ORLEANS – A groundbreaking was held on Monday for the next phase of the Cape Cod Village.
Since, 2011, the local non-profit has been working to create a “village” on a 4 acre site behind Mid-Cape Home Centers in Orleans, that will provide housing for 15 adults with autism and a Community Resource Center.
Residents will be provided with 24 hour supervision in an environment that puts their individual needs first and focuses on full participation in the greater community.
“After 8 years of organizing, advocating and fundraising, these concerns have resulted in the creation of Cape Cod Village,” said President Bob Jones.
“The dream that was Cape Cod Village has now become a reality.”
The CRC will offer educational, recreational, and social activities for the residents and those in the greater Cape Cod community with autism and other intellectual/developmental disabilities.
It will also serve as an information clearing house and referral service, and an online library will be a resource for parents, professionals and staff.
“It’s a dream and now it’s a reality and it’s going to ensure that a large number of people with autism are going to have the kind of meaningful lives that we’ve hoped all of our children would have,” said Jones.
The Cape Cod Village receives funding from 11 different sources, including all levels of government to make the project possible.
In addition, several Lower Cape towns have supported the project through CPA funding.
It is estimated that within the next 15 years, the numbers of Americans diagnosed with autism will reach 500,000.
Forty percent of these individuals will require full-time care.
By JUSTIN SAUNDERS, CapeCod.com Newscenter
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