Creative Living

Who We Are: Creative Living was founded in 1974 as a 501(c)(3) organization to solve the housing dilemma for adults with physically disabilities who desire to live independently but still require some day-to-day assistance. With the help of many volunteers and significant donations from civic clubs, foundations, corporations, and individuals, we opened our first, 18-unit apartment community (Creative Living I) on Perry Street across from The Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center. The success of Creative Living I precipitated the need for a second community, Creative Living II, that opened in 1986 and expanded our portfolio to a total of 34, accessible units.

What We Do: Our mission is to provide safe, affordable, wheelchair-accessible housing for adults with physical disabilities who desire to live independently, further their education, pursue careers and contribute to the community. Our residents are quadriplegics and paraplegics whose spinal cord and brain injuries or genetic disorders require full-time or nearly full-time use of a wheelchair for mobility. At the heart of our mission is the unique Resident Assistance Program, delivering peace-of-mind and on-call, non-medical assistance 24/7/365, bridging the gap between the time a personal care attendant might spend with residents and the remaining hours of the day.

Why We’re Important: To express it simply: for many, Creative Living is the difference between living affordably and independently or living in an expensive, skilled nursing facility, an inaccessible home, or with family members who are not equipped or physically able to provide adequate care. Our residents are motivated individuals who want to pursue their life goals while independently managing their disabilities and Creative Living helps to address a number of barriers for them; namely, affordability and accessibility. Furthermore, our residents benefit from a supportive sense of community and enjoy peace-of-mind thanks to our 24/7 Resident Assistance Program.

How We Impact the Community: Life happens when we least expect it. For nearly 50 years, Creative Living has been prepared to help: providing hope to individuals with physical disabilities; providing peace-of-mind to families who worry about their loved ones living independently; providing motivation to inspire the next generation of people who find themselves confined to, but not defined by, a wheelchair. Our impact extends far beyond just our communities, though. Creative Living is committed to creating an awareness of and education on disability issues while advocating for equity and inclusion in the community, workplace and beyond.

How You Can Help: Creative Living has many opportunities for those who wish to support our mission and, ultimately, our residents:

Individual giving
Corporate giving
Attending one of our signature, fundraising events
Event sponsorship
In-Kind donations of goods, materials and/or services
Designating Creative Living as a beneficiary for your shopper rewards
Planned giving via donor advised funds, gifts of appreciated securities, annuities, trusts, insurance policies, bequests or other assets
Volunteer to support events, activities, and special projects at our communities
Commemorative gifts and memorials
Joining our Board of Trustees
Sharing our mission with others!