The Problem
Stepping into adulthood can be daunting for anyone.
As a nonspeaker, whose potential has been greatly overlooked, the road comes with some unique challenges. While you’ve been living under the care and support of your family, both you and your parents realize that having a life outside of home is not only needed, it’s necessary. Having a life of your own, getting a college education, and participating in meaningful employment are all parts of your incredible future that’s just waiting to unfold.
The Solution
Welcome to your Ohana, a Hawaiian word for the family we choose, where no one gets left behind. Here we focus on the whole person, cultivating life-long opportunities for meaningful connection, self-directed autonomy, and purposeful contribution. We understand the unique challenges nonspeakers face because we are an organization created by and for nonspeakers themselves.
Ohana Outings
A free, monthly social gathering for nonspeakers to form authentic friendships and have fun.
Ohana Days
A day program for nonspeaking adults 18+ who have aged out of the public school system.
Ohana Village
A robust living/learning community designed by and for nonspeakers in beautiful San Diego, CA.
A Letter from Danny Whitty
As a minimally-speaking autistic man of 36 years of age, the vision of The Ohana Consortium [now Spellers Ohana] gives me hope for a drastically improved quality of life and is a much-needed approach to support the well-being and happiness of nonspeaking autistic folks like me.
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I have spent many years in day programs, including public community programs and highly-regarded private ones. It felt like an extended sentence in purgatory, where I just sort of wasted away, and fell into prolonged depression. These programs, while well-meaning, did not presume any competence, nor see any potential for my growth.
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My current situation is much better, with a program that I have pieced together with different providers and extensive support from family members. However, it is not sustainable in the long run. It leaves me heavily dependent on family, including my elderly mother, and I also miss the opportunity to regularly socialize with my peers. It is my dream to have more autonomy outside of my family, an be an active part of a thriving community of nonspeaking autistic folks, and to continue to learn and grow and lead a fulfilling life.
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When I learned about the Ohana Consortium, I felt so elated that such a program might become a reality in my lifetime! I know many friends like me have been hoping for such a community and initiative. For the first time, I felt optimistic about my future, rather than dreading or feeling stressed about it. It is so critically important for programs like this to develop in the coming years, to provide people like me around the world with a chance at a life of opportunity, community, and fulfillment.
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As a part of the advisory board, I am dedicated to sharing
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the perspectives of my peers to shape the development of a program that truly supports our needs and hopes. I firmly believe that TOC will be an inspirational and important model for future programs.
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Sincerely,
Danny Whitty | Nonspeaking Autistic Writer & Advocate