Our History

Several years ago, a group of parents of children with autism began meeting regularly to jointly explore what life after high school would look like for our sons and daughters. What we found—or rather didn’t find —was terrifying. For people with autism unable to attend college, the supportive educational environment and social relationships parents worked so hard to establish would end at age 22. An adult system for people with autism and other disabilities that includes housing and supports work, volunteer opportunities, recreation, and social activities simply doesn’t exist. It doesn’t exist because there has never been an adult population with autism of this magnitude.

So we set out with an audacious goal: to help create better futures for our sons, daughters and other loved ones living with autism.  We undertook research, evaluated different models and strategies, and spoke to experts in search of actionable solutions. We became fluent in the principles of Asset-based Community Development and convened conversations with community partners to explore how we could work collectively to increase impact. We collaborated with the OSU Knowlton School of Architecture on an innovative, award-winning project to develop guidelines to help planners and others design communities in which people with autism can thrive. The journey has not always been straight-forward or easy but the knowledge and insights we’ve gained have been extraordinary.

Here’s what we’ve learned:

• To make genuine, lasting impact, sustainable solutions and strategies should be developed that not only meet the unique needs of adults with autism but support people of all abilities and disabilities as well.  

• To help create the holistic support system that adults with disabilities desperately need, we must work collectively with partners but focus our efforts on the specific area our organization is best equipped to impact: housing.

We have a new name: All Inclusive Living or All In, for short, that reflects the evolution of our mission and mindset. Please consider joining us and identifying the role you can play in creating inclusive communities where people with different abilities can thrive!

Our Team

All Inclusive Living Board of Directors

Alan Homewood, Founder/Bootstrap Holdings, Board President

Bob Apel, Founder/M+A Architects

Karen Brothers, Author, Former Guidance Counselor/Dublin Coffman High School

Michael Brothers, Territory Sales Manager/Promethean

Hailey Stroup Brunner, Family/Sibling Advocate

Leslie B. Kirsch, MBA, CEO/Kirsch Strategies

Rick Stein, Principal/Owner Urban Decision Group

Mark Unger, Executive VP/Schottenstein Property Group

Nelson Yoder, Principal/Crawford Hoying Development

Kelly Wolfe, MBA/The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center