As we imagine the future for our 22-year-old daughter — a vibrant young woman with special needs — we find ourselves asking: What would a life full of real friendship, purpose, and independence look like for her?It’s a question we return to often. And in seeking answers, we’ve taken many paths: long conversations, late-night research, visits to inspiring programs, and honest reflections about what’s truly important — not just for her, but for us as a family.
One of the most powerful steps in this journey was our visit to Triform Camphill Community in Hudson, New York.
What is Triform?
Set on 420 acres in the Hudson River Valley, Triform is a holistic residential community for young adults with developmental disabilities. It’s a place of beauty and belonging — complete with organic gardens, working farms, a ceramic studio, weavers' studio, bakery, recreation spaces, and 10 homes. But what truly sets it apart isn’t the land — it’s the people.
Triform is part of the global Camphill movement, built around the belief that every person — regardless of ability — has inherent value and a role in the community. The model is faith-based and relationship-centered, where young adults, caregivers, and volunteers live together in extended family homes and share daily life.
Residents participate in purposeful work (from farming to crafts), attend afternoon classes, explore the surrounding community on weekends, and celebrate life’s seasons together — with joy, music, and tradition. It’s not just care — it’s life, shared.
Why It Moved Us
From the moment we arrived, we felt the love in this community — a sense of peace and intention, where everyone mattered and everyone contributed. The caregivers and community members weren’t there just to support; they were there to live alongside, to be in real relationships with each other.
It was emotional. It was beautiful. It was inspiring.
Inspiring because it showed us what’s possible — that models of shared living built on mutual respect, growth, and real friendship truly exist. Inspiring to imagine that our daughter could one day be part of something like this — whether at Triform or through a version we create in our own home. Inspiring us to believe not just in better care, but in a better life — one filled with connection, purpose, and love.
What We’re Taking Forward
We left Triform inspired — not just by the facilities or programs, but by the deep human values at the heart of it all: inclusion, dignity, belonging.
We’re using that inspiration to inform how we’re shaping our own home-based, self-funded living model. One that prioritizes companionship, natural relationships, skill-building, and real joy — starting right here, in our own home.
We don’t pretend to have all the answers. But we believe that sharing stories like these helps spark new ideas, deeper conversations, and more intentional paths for families like ours.
If you're on a similar journey, or simply curious about what shared, meaningful living could look like for individuals with special needs, we encourage you to explore Triform’s story — and let it spark your own.
Learn more about Triform: https://www.triform.org
#SpecialNeedsCommunity #Triform #SharedLiving #CamphillInspired #LifeWithPurpose #RealFriendship #HomeBasedModel
As we imagine the future for our 22-year-old daughter — a vibrant young woman with special needs — we find ourselves asking: What would a life full of real friendship, purpose, and independence look like for her?
It’s a question we return to often. And in seeking answers, we’ve taken many paths: long conversations, late-night research, visits to inspiring programs, and honest reflections about what’s truly important — not just for her, but for us as a family.
One of the most powerful steps in this journey was our visit to Triform Camphill Community in Hudson, New York.
What is Triform?
Set on 420 acres in the Hudson River Valley, Triform is a holistic residential community for young adults with developmental disabilities. It’s a place of beauty and belonging — complete with organic gardens, working farms, a ceramic studio, weavers' studio, bakery, recreation spaces, and 10 homes. But what truly sets it apart isn’t the land — it’s the people.
Triform is part of the global Camphill movement, built around the belief that every person — regardless of ability — has inherent value and a role in the community. The model is faith-based and relationship-centered, where young adults, caregivers, and volunteers live together in extended family homes and share daily life.
Residents participate in purposeful work (from farming to crafts), attend afternoon classes, explore the surrounding community on weekends, and celebrate life’s seasons together — with joy, music, and tradition. It’s not just care — it’s life, shared.
Why It Moved Us
From the moment we arrived, we felt the love in this community — a sense of peace and intention, where everyone mattered and everyone contributed. The caregivers and community members weren’t there just to support; they were there to live alongside, to be in real relationships with each other.
It was emotional. It was beautiful. It was inspiring.
Inspiring because it showed us what’s possible — that models of shared living built on mutual respect, growth, and real friendship truly exist. Inspiring to imagine that our daughter could one day be part of something like this — whether at Triform or through a version we create in our own home. Inspiring us to believe not just in better care, but in a better life — one filled with connection, purpose, and love.
What We’re Taking Forward
We left Triform inspired — not just by the facilities or programs, but by the deep human values at the heart of it all: inclusion, dignity, belonging.
We’re using that inspiration to inform how we’re shaping our own home-based, self-funded living model. One that prioritizes companionship, natural relationships, skill-building, and real joy — starting right here, in our own home.
We don’t pretend to have all the answers. But we believe that sharing stories like these helps spark new ideas, deeper conversations, and more intentional paths for families like ours.
If you're on a similar journey, or simply curious about what shared, meaningful living could look like for individuals with special needs, we encourage you to explore Triform’s story — and let it spark your own.
Learn more about Triform: https://www.triform.org
#SpecialNeedsCommunity #Triform #SharedLiving #CamphillInspired #LifeWithPurpose #RealFriendship #HomeBasedModel