We use the words Joyful Living a lot at Hudson Community Living. They are part of our mission and something we have said from the beginning. But I think those words mean something different to me now than they did when we started.
Because now I get to actually see what they look like.
And honestly, it usually isn’t the big stuff. I think about someone walking to get the mail or getting ready in the morning. Going to yoga even though they once said, very confidently, that “yoga is for girls.” Singing karaoke with friends. Dinner at the Clubhouse when everyone is talking and laughing. Some nights there are real, meaningful conversations happening over there. Other nights, I genuinely have no idea what everyone is laughing about. There are moments when I walk into the Clubhouse and think, This is exactly what we hoped would happen. There are other moments when I walk in and think, What in the world is happening in here? Both are usually good signs. 😂
One of our families described it this way:
“It’s the little things. Properly taking food from a buffet (well, sometimes). Walking to get mail. Participating in group events like yoga and karaoke. Getting ready for bed and then getting up and ready for the day ahead. They are small gains that mean a lot.”
I keep coming back to those words: small gains.
Because that is really what so much of this has been. Not one huge transformation. Just a lot of little things that keep adding up and sometimes we don’t even notice them while they’re happening. Then six months later, you realize something that used to be really hard isn’t so hard anymore.
HCL was created because there was a need for housing. But the goal was never to build apartments and call it a day. You can have a beautiful apartment and still be lonely. You can have independence on paper and not really have much of a life outside of your routine. What I have loved watching is everything that has started happening outside of the apartments.
One family shared:
“Before coming to HCL, our boys had limited friendships/social activities outside of their day program. Besides participating in Special Olympics, they did not have much going on in the afternoons and it was challenging for us to find social outlets. We can see that our boys are flourishing now because they are having fun participating in all the activities provided by HCL and we are so grateful.”
Another family told us:
“Before HCL, our loved one spent most of his day in his room gaming. He didn’t socialize with anyone and didn’t have friends. Now he is happy, much more social and feels like he is helping others grow. It was the next best step in his development.”
That is the part of HCL that is harder to explain until you see it. It isn’t just having your own bedroom or learning to manage a routine. It is knowing you can walk over to the Clubhouse and someone will probably be there. It is having people to eat dinner with. Someone knocking on your door. Someone saving you a seat. Having plans on a Tuesday night.
It is having a life that belongs to you.
Every resident here is different, so independence looks different for every person too. There isn’t a checklist. Some growth is really obvious. Some of it is small enough that unless you know the person well, you may not realize the mountains they are currently moving and the progress they are making.
One family told us:
“Moving to HCL and learning to live more independently with other caregivers besides Mom and Dad has allowed her to grow in ways we never knew she would. She thrives there.”
In ways we never knew she would.
That’s a pretty powerful thing for a parent to be able to say. I’ve watched residents get more comfortable speaking up for themselves. And believe me, there is no shortage of opinions at HCL. On anything. Ever! And I actually love that. Having an opinion, saying what you want, saying what you don’t want, and changing your mind are all part of figuring out who you are.
I’ve watched friendships form between people who barely knew each other a year ago. Residents have tried activities they were VERY clear they had absolutely no interest in trying, only to show up again the next time. People have become more comfortable in their homes, with their routines, and with each other. Not every step forward is huge. Some are almost easy to miss. But they add up.
Eventually, all of those little things start to look less like “progress” and more like someone simply living their life. And I think that might be the best way I can explain Joyful Living now. It is enjoying a meal together. Hearing laughter from my office and having absolutely no idea what started it. A resident walking over to the Clubhouse because they know their friends are there. Residents making plans that HCL staff had absolutely nothing to do with.
Those things probably wouldn’t make everyone’s highlight reel. But when I stand back and look at all of them together, it is pretty incredible.
We’re watching people build lives.
That’s what I hoped HCL would become.
One of our families recently said:
“Every city needs an ‘HCL’ so their special residents can also thrive. The need is endless and from our experience, the gains that residents can make are endless too.”
I believe that. I also know those gains don’t happen simply because we built apartments. They happen because there are places to go and things to do. Because there is a Clubhouse where someone can wander over and see who’s around. Because friendships have somewhere to grow. Because residents have opportunities to try new things, figure out what they love, decide what they don’t, and sometimes change their minds. And all of that takes more than rent alone can provide.
Rent provides the home. Fundraising helps us build everything around it.
Donations help make so many of these moments possible. They support activities, wellness opportunities, experiences in the community, welcoming shared spaces, and new opportunities we may not have even thought of yet.
Our Annual Gala is one big night that helps make that possible. Monthly giving carries that support throughout the rest of the year. Even a small recurring gift gives HCL something reliable to count on, which means we can plan ahead, try new things, respond when something comes up, and keep building on what is already happening here.
We’re still figuring out what all of this can become. I hope we always are.
But after watching this place come to life, I think I finally have a better answer when someone asks me what Joyful Living looks like. It’s not really one thing. It’s all of these little things happening every day. And if you’re around HCL long enough, you start noticing them everywhere.
