Local nonprofits work with housing needs for the disabled

For the past 20 years, Jim Steffey has worked to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities.
 
It’s an important mission for him, he says, because he’s met so many people over the years who have experienced life within large, institutional settings.
 
“Abuse, neglect and isolation were common, heartbreaking themes,” Steffey says. “Often, they didn’t have the staff to help them get out and do things they wanted to do, and I saw the effect — low self esteem, not feeling safe, a lack of a sense of belonging.”
 
Now Steffey has made it his goal to help individuals find safety and comfort through a sense of place — a place where they’re able to feel empowered and independent. A place that reminds them of their vital presence within a neighborhood as part of a community.
 
“That’s what we do at the Housing Network of Hamilton County and Partnerships for Housing,” Steffey says. “We help people find a place they can call home.”
 
Steffey currently serves as executive director for both nonprofits. While the Housing Network services Hamilton County, Partnerships for Housing services Butler County, where the organization functions as property manager, ensuring its clients have access to safe, accessible and affordable homes.

The most rewarding aspect of the position?
 
“The smile on someone’s face the day they move into their new home, or after we complete a big renovation and they see their new bathroom or kitchen for the first time,” Steffey says. “Seeing them take pride in their home is the best part of my job.”
 
Do Good:

• The two nonprofits just joined social media. Welcome them to Facebook by liking their new pages: Housing Network of Hamilton County, Partnerships for Housing.