Today we’d like to introduce you to Christina Callahan.
Hi Christina, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My passion to help the special needs community began at a very young age. Growing up with a younger brother who has autism, I’ve always been part of his support system. As my brother grew older, our family found it difficult to obtain information on resources and proper outside support. However, through a local non-profit agency, we were able to learn about funding and day programs.
Adult day programs are very necessary for those with intellectual disabilities or on the Autism spectrum. They provide a safe place for participants to socialize with peers, engage in community activities, and build an overall sense of belonging. Although my family was able to obtain funding, finding the right day program for my brother proved to be difficult. Most programs didn’t seem to be set up for participants’ individual needs; more like one size fits all, which is unrealistic for the special needs community. After trying a few programs that didn’t work out and realizing that other families were in need of programs that offered real-life skills and exciting activities, I decided to start my own. I wanted my program to not only provide great service but also become a central location for resources. I began researching in 2019 and in January 2020 Harmony House was born.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
This road so far has been a complete rollercoaster but because of that I’ve gained so much and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I launched Harmony House Day Program at the beginning of 2020 right before the world shut down. It felt like roadblocks were being put up before I could get started and I had to figure out how to attack them. There were times I had a plan, times I had to adjust the plan, and times where I had to jump in with both feet and hope for the best. But what I thought would be my biggest hurdle actually became the catapult for the company’s growth. I was able to obtain funding contracts I couldn’t get before the pandemic; which ultimately help me decide to become a mobile day program to enforce social distancing. While most day programs were closed, even after the governor slowly reopened the state of Georgia, I was able to operate because of my small size. I use the city of Atlanta as a tool to teach different skills and sightseeing opportunities for my clients. Being mobile and able to provide pick-ups and drop-offs for my clients has allowed Harmony House to stand out. I set out to create a program that makes life a little easier for parents and caretakers and for that I wouldn’t change how this journey has been thus far.
As you know, we’re big fans of Harmony House Day Program. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Harmony House Day Program is geared for young adults with intellectual disabilities. Our goal is to provide a safe place for our participants while teaching life and social skills. We do this by being in the community and providing activities any other young adult would do. We frequently attend Atlanta Hawks and Falcons games, and we all love to visit a good brunch restaurant. From visiting the World of Coca-Cola, hiking state parks, bowling or going to car and bike shows, our participants are engaged in age-appropriate activities and encouraged to socialize with other peers at events. Harmony House is unique because we not only enjoy fun activities around the city; we provide services that are focused on the participants’ personal goals and needs. We encourage our participants’ to share their opinions on activities they would like to try while teaching social skills.
We also provide parents/caretakers with assistance on finding funding and other resources they may need to assist with proper care. As well as give them a sense of ease to enjoy a free moment for a few hours a day. In the future I would like to see Harmony House Day Program as a major pillar of support in the special needs community. I am striving to be able to expand services to a wider participant audience by occupying a facility and hiring more staff. As of now I am the sole operator, but have been blessed to have a few volunteers to join for larger events and activities.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
I created my business with the mindset of being able to enrich a community that is normally overlooked, but I ultimately found so much enrichment from the participants. I’ve learned to look at life from a different scope and to appreciate all of life’s little lessons. On an outing, one participant said, “You have to stop and enjoy your surrounding” and we stopped our hike and did just that. The lessons of being present, appreciating the beauty around us, and seeing life and others from a different perspective resonates through this program.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.harmonyhousedayprogram.com
- Instagram: HarmonyHouse_DayProgram
- Facebook: HarmonyHouseDayProgram
