Our history
On My Own of Michigan is a nonprofit founded in 1997 by parents of young adults with developmental disabilities. These families were looking for, but could not find, independent living options for their children.
After much consideration and planning, they worked together to create the option they had searched so long for: a supportive, inclusive community that allowed their children to live their best lives.
In our 25+ years of service to the metro Detroit community, we’ve helped individuals with autism, Down syndrome and other cognitive impairments achieve and maintain independence.
Our vision
Our vision is to be the first-choice community in metro Detroit for people with developmental disabilities.
Take a look at how we plan to achieve our vision.
Our mission
Our mission is to support people with developmental disabilities as they build and maintain their independence.
Our promise to you
When working with us, we promise to:
- serve as your one-stop shop for independent living support—if you have a question, we’ll find the answer,
- offer you peace of mind and be there when you need us, and
- connect you with peers and help you build long-lasting friendships.
As we do this work, we want you to feel like:
- you matter to us,
- we’re a trusted partner,
- you’re making a good investment, and
- you’re working with experts.
Our commitment to equity
At the core of our mission to support people with developmental disabilities is our commitment to equity.
It's an unfortunate fact that we don't all have access to the same opportunities, sometimes only because of the color of our skin, our gender identity, our religious beliefs, our sexual orientation, our age, our bank account balance or our abilities.
As a nonprofit serving people who are often unfairly put at a disadvantage, we see it as our responsibility to identify and eliminate any barriers to equity within our own organization.
Here are just a few ways we work to fulfill our commitment to equity:
- we intentionally work to recruit a diverse community of members, staff and board trustees,
- we include equity-focused screening questions in our staff and board candidate interviews,
- we seek the perspectives of our diverse community when making organizational decisions,
- we regularly ask ourselves how bias might be impacting our perspectives, policies and practices and make adjustments as needed,
- we engage in group learning and discussion to grow our ability to identify our implicit biases and how they show up in our work, and
- we are transparent about the inner workings of our organization and share our financial results, salary ranges, decision-making processes and demographic data.
As we do this important work, we welcome you to join us.