Above: Christopher 

Christopher's House:

Christopher's House is the only respite in Ohio offering care 24/7 for young individuals with Autism and other forms of MRDD.  Located in Merriman Valley, Akron, our facility is a small family home complete with a fully functional kitchen, fenced-in yard, four bedrooms, two living rooms and two full bathrooms.  With this setup, our providers are able to care for up to six individuals during daytime and evening hours and four individuals overnight.

Our Story

Christopher’s House began as an idea in the summer of 2006 by two direct care workers. By December of 2007, the name was made official and Christopher’s House was born. During the early part of 2008, the founding team encountered countless hurdles until their opening weekend in March. What started out as a respite care facility for children with Autism has blossomed into an agency dedicated to enriching the lives of both children and adults with an array of special needs. In November of 2008, Christopher’s House expanded to include a residential department with the addition of two community living homes. We are proud of the work our staff have done assisting us with this growth. You are part of an exceptional field and we are a proud Agency.

Autism is a way of life, not a disease.

Embrace your neurodiversity!

House Promise:

Members of Christopher’s House will build character, confidence, and trust through our implementation of mutual interaction, goals, and creative communication. Active treatment is an important part of who we are. It is very important to keep in mind that we are here for these individuals, and we are expected to enrich their lives. We may take many things for granted, but it is important that the individuals we serve celebrate different milestones. For some, learning to effectively use an eating utensil is a reason to celebrate, or blowing their nose. Essentially it is the jobs purpose to try and work ourselves out of a job by teaching the individuals how to be as independent as they are capable of being.