For more than 20 years, Jamie Steele has worked to provide residential services for individuals with developmental disabilities; but his passion and drive to help others reach their full potential has been strong since the age of 4.
“My little brother Andy was born with developmental disabilities—he could never walk or talk throughout his life—and he passed away at age 30,” Steele says. “He and I were close in age and pretty good friends, and all the activities he went to, I then would go to, too, and volunteer, then become staff, so he was definitely the most influential person on me.”
Steele has now accepted the role of executive director of
Ohio Valley Residential Services, a nonprofit that differs from other residential service providers in that it allows individuals to engage in independent living, as opposed to the group home model.
“They can be in their apartment and thus feel more independent,” Steele says. “A number of people with disabilities are like you and me. They want to have their own space and participate in activities of daily living—bathing, dressing cooking—so it’s our job environmentally to provide an atmosphere where they can reach their individual potential.”
In addition to heading a nonprofit, Steele makes it a priority to help other organizations fulfill their own missions. As an avid music lover, he’s formed a rock band called
The Code, which donates its proceeds back to the nonprofit community.
“It’s always been engrained in me that this is a community,” Steele says. “And if I want to ask the general community to accept people with disabilities, then I have to be willing to also give back.”
Do Good:
• Connect with Ohio Valley Residential Services on
Facebook.
•
Support OVRS by donating.
•
Contact OVRS if you are interested in becoming a board member.
By Brittany York
Brittany York is a professor of English composition at both the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University. She also edits the For Good section of SoapboxMedia.