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 hundreds of individuals with autism, Down syndrome and other cognitive impairments achieve and maintain independence.
Our vision
Our vision is to be the first-choice independent living community for people with developmental disabilities.
Take a look at how our vision was created and separately, how we plan to achieve our vision.
Our mission
Our mission is to make independent living possible for people with developmental disabilities.
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 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's what that means:
- our work is guided by our members and tailored to their individual needs,
- our work is grounded in accepting our members as they are,
- we work in collaboration with our members to enhance their abilities and increase their independence,
- we'll work to make our services accessible to all regardless of financial means,
- we'll recruit individuals with lived experience of developmental disabilities to our staff and board,
- we'll engage communities who have historically been excluded from accessing high-quality services to improve our own outreach and accessibility, and
- our community will strive to reflect the gender and racial diversity of the broader Oakland County community.
As we do this important work, we welcome you to join us.