Residential: Nikki’s Next Step

One Step Beyond, Inc. has been providing dynamic programs to individuals who have intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) for over 20 years. Nikki’s Next Step is our eagerly anticipated expansion into housing. At Nikki’s Next Step, we envision more than just a home. It’s an inclusive community where relationships flourish to combat isolation and promote socialization. Our goal is to break barriers, create opportunities, and ensure that everyone, regardless of ability, has the chance to live a life of purpose and fulfillment.

Access to housing is a fundamental human right, yet individuals with disabilities often encounter significant barriers in exercising this right. Challenges such as affordability, limited options, and complex support systems severely restrict their housing choices. These barriers contribute to the staggering statistic that only 3% of the 45,000 individuals with disabilities are able to secure housing outside of their family homes.

Nikki was a young woman who did not have disabilities but who passed away from cancer way too young. Nikki was a best friend to Carrie, a One Step Beyond participant, since our early beginnings. Nikki and Carrie grew up together, and spending time with Carrie was a joy for Nikki. Nikki wanted the same opportunities for Carrie that she enjoyed. As a devoted OSBI Volunteer, she never missed an opportunity to support and encourage Carrie and her OSBI friends and they loved being with her. We can’t measure the value of a life by years. The true value of a life is measured by the difference we make, by the impact we have on those around us, whether our time here is long or short. Nikki’s life, her open and loving heart, generous spirit, acts of kindness, quiet strength, and unconditional acceptance of each of us, just the way we are, is the core of her legacy that will create generational opportunities for people who have intellectual or developmental disabilities. Nikki saw Carrie and her friends not as persons who have disabilities but as persons with abilities and gifts to contribute to all of us. Nikki is still with us in spirit and this Next Step of independence for Carrie and others at OSBI is something Nikki would have actively supported. Her name on this Residential Setting honors her love, spirit, and contribution to our lives.

You can be a part of this historical milestone for One Step Beyond, Nikki’s Next Step, and People with Disabilities who want and need more housing choices in Arizona. Every dollar counts, and with your help, we can continue to create opportunities for independence and inclusion.

• Get started on your 2024 AZ Tax Credit Donation. When you donate $470 (filing single) or $938 (filing married-joint), you’re not just giving; you’re also reducing your state tax liability. Click the link below for more information on the AZ Tax Credit.
• Make a recurring monthly donation to help provide long-term sustainable resources for the project’s success. Giving is convenient because once you enroll, your contribution will be automatically processed each month, saving you time and hassle while maximizing your impact. Giving is easy because you can break down a significant contribution into smaller, manageable pieces.

Families who are interested in this type of housing for their son or daughter are invited to add their name and email to our Interest List to receive our announcements and to receive information about our residential community when we have it ready to disclose. By adding your name, phone, and email address below you only are joining a list of people who have agreed to receive notifications from OSBI via email about announcements and information about our project. THIS IS NOT A WAITLIST or PRIORITY LIST! We have established this Interest List because it is helpful to OSBI to get a sense of how many families have an interest in the housing we are developing, and we want to make sure that we get that information to everyone who wants it!