Documentary Film - Playing with Heart
North County Special Needs Community Foundation
Who We Are
The North County Special Needs Community Foundation, established in 2011, was formed in an effort to address the need for additional special needs adult educational programs in the Poway, California community.
Based on input from families and community members, the Foundation began to work with city officials that were very supportive of its efforts to identify a site for the building of a Special Needs education school. However, due to a change in the redevelopment agency funding by the state, these efforts were halted.
While these research efforts were underway, the Foundation gathered information to address the concerns of parents regarding the need for independent living options. Through the efforts of the Foundation, many families, community leaders, and civic officials, an out of town development group was introduced to the community in 2014. These efforts resulted in a 53 unit special needs apartment complex which was opened in June 2021. In the Fall of 2021, meetings were held with Poway City Council and as a result a 60 unit affordable housing site was approved for 30 units for Veterans and 30 units for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities. The project called Monte Vista is across the street from a local hospital called Pomerado and is due to open fall of 2025. The Foundation continues with its efforts to create more options for the housing and educational needs community.
Since our introduction to the special needs community in 1998, which began with the formation of a Special Olympics softball team, we have learned how important social, educational, physical, and other activities are for adults with developmental disabilities.
Over the years, we have come to realize not only how important these activities are for families in developing lasting relationships, but also the positive impact this has had on the local community. This involvement has not only given the Foundation an opportunity to help families connect with one another and inform them of the many services available for their children but to continue its efforts in identifying educational and housing solutions.
Bringing People Together
What We Do
Make Friends
Since social interaction at times is limited for members of the developmentally disabled population, creating friendships is even more important to a person's growth in life. We have taken an active part in creating these opportunities.
Education and Housing Opportunities
After graduating from high school and continuation programs, educational
and workplace training opportunities are limited. Over the years the
Foundation has, with the assistance of community and civic leaders,
identified sites to address these needs.
In its efforts to provide more housing options, the Foundation is currently
involved in another Affordable Housing development, again working with
Poway City officials and community leaders.
The Foundation, has over the years, been actively engaged in learning from
and visiting other housing developments in its effort to help address
this critical issue for parents as their children get older and desire to be
more independent.
Bring Families Together
Creating social opportunities to bring families together has been invaluable for individuals with developmental disabilities to learn and grow their social skills. Such opportunities have included team practices, out of town travel and hotel stays for tournaments, year-end BBQ's, community parades, local TV news, and broadcast coverage, hosting a Summer Olympic foreign soccer team, fishing events, celebrity fundraising games, basketball practices, special presentations at City Hall for accomplishments and enjoying the support of local university athletic teams.
