BOYS NEXT DOOR
DEENA MEDIROS, CEO, COO
Deena graduated with her degree in Nonprofit Studies from the University of Washington in 2010. The mother of a developmentally disabled son, Deena sought to improve the living conditions of developmentally disabled adults through the provision of family-centered supported living. After visiting a number of adult group homes, Deena determined that the standard of living she desired for her son did not yet exist, and as such, took it upon herself to create an environment that her son-and individuals like her son-could gladly call their own.
RON RINGERING, CARE PROVIDER
With a heart for community inclusion, Ringering’s experiences in elementary education and youth ministry compelled him to provide inclusion and belonging to disabled populations through community activities and outreach. Ringering enjoys taking the residents on outings to the local YMCA and to volunteer at the local food bank. Ringering is a certificated care professional for disabled populations through the State of Washington.
DEBBIE LOCKE, CARE PROVIDER
Locke’s experience in care provision for autistic and developmentally disabled persons led her justly to the Boy’s Next Door doorstep. Locke’s demeanor and experience have found her well-suited for work with diverse populations, and her care for our residents is evident in even small acts of kindness, from stitching a favorite blanket to initiating board games! Locke is a certificated care professional for disabled populations through the State of Washington.
ABOUT US
The word “Family” is important to us here at Boys Next Door. Developmentally disabled individuals often have the unique experience of only having one family: the “nuclear family” they are born into. As parents age and siblings grow older, developmentally disabled individuals are in want of a peer group or family to call their own. As such, we at Boys Next Door are not just a “group home”. We are a family home, where each member of our extended Boys Next Door family (staff, residents, residents’ families) works together to support the needs of the individual. Opportunities for growth and advancement often cease when a developmentally disabled person “ages out” of the school system: without planned activities and purposeful pursuits, many developmentally disabled individuals struggle to find meaning and joy in their lives, and become isolated away in group homes or nursing facilities. It is crucial that developmentally disabled adults be treated as valuable members of our society through integration, community involvement, and purposeful employment.
At Boys Next Door, we encourage community inclusion and self-determination, assisting our residents in the realization of their unique potential. We believe that every individual has the unique capacity for growth and achievement, and that each individual has the ability to contribute meaningfully to his or her society.