Special Needs

New Duvall Home Site Gets Foundation

January 11, 2019 – Duvall Homes celebrates the new year by sharing a sneak peek at the home site of our new group home going up in DeLand! It will have six spacious bedrooms and four Jack and Jill bathrooms, a front and back porch, a full sprinkler system and other outstanding features.

Staff are all so excited. Many more details, including photos and video, will be shared in the coming weeks and months. Duvall Homes is in good hands with Camelot Custom Construction, Inc., the Parade of Homes Award Winner Builder, who renovated one of Duvall’s 16 group homes last year.

Follow Duall Homes on Facebook to view the latest construction photos.

Posted by Lisa Habermehl

Tourism In Volusia County

November 29, 2018 – Enjoy Volusia County when you visit Duvall. Flip through this month’s issue of Evolve, the business publication of the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce to learn more. Duvall Homes is a Daytona Chamber member, and recognizes that what attracts families and guardians to Duvall is not just our residential supportive services and programs, but also the national appeal of the County of Volusia.

Oceanfront beaches, great eateries and ecotourism – from the east side of the county to the west – are just a few options to fill calendars of visiting families and friends all year round. Visit our great beaches; tour various springs and waterways; bike, jog or walk miles of natural and paved trails; select from any type of cuisine you can think of; visit historical landmarks, museums and more.

The best thing of all is that residents of Duvall Homes are fortunate to be able to visit the same attractions that 10 million people come to visit each and every year. (Florida Trend July, 2018.) After flipping through Evolve Magazine here, click on some of the great videos below, courtesy of West Volusia Visiting Center, to help fill your calendar when you plan your visit.

Old Florida, New Vibe

Wildlife in West Volusia

Explore Miles of Smiles in West Volusia

What’s Up in West Volusia

West Volusia Visitors Guide

Enjoy Volusia County when you visit Duvall. #TheDuvallDifference

Inspiring DeLand HS Students Support Duvall Homes

September 24, 2018 – We just picked up two beautifully handcrafted Adirondack Chairs with matching foot rests from DeLand High School‘s Bulldog Carpentry. Duvall staff are grateful because these chairs will be part of our 2018 Inspiration Gala Silent Auction this Friday, September 28. We have paired them with a gift card from Lowe’s Home Improvement should one wish to have them painted.

Because of our community support, Duvall Homes is able to continue providing the best programs and services that empower people with special needs in our care. A very special thank you to DHS teachers Mr. Rick Hervey and Mr. Scott Hamilton, and to three helpful students. We didn’t have photo releases secured to include them with these awesome chairs; however, they did make an impact: Marc is a DHS senior who has his sights on Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Daytona Beach Campus; Michael is a freshman looking to join the U.S. Marine Corps; and Zavion is a sophomore who hopes to go to college in Chicago as he wants to play a role in helping reduce crime in the city where he lost some family members. Wow! All this learned from loading chairs they made for Duvall Homes.

We wish the boys and the rest of their Bulldog Carpenters the very best in their post-graduate endeavors! Read more about DHS Bulldog Carpentry’s service (below) for Duvall Homes in “A Community of Kindness” on page 3 in Duvall’s 2018 Spring Newsletter.

#InspiringStudents #WeAreDeLand

Direct Support Professional (DSP) Recognition Week

September 10, 2018 – A Huge Thank You: This week is Direct Support Professional (DSP) Recognition Week. Fellow staff, residents and families value the vital contributions DSPs make to the Duvall Support Team and to our community.

“Our DSPs are simply awesome,” said Duvall Group Home Manager Christine E. “We depend on them to keep our group homes organized and running smoothly so that our residents are comfortable and safe every single day.”

DSPs and other specialists are instrumental Duvall Support Team members in empowering those in our care. They each are trained experts who deliver programming and services focused on developing personal life skills that strengthen independence and self-pride for those with special needs.

We are most fortunate to have such caring, selfless employees, like Sanjuana pictured here, who has cared for individuals like Lyle for close to 12 years.

“I’m proud of the work I do,” said Sanjuana. “If I could share with others one thing, it would be not to underestimate what those in our care are capable of doing… Much more than you think.” Thank you Sanjuana! And to our all of our DSPs.

Learn more about DSPs and the services we provide for people with special needs at DuvallHomes.org/Programs-Services.
Come join our team DuvallHomes.org/Careers.

#DSPRW2018

Posted by Lisa Habermehl

Hurricane Preparedness

September 7, 2018 – As we enter the peak of hurricane season, we are once again reminded of the generosity and care of our families and community. Together, they helped to provide the much-needed support to obtain and install automatic generators at our group homes this past year.

“Thanks to our parents, families and community, we now have peace of mind that we can maintain power for refrigeration, laundry and lighting. Maintaining our group homes at a comfortable temperature can help us avoid serious problems,” said Marsha Shankleton, Duvall’s Chief Operating Officer.

We also send an extended thank you to the dedicated staff at Duvall Homes. Our professionally trained team of caregivers ensures that each of Duvall’s Group Homes maintains a heightened level of disaster preparedness throughout the year due to the fragility of those in our care. #TheDuvallDifference

Read more in past news: DuvallHomes.org/A-Special-Holiday-Thank-You and DuvallHomes.org/Newsletters. Other Duvall News: DuvallHomes.org/News-Events.

National Hurricane Center #HurricaneSrong

Join Our Inspiring Team

Posted by Lisa Habermehl