By Deborah Reed
WKTV Managing Editor
deborah@wktv.org
Alison Haraburda was frustrated with the lack of local social interaction and physical activity options for her disabled brother – so she took matters into her own hands and founded One Day Niche.
A non-profit organization that provides life skills and activities for individuals with disabilities, One Day Niche fills a gap long needed for those who have aged out of traditional schooling.
“We want One Day Niche to be a place where people of all abilities can come together and enrich the lives of each other through shared experience,” Haraburda says on ODN’s website.
Shared experience with those possessing various levels of ability is nothing new to Haraburda. Her parents provided foster care for several individuals during Haraburda’s childhood, all with various disabilities. Three of those individuals eventually became Haraburda’s adopted siblings.
“Growing up, I learned how to care for individuals with various disabilities,” said Haraburda. “That was part of my upbringing.”
Haraburda’s adopted brother is now 35 years old but with a limited mental capacity of an individual much younger. She made several attempts to find programs her brother could participate in, all unsuccessful.
“He ended up sitting at home, watching TV all day,” said Haraburda. “[He would] go to bed, get up and do the same thing again. That’s not good for anybody’s health.”
That was when Haraburda embarked upon a quest to provide healthier options and programming herself.
Determination and dedication
Haraburda began talking to organizations, inquiring about programs offered to individuals. In addition, she spoke to nonprofit organizations to find out the feasibility of founding her own nonprofit.
After gleaning information from 25 organizations, Haraburda said there was a resounding theme.
“I heard over and over, ‘Don’t quit, don’t quit, keep going,’” said Haraburda.
Haraburda took their advice to heart and, one year after launch, One Day Niche averages 7-13 individuals with varying levels of disabilities per outing, and owns two vehicles for transport.
“This is the first year I’ve been blessed to be able to hire two additional employees,” Haraburda added.
With the growth in attendance, extra help was desperately needed despite individuals attending on a rotating basis.
“The disabled have different struggles to deal with, so it varies when they can come,” said Haraburda. “But 85% of our individuals are pretty consistent on the days they come.”
How does One Day Niche work?
Participants meet at a designated place Monday through Friday at 9 a.m. Providers and caregivers may drop off participants, or One Day Niche employees pick up individuals as needed.
Each day includes a field trip and activities geared toward increasing basic living and social skills.
“Our focus is basic living within the community,” said Haraburda. “It can be job skills, but our focus is how we can be contributing members to the community at large.
“A lot of them struggle with social interactions; a lot of learning has taken place.”
Bowling, basketball, shopping, crafts, museums, parks, visiting Frederik Meijer Gardens and exploring ArtPrize are just a few examples of One Day Niche activities.
“In the fall, we spend a lot of time going to farms, doing fall activities [like] pumpkins, apple picking, hayrides and corn mazes,” said Haraburda.
Community engagement and giving back are an important aspect of One Day Niche.
“Thursday mornings we go to a church and give back,” said Haraburda. “We vacuum, take out the trash, wash windows and wipe down tables.”
Continuing to grow and dream
Haraburda’s initial idea was to have a large facility or gym that would allow them to have various activities on-site, as well as field trips.
“Buying a facility has been out of our reach so far,” Haraburda admitted. “It’s a long-term goal, to buy a place and have a site year-round where we can do activities.
“We have been very fortunate to make a lot of different connections, so every Wednesday we have access to a gym at a local church.”
Here’s how to join the fun
“We try to keep the registration process for the individuals and families very simple,” said Haraburda. “We know that caring for an individual with any type of disability is hard, so we try to make the process simple for anyone who would want to join in.”
Daily cost is $25 and includes six hours of the program and all activities for that day.
Haraburda said they are always looking for volunteers and college interns to help out.
“We have had families come and volunteer their time,” said Haraburda. “One family brought Nerf guns, so we had Nerf wars that day. It was a really fun day,” she added with a laugh.
To register as a volunteer, email admin@onedayniche.org or call 616-862-6612.
Help support their journey
“We are always looking for funding,” said Haraburda. “As a new nonprofit, that seems to be the hardest for us as we get off the ground. But we are expanding, and we love what we do and the services we have been able to offer the families.
“It’s been a journey, but it’s been a fun journey.”
To learn more about One Day Niche, visit onedayniche.org.
