direction. In 2019, the agency served just over 500 people.