Raising People Up

Photos by WILD WILD LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY: MANDY SUE GLASER

When Julie Wischer dreams, she dreams big — 16,000 square feet big. The former Hugh Edward Sandefur Training Center, or HESTC, has been rebranded as Elevate, a name meant to convey a simple message: Its clients are important, and the organization wants to help lift them up. But we’re getting the cart before the horse. Julie’s journey before Elevate prepared her to tackle a project this big.

Julie studied history and Russian in college. After graduation, she worked as a desk clerk at the Ramada Inn, where she discovered how much she enjoyed interacting with guests. She later moved into membership development for the Girl Scouts, once again finding herself in a role centered on people. In the early 2000s, Julie moved to Cincinnati, where she served as director of membership services at the Cincinnati Art Museum and later worked for the Athenaeum of Ohio. In 2004, she began working with Habitat for Humanity, helping build homes for underserved individuals and families. In 2012, Julie became the public information officer for Henderson County Schools, where she helped communicate the district’s nickel tax initiative and build its social media presence.

There was a common thread throughout those positions: Most lasted about two years before Julie moved on, still searching for the work she was truly passionate about. Her father, Jerry, jokingly referred to her as a “job hopper.”

Then, in 2016, she began working at HESTC. For the past 10 years, Julie has found her passion in working with people with disabilities and creating pathways to greater independence.

In December, she plans to open a new regional disability resource center unlike any other in the state. Its purpose is ambitious: to create life-changing opportunities that help adults with disabilities discover their talents, gain real-world skills, build lasting friendships and step confidently toward greater independence and employment. That’s a tall order for anyone to tackle, but Julie has rolled up her sleeves and is all in.

The new Elevate Center will provide supportive housing designed to help individuals with disabilities live more independently. It will also offer work-ready learning opportunities to help individuals prepare for careers and receive support throughout their employment. In addition, Elevate plans to strengthen community partnerships by providing space for organizations that offer supportive services. The facility will include two large classrooms, a work-ready skills lab, library, laundry room, crafting studio, media room, kitchen and walk-in pantry. It will also feature a dining room and multipurpose event space totaling more than 3,200 square feet that can be rented by the community for special events. The development will include 48 apartment units, with a mix of one- and two-bedroom residences. All first-floor residences will be ADA-compliant.

“The housing will create pathways to independence,” Julie said.

The need for permanent supportive housing in Henderson is significant. There is a lack of housing options in the community for individuals with disabilities, and two major residential providers left the area about a year ago. As a result, some lifelong Henderson residents have had to move to Owensboro and other communities to receive supportive services. Many individuals in Henderson are also on waiting lists for traditional services and may be unable to maintain independence without additional support. Some struggle to remain housed, experiencing chronic or sporadic homelessness that can affect their physical, emotional and mental health.

Permanent supportive housing will offer a more holistic approach to independent living by creating a community of support on-site. Individuals will have access to supportive staff 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Each resident will work with a support professional to pursue personal and work-ready goals, build a stable and successful life and reach dreams that once may have seemed unattainable. The center’s residential services will provide person-centered planning, medication management, money management, coordination of health care services and daily personal care.

Life and work-ready learning opportunities will include life skills education, financial literacy, stability education, vocational training, coping and social skills training, and traditional learning opportunities in reading, math, speech, handwriting and critical thinking. Supported employment services will include job discovery and development, supported job placement and continued assistance designed to help individuals achieve successful, permanent employment. Transportation services will supplement existing public transportation and offer on-demand transportation for work, medical appointments, shopping and community events.

Elevate also plans to offer after-school services and summer programs for children with disabilities, providing additional options for children who may not find success in traditional day care settings. Homeless outreach will help connect individuals in shelters and others experiencing homelessness with supportive housing opportunities. The center will also provide space for other organizations to offer community-based education, support groups, social clubs and additional services. And Julie and her team continue to dream big.

A second phase is planned, along with a capital campaign to raise $6 million in 2027. The goal is to move the existing service center to a new location next to the apartments.

This September, Julie will celebrate her 10th anniversary with Elevate. After years of searching for the work that inspired her, it seems the former “job hopper” has found her place.

“You know, it’s hard to manufacture passion,” Julie said.

The people surrounding her are proof that she is where she is supposed to be. She enjoys coming to work and interacting with clients. As a bus pulled up to drop them off one day, Julie greeted each person by name and welcomed them to work. Her faith also plays an important role in her approach to service. Julie credits her parents with instilling in her the importance of having a servant’s heart. Her quick wit and sense of humor are evident as she interacts with the people Elevate serves.

Julie started this journey looking for work she could be passionate about. A decade later, she is helping create a place where others can discover their own possibilities. Elevate is designed to do exactly what its new name suggests: raise people up and give them the opportunity to dream big, too.