Aidan’s Place: Neurodivergent Supportive Living Home
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$2,770 raised of
23 donations
The Inspiration Behind Aidan’s Place
Hello friends, family, and community,
Aidan's Place was inspired by my adult son, who is autistic and nonverbal. As he entered adulthood, my family experienced firsthand the challenge of finding local supportive housing and community participation services to promote independence, dignity, community, and long-term security. Like many families, I wanted more than just a safe place for Aidan to live—I wanted a place where people can build meaningful lives, develop their strengths, and be part of a caring community.
My son has taught me patience, resilience, and the importance of seeing each person for who they are rather than defining them by a diagnosis or the challenges they face. His journey continues to inspire me and shape my vision for a home where every resident is valued, respected, and empowered to live as independently as possible.
Our Vision for Dover
This experience inspired me to create a residential supportive living home offering enriching community participation services in our city of Dover, NH designed to provide individualized support while respecting each resident's goals, choices, and unique abilities. My hope is to help create opportunities not only for my family but for many others navigating similar challenges.
To bring Aidan's Place to life, we are establishing this supportive home within a beautiful 1875 Victorian home right here in Dover. Our goal is to transform this historic property into a warm, character-filled haven that provides:
- Neuro-Affirming Spaces: A sensory-friendly, comfortable environment tailored to unique individual needs, combining historic charm with modern safety.
- Enriching Local Services: Specialized programs to help residents participate in the Dover community and supported employment, build life skills, and form lasting friendships with their peers.
- Empowerment & Dignity: Round-the-clock care that honors each resident's choices, strengths, and personal independence.
How Your Donation Makes a Difference: Our Targeted Projects
Restoring an 1875 Victorian property and converting it into a fully compliant, licensed residential facility requires specialized upgrades. We are currently targeting several critical projects to make Aidan’s Place safe, accessible, and welcoming:
- Victorian Renovations & Safety Upgrades: Installing a commercial fire suppression/sprinkler system throughout the 6400sf home, interconnected, hard-wired fire/smoke/carbon monoxide detectors, fire suppression system for the kitchen, a generator for essential systems, and a security system for the residence. Renovating an existing half bathroom into a dedicated laundry room on the second floor.
- Accessibility Modifications: ADA ramp installation, handicap parking space creation, and extending the driveway for staff vehicles. Renovation of a half bathroom to a full ADA compliant bathroom.
- Dignified Living Spaces: Fully furnishing the shared living room, dining area, and kitchen to create a warm family atmosphere, alongside equipping individualized private bedrooms.
Our Roadmap & Timeline
To ensure a smooth transition for Aidan and our future residents, we are breaking the opening of Aidan's Place into three structured phases:
Phase 1: Acquisition, Compliance & Foundation (Current Focus)
We have spent the summer aggressively laying the legal, financial, and structural groundwork to secure Aidan’s Place. We are incredibly proud of how much momentum we have already built:
- Property Secured & Under Contract: We successfully located the ideal 1875 Victorian property in Dover, verified zoning regulations, and had our offer officially accepted. We are scheduled to close on the property on or before August 28, 2026.
- Structural Engineering & Safety Planning: Our contractor and architect have toured the home and are currently finalizing blueprints for the necessary renovations, and vital fire, smoke, carbon monoxide, and commercial sprinkler systems to submit to the NH Fire Marshal.
- State & Local Government Alignment: We have completed a comprehensive general property inspection and conducted multiple deep-dive meetings with Dover city officials and the Bureau of Developmental Services (BDS-DHHS) to ensure our home aligns perfectly with local expectations.
- Legal & Federal Infrastructure: We successfully established our New Hampshire LLC, called "The Aidan C. Mott Supportive Living Home, LLC", otherwise known as "Aidan's Place", obtained our Federal Tax ID, secured our Group National Provider Identifier (NPI), and began drafting our official operational Policies & Procedures.
- State Licensing & Medicaid Enrollment: To ensure long-term sustainability, we have submitted our official State Certification Application, the New Provider Self-Assessment, and our NH Medicaid Application. We are currently advancing through the BDS screening process and completing the final provider enrollment forms.
Phase 2: Renovations, Accessibility & Operational Readiness (Begins Sept 2026)
Once we close on the property, we will immediately pivot into transforming the physical structure into a safe, accessible sanctuary while preparing our backend operations to welcome our very first residents:
- Life Safety & Structural Systems: We will be installing our house-wide fire suppression sprinkler systems, upgrading to modern energy-efficient windows, setting up an essential systems backup generator, and installing smoke/CO detectors.
- ADA & Accessibility Remodeling: To ensure absolute safety and dignity, we are adding an ADA entrance ramp, establishing a designated handicap parking space, extending stair railings, and renovating two full bathrooms for specialized accessibility.
- Living Space Customization: We will maximize our layout by dividing a large bedroom to add a private room and closet, constructing a brand-new dedicated laundry hub, extending the driveway, and painting the interior with calming, sensory-friendly colors.
- Inspections & Final Licensing: We will complete our final local Dover building inspections, pass the NH Fire Marshal safety audit, complete our mandatory NH Easy trainings, and finalize the BDS screening process to secure our official Residential Facility License and Certification.
- Workforce & Organizational Launch: We are currently accepting resumes and will begin formally advertising staff positions, establishing our Employee Handbook, and setting up our Electronic Medical Records (EMR) software.
- Family & Resident Enrollment: We will launch our official application process for future residents, open up our tailored intake forms, and legally establish our sister non-profit foundation, "Friends of Aidan's Place, Inc."
Phase 3: Care Team Assembly, Community Integration & Opening Day (Begins fall of 2026/winter of 2027)
This final phase is where our hard work comes alive. We will shift our focus to assembling our specialized staff, filling the home with warmth, selecting our residents, and opening our doors:
- Assembling & Training Our Care Team: We will interview and hire a dedicated, highly trained support staff. They will undergo extensive specialized training, to ensure the highest standard of daily care and operational compliance.
- Creating a Warm, Welcoming Home: We will purchase all the necessary furniture, comforting furnishings, and essential kitchen supplies to transform the renovated Victorian into a fully functioning, cozy household.
- Selecting & Welcoming Our Residents: Our leadership team will carefully review applications to select compatible residents. We will host personal tours and sit down face-to-face with families and residents to ensure a seamless, supportive transition.
- Community Enrichment & Local Integration: We will finalize a comprehensive roadmap of local Dover activities, community events, and resources to help our residents build rich, active social lives outside the home.
- Celebration & Doors Open: Before our official Opening Day, we will host a major Community Open House to welcome our neighbors, thank our donors, and celebrate the official launch of Aidan's Place.
Please Share Our Mission
Even if you are unable to donate at this time, you can make a massive difference by sharing our story. Please send this link to your networks, local Dover community groups, and anyone who believes in advocacy, historic preservation, and dignity for neurodivergent adults.
Connect With Us Online:
Visit Our Website: Aidan's Place website
Follow Our Progress on Facebook: Aidan's Place Facebook Page
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for helping us build a secure, loving, and empowering future at Aidan's Place.
With gratitude,
Sharilyn Mott, "Aidan's Mom"
Organizer
