Q. When was Heritage Christian Services founded?

A. Heritage Christian Services, Inc. was founded in 1980 by parents of children with developmental disabilities. Their dream was to develop and operate homes with a loving and supportive Christian environment for individuals with special needs. They opened the first home in 1984 in Webster, New York.

Q. How many residences does Heritage Christian Services operate and how many people do they serve?

A. Today, Heritage operates 50 residences, serving over 300 men and women ranging in age from 18-80. The homes are located throughout the Rochester and Buffalo regions. Heritage offers a range of housing alternatives that meet each individual's needs while promoting their greatest possible level of independence and ability. More than 800 men and women are waiting to get into a home in the Greater Rochester area; Heritage Christian's waiting list number over 250.

Q. What is life like for residents in a Heritage home?

A. Three to ten men and/or women live in a Heritage home, with HCS staff providing care and services 24-hours a day. Nearly all residents of a home previously lived with their parents or in a state institution. All have daily activities in which they work, develop their job skills or further their daily living skills. Most evenings offer a recreational activity, such as bowling or an outing to a museum.

Q. What are some of the programs Heritage offers?

A. Heritage has respite programs to provide relief for family members who care for a loved one with a developmental disability. The respite can range from a few hours to a few days. The program includes two homes for short-term care, Respitewood and Respitelodge; an after school program called Respitecreek; and two Saturday recreation programs, one in the Rochester area and one in the Buffalo area.

Q. Can HCS assist families in accessing services for people with developmental disabilities?

A. Yes. Heritage Christian Services provides service coordination for more than 600 individuals and their family members. This program connects people with special needs with services in their community. For example, Heritage service coordinators enhance accessibility to respite services, day program, even funding for environmental modifications to make their homes wheelchair accessible.

Q. Is Heritage Christian Services affiliated with a church or religious organization?

A. HCS is not affiliated with any church or religious organization, although some of its residences have been built on land donated by local churches. Agency homes and programs are open to and include people of all faiths, including the Jewish faith. Each home has daily devotions and ongoing Bible studies with partner churches. Heritage staff and residents are asked to treat one another with love and respect; treatment reflective of the love of Christ.

Q. What does COMPASS stand for?

COMPASS stands for Consumerism Outcomes Management Plan and Agency Self-Survey. Heritage is one of just seven, out of more than 850 developmental disabilities agencies in New York State, to receive this honorable designation, which signifies that HCS provides the top quality of service to people with special needs. COMPASS agencies must demonstrate a consistent quality that surpasses state regulations.