Community House at St. Thomas Provides Support in Journey to Independence

Community House at St. Thomas, managed by Catholic Charities, Diocese of Metuchen (CCDOM) is licensed by the Department of Community Affairs as a shared residence for eight adults with disabilities who are self-directed and mentally competent. “The residents of Community House live as a family, in a home that fosters independence, allowing the residents to integrate into the greater community while living in the least restrictive, supportive environment”, said CCDOM Supervisor, Susan Kuzma. Susan expressed pride in the accomplishments of all of the residents at Community House.  Resident Christina Knorr had this to say about her journey of overcoming obstacles to gain independence and earn her bachelor’s degree,

“Moving to Community House for me has been quite an incredible story and journey. I never thought that I would end up living here, much less earn my bachelor degree from Rutgers University. When I moved in, in 2015, I never saw myself going and earning my degree. For a year I looked for a job, and came up against several barriers, one being not having enough education. Community House is much more than a place to live where you need to spend twenty hours out of the house doing something. It is a place where you are pushed and encouraged to figure out who you are and what you want to make of yourself, and provides a safe place to make your mistakes and figure that out…Being accepted into this program has changed my life for the better, given me direction and opportunities, and has been the first step in creating my life as I want it to be.”
             
Community House at St. Thomas is home to people who would otherwise have remained in long term care, welfare hotels and inappropriate placements. Community House promotes independence and personal growth by supplying affordable, accessible housing along with the supports necessary for those with disabilities to become part of the greater community. Last year Community House at St. Thomas made a difference in the lives of six adults with physical disabilities.

More information about Community House at St. Thomas can be found on the agency’s website:  http://www.communityhouse-saintthomas.com/ . Last year, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Metuchen served more than 50,000 people through over 100 programs in Middlesex, Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties.