40 Years and Counting

by Marisa Geitner

On June 24, Heritage Christian Services will officially be 40 years old!

When we began, we supported 15 people in two homes: Jennifer Lane in Webster and Goodburlet Road in Henrietta. The members of three families were very involved with serving alongside the organization’s leadership. Their children and relatives were the first people supported in our programs.

As the years went on, demand for the compassionate services we offer grew. We diversified our service offerings to create more possibilities for people. In addition to more residential homes throughout the Finger Lakes and the Buffalo-Niagara region, we grew to offer service coordination in 1993, our first respite program, Respitewood in Webster, in 1994 and our first of its kind day habilitation program in 1997 in Brighton.

2011 saw the introduction of the Employment Alliance, which offers training and education to people who are seeking employment opportunities. Also, given long waitlists for certified services, we entered into self-directed services which allows people to choose what supports they want and to hire their own care provider.

Growth sits at the crossroads of change and consistency. Even as demand increases and we add more to our service offerings, we remain committed to serving everyone with excellence and compassion. Of course, none of this is possible without the continued support of the community, and it is this support that will ensure we can continue to walk alongside people in all phases of their lives.