Our housing programs provide a structured and supportive environment where young adults can develop the skills, confidence, and experience needed to manage daily life on their own.
Through training apartments, community housing, and tiered accommodation programs, participants gain hands-on experience in household management, financial responsibility, personal care, and social integration. Our system is designed to gradually reduce support, allowing individuals to build independence at their own pace while still receiving guidance from trained professionals. Most graduates of our program successfully transition into independent living, stable employment, and community engagement, proving that with the right support, a fulfilling and self-sufficient life is within reach.
Gradual Independence – A Tiered Approach
Our housing programs follow a tiered approach, allowing them to progress at their own pace over a two to three year period.
On-Campus Training Apartments: Participants stay in supervised apartments in the community, where they practice essential daily living skills such as preparing meals, maintaining hygiene, organizing personal belongings, and managing their daily routine. Staff also provide structured guidance, helping individuals develop autonomy in a familiar environment.
In the next phase: Participants move into rented apartments near JIB, where they continue to receive day and night support from program staff. Residents also handle daily responsibilities independently, while still having access to staff assistance and group support.
In the final phase: Individuals transition to fully independent living in rented community apartments, with only minimal staff supervision for a few hours each day. By this stage, participants manage their own schedules, finances, and household responsibilities, functioning like any other roommates.
This holistic approach ensures that participants gain not only functional independence but also emotional and social confidence in their ability to navigate life on their own.
Preparing For Self-Sufficiency
The Living Workshop Program is a structured, intermediate step that allows young adults to experience independent living while still receiving professional guidance. Designed for blind and visually impaired individuals aged 18-30, the program provides essential tools to help participants: develop daily living skills, including cooking, cleaning, budgeting, and personal care, gain social and communication skills through shared living arrangements, build confidence in navigating the outside world by managing errands, shopping, and using public transportation.
Participants typically remain in the Program balancing their daily routines with studies or employment. Throughout their stay, they receive structured guidance from professionals to help them transition smoothly into independent adulthood.
Support Team – Guidance Every Step of the Way
Each apartment is overseen by a team of dedicated professionals, ensuring that participants receive comprehensive support tailored to their needs.
Guides – Each apartment has a live-in guide with a background in special education or rehabilitation, that staff shifts between 3pm and 10pm, and then Overnight. The guide helps with daily tasks and facilitates a positive shared-living experience.
Rehabilitation Teacher – Supports residents in developing life skills essential for independent living.
Social Worker – Provides emotional support, individual therapy, and group counseling.
Social Worker Coordinator – Trains staff and oversees the overall development of the program’s structure and content.
This dedicated team ensures that residents receive both functional and emotional support, allowing them to develop autonomy in a safe and structured environment.
Community-Based Independent Apartments
For those who have successfully completed the earlier phases, the Community-Based Independent Apartments provide the final step toward fully independent living.
In this phase, individuals move into regular rented apartments in the community, where they are responsible for all aspects of daily life, including: managing their household and finances, working or continuing education, navigating transportation and public spaces independently, while limited staff support is available for a few hours each afternoon, residents manage themselves like any other independent adults.
Graduates of this program have gone on to secure stable jobs, establish families, and successfully integrate into society, proving that blind and visually impaired individuals can thrive independently with the right support system.
Empowering A Future Of Independence
Through our housing programs and the road to independent living, we provide more than just a place to live—we offer a foundation for a successful and self-sufficient future. By equipping participants with practical skills, emotional support, and structured guidance, we help them transition from dependence to independence with confidence.
About Our Programs
The Jewish Institute for the Blind provides a wealth of programs and services adapted to suit the needs, interests, and capabilities of children and adults in the Blind and Visually Impaired community. These programs help guide students as they forge their own paths toward independence through education, rehabilitation, health, social welfare, and a caring, knowledgeable staff.
