Why We Matter
United We Thrive is a community-based nonprofit dedicated to improving the quality of life for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Adults with I/DD often face a dramatic drop-off in services after aging out of school systems. Families are left to navigate a fragmented system with limited options.
Our organization addresses this gap by creating a structured, supportive, and socially rich environment that promotes dignity, independence, and long-term security.
Our Beginning...
In Spring 2026, the State of Maryland Legislature cut $126MM out of DDA services. In reality, this number is double ($-252MM) as matching Medicaid Funds were removed from the budget. In addition, many I/DD Adults use a Self-Directed Service Model (SDS) to direct their budget to the services they need. These DDA participants who direct their budget to pay for family members to care for them in the home and community were impacted by these budget cuts. The DDA now limits Family As Staff (FAS) to a certain number of total hours per week, effective July 1, 2026. As part of these changes, FAS also incurred a huge reduction in hourly wages, forcing many to choose between caring for their loved one or re-entering the job market.
It has become clear that, as parents and advocates of I/DD adults, we cannot sit back and rely on Federal and State funding to ensure that our loved one’s future is as safe, secure and loving as we can envision it. We also realize that very few of us can do this alone.
United We Thrive Inc. was born from the needs of this vulnerable community of individuals, and their caretakers, whose resources they are accustomed to receiving from the DDA are going through drastic changes and cannot be counted on each and every year.
United We Thrive Inc. is a Maryland based Tax-Exempt Nonstock Corporation. We are designated by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) corporation. Our EIN: 42-2140979.
Looking to the future...
There is a great fear among the parents and families of the future if I/DD participants. This fear arises when questions begin to be asked about a future seemingly in a distant future:
- Who will take care of my loved one when I am gone, or no longer can do so?
- How should I prepare financially? What options are there and how do I get started?
- Where will they live?
Many more questions could be listed.
Our roadmap includes immediate (Year 1), middle (Year 2-3) and long-term milestones (Year 3 – 5) which help address many of these questions. Our vision is large, but it is doable, indeed it must be done, therefore it is worthy.
A clubhouse concept, a thrift/coffee shop, and ultimately housing solutions are part of our vision. Our participants and their caretakers get older each day, and so the time to plan and act is now to ensure a future that our loved ones will enjoy. Adults with I/DD often face a dramatic drop-off in services after aging out of school systems. Families are left to navigate a fragmented system with limited options. Our organization helps to address this gap by creating a structured, supportive, and socially rich environment that promotes dignity, independence, and long-term security. These milestones require going after grants, seeking matching funds, potentially forming partnerships in a structured and methodical way.
Long-Term Vision & Growth Model
Our organization is designed to grow into a comprehensive support ecosystem that includes:
- A dedicated clubhouse serving as a central hub for daily programming (currently meets 1x each week but looking to obtain our own space)
- Scalable programming to serve increasing numbers of adults
- Long-term housing solutions and partnerships
- Financial planning resources to ensure lifetime stability for participants
- A sustainable fundraising model targeting ~$1M annually