New Horizons Group Homes

Peter Watkins found he had something in common with several of the members of his church—they had children with disabilities or they worked with those children. This group of concerned parents/friends started meeting and discussing the common concern they all shared—where would their children go when they were grown and the parents had passed on? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to create a safe haven for their grown children to live and thrive? From this common dream came New Horizons Group Homes.

In 1992 New Horizons Group Homes, Inc., began. Its goal was to provide a home and life experiences for individuals with developmental disabilities. There are now two residences: one serving six ladies and one serving six men.

While looking for an additional source of funding for building the first home, board members came across an ornament of Vero Beach that they liked, and found it had been created by ChemArt. It was because of this that they contacted the company.

Thus began a multi-decade collection that features different historical locations in and around the town of Brandon, near Tampa, Florida. The first piece depicted the original Brandon homestead, which now serves the community as Stowers Funeral Home. Other pieces include Martin’s Jewelers, Sharrar’s General Store, the original Brandon School, James McCabe Theatre, and more. “People in the community really look forward to each year’s ornament,” says Watkins. Many of the purchasers of the ornament are donors, or families and friends of the residents.

The community itself has readily embraced the ornament program. The local newspaper writes an article about the new ornament and the homes each year. Additionally, several local businesses sell the ornaments and return 100% of the proceeds to the organization. Future plans include selling the ornaments on their website, which is currently being revamped.

“God has been good to us,” comments Watkins, who is President of the board of directors and parent to one of the residents. “What started as a dream for a better place for our children has turned into two beautiful homes where the residents live in a family environment, are actively involved in caring for their homes, and who are active and productive members of the Brandon community.”

For more information on New Horizons Group Homes, please visit their website at http://www.newhorizonshomes.org.