By Denise D. Resnik, First Place Global Founder, President/CEO & Matt’s Mom
I’ll never forget my conversation two decades ago with a loving 80-year-old mother who had been forced to move her son with autism 10 times during his adult life and knew she wouldn’t be able to move him again. She asked, “Could First Place be his forever place?” I told her that was the plan—and our hope.
As mothers, we understand that for our peace of mind, we need to have our fingerprints on where our adult children with autism and/or intellectual/developmental disabilities live—and build our hopes on a foundation of trusted partnerships. While First Place–Phoenix is often the first move after leaving the family home, it is also designed as that forever place.
Answers are in the marketplace.
Parents looking for the next home away from home for their adult children need a marketplace of options in urban, suburban and rural areas. To help ensure that, First Place–Phoenix serves as an R&D site through which First Place Global is planning and building capacity.
Embedded in supportive, connected communities—and designed to operate on generational timelines—these properties are more than four-wall options. They are wired to deploy technology-enabled supports for greater efficiency, self-direction and peace of mind; committed to continuous learning and growth through relationships, shared know-how and myriad innovations; designed to build confidence—and outlast us.
Partnerships power possibilities.
Multisector partnerships behind this work cannot be built for a single project. They must be built to endure—through leadership and staffing transitions, political shifts, funding cycles and the complexity of developing functional communities for the future.
Durable partnerships are as important as the durable properties they build. They grow stronger through solving problems together to strengthen and sustain communities. Prime examples of such properties include 29 Acres near Dallas/Ft. Worth, Bhatia Cornerstone Village in Los Angeles and Thrive at Red Bank in New Jersey (under construction).
Together, we are building infrastructure for a fast-growing sector. First Place Global’s annual symposium, DimensionsTM, convenes changemakers from across the country and around the world to compare notes, build relationships and collaborate on cultivating the next generation of leaders. Our research and publications give communities shared language and data that endure after individual champions move on.
Making better decisions.
What elevates every project’s chance of success are communities of practice—learning collaboratives—through which applied research helps us make better decisions with real staying power.
Sustained partnerships don’t just make the work more durable—they make us more durable. Every parent and innovator knows that perfect storm of converging obstacles. What carries you through is not simply a plan—it’s the follow-through. It’s the people who show up, offer perspective and remind you you’re part of something larger than any single setback.
That’s what hope looks like when it’s durable—not a feeling that comes and goes but a deeper commitment with the power to sustain partnerships focused on building communities that work for everyone.