A place where people with special needs lead meaningful, connected lives in an environment of trust and sharing

A LIFE SHARING COMMUNITY

Near the village of Temple, New Hampshire, fifteen minutes by car from Peterborough, half an hour from Nashua, is a farm house where a small number of adults with physical, emotional or mental disabilities live together with the house mother and her son, with co-workers and volunteers. The place is called Maple Hill Community. It functions as an extended family; there are no "clients" or "staff" here. Whether the medical diagnosis is mental illness, brain injury or developmental disability, every member of the Community contributes what he or she can do and can be -- all are appreciated and respected for their individuality. In this and other respects, Maple Hill is inspired by the work of Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925), the Austrian philosopher and educator, who provided the impulse for the Waldorf Schools as well as for a worldwide network of social and therapeutic communities.


ANIMALS AS VITAL PART OF OUR COMMUNITY

An important part of the community is a barn which houses horses used for a therapeutic horseback riding program; goats that provide milk, cheese, and yogurt; sheep that provide wool for weaving and other projects; and chickens that provide eggs. There is a small bio-dynamic vegetable garden; maple trees used for making maple syrup in the spring; and 22 acres of land that provide grazing for the animals and forest land used for recreation and firewood that helps keep everyone warm in winter.


INDIVIDUAL SOLUTIONS FOR SPECIAL NEEDS

No two people with disabilities are alike. At Maple Hill, the interdependence fostered by community life is carefully balanced with each person's individual needs and wishes. One of the key tenets of the Maple Hill Mission Statement is that the residents should
"enjoy the greatest extent of freedom that is compatible with their limitations without endangering their safety."
The ability to make responsible choices is an important facet of personal growth. Maple Hill residents are consulted in all important decisions affecting their lives and are encouraged to develop their initiative and independence.


INTEGRATING WORK, LEARNING, RECREATION & SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT

Activities at Maple Hill include:

  • Independent living skills (shopping, bill paying, checkbook balancing), community service, cooking, cleaning and other household chores

  • Gardening, landscape work, wood piling and snow-shoveling

  • Maple sugaring, apple picking, cider pressing

  • Weaving, woodworking, sculpting, painting, animal care (goats, sheep, chickens, horses), physical fitness and sports; therapeutic horseback riding

  • Individual studies and group tutoring

     

All these activities are integrated so as to give meaning to each individual's life and address his or her specific needs: to enhance self-esteem, to overcome fears and rigidity, to develop a sense of responsibility and initiative, and to learn useful skills and move toward greater independence. At Maple Hill, life is not divided into compartments. Work serves as symptom management, the regular contact with animals is therapeutic, recreation brings the residents in touch with Art and Beauty and with the ever-changing natural environment. Each activity — whether it be the daily chores, a visit to the Boston Symphony, or participation in the New Hampshire Special Olympics — serves as an opportunity to learn, to grow and to heal with gentle direction and support.

A WARM, HEALTHY, LIVELY HOME LIFE

The center of family life at Maple, Hill revolves around the dining table, which is carefully set for every meal. When everyone is gathered, the meal is blessed, and afterwards the members share their news with each other. Fresh organic produce grown in the Maple Hill Garden or a nearby community, farm contributes to a nutritious vegetarian diet, and cooking is a shared activity where everyone takes turns. There is a daily, weekly and seasonal rhythm to life at Maple Hill, which enhances the sense of security and well-being of all its members. Holidays and festivals are celebrated throughout the year. Maple Hill considers diversity an asset; it is nondenominational and welcomes residents, co-workers and volunteers without regard to race, religion, gender or ethnic origin.

CONNECTED WITH THE WORLD AROUND US

Maple Hill is embedded in the life of the region: the village of Temple, the network of nearby life-sharing communities, the towns of Wilton and Peterborough. The residents take part in events organized in the area, and, in turn, Maple Hill offers its services to its neighbors and others: respite care, for instance, group tutoring, or therapeutic horseback riding. One resident may hold a part-time job in another maintains a friendship with a woman he met in the village; a third may audit classes at' one of the area's colleges -- contacts and activities that give each one of them a sense of being an active participant in the community-at-large.