Matt’s Place Foundation

Matt’s Place Foundation: “ Hope & Housing ALS Renovation Series” Matt’s Place Foundation(MPF) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization run 100% by volunteers to assist pALS (People with ALS) and their families, as they navigate learning to live with this disease. Its ultimate intention is to provide hope, housing, and assistance to families dealing with ALS. MPF helps families diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) by providing grants and support with some of the more expensive costs that are not covered through insurance, such as accessible exterior ramps, accessible bathroom remodeling costs, and rent/mortgage assistance. The foundation has built two award-winning “Ultimate ALS Homes” designed specifically for pALS, their families, and caregivers to live, free of charge, for the duration of their illness. The “Ultimate ALS Homes” are single family homes with full voice/eye gaze-controlled home automation and environmental controls, and accessibility. Effective accessibility remodels/homes for pALS allow for dignity and independence, while also relieving some of the caregiver and financial burden. The generous funding from ALSFAC We Care will help Matt’s Place Foundation (MPF) create, market, and distribute a nationally recognized, online video series titled “Hope & Housing” designed to help someone newly diagnosed with ALS (pALS) and their caregiver (cALS) quickly equip themselves to be able to remain in their home with their family for the duration of their lives. MPF has learned many valuable lessons and questions to ask when remodeling homes with pALS and cALS in mind. Often after an ALS diagnosis, families are unaware of the remodeling and accessibility needs and requirements that are necessary to safely care for and assist someone with ALS in their own home. Simply updating a home per ADA requirements is not enough to safely care for someone with ALS, and to help them live with independence and dignity. Researching and anticipating needs can be overwhelming and tends to all fall on the caregiver. MPF’s goal is to help relieve some of the burden that falls on caregivers’ shoulders, by demonstrating how to use equipment, understanding what would make sense for their situation, and how to communicate needs with local contractors to ensure everything is installed and operating effectively, while preserving precious resources.