Year Honored: 2012
Biography
Micki Edelsohn began building homes for those with intellectual disabilities in 1989, for her own son. “Since then, she has built 25 group homes for residents who are intellectually disabled. More than 100 people are benefitting from her efforts.” She occasionally renovates homes to make them more suitable for individuals with disabilities, but her foundation, ‘Homes for Life,’ typically focuses on creating four-bedroom homes in the suburbs. These homes allow for adults with intellectual disabilities to live as independently as possible within the community.
Edelsohn also frequently speaks with employers on behalf of those she serves in order to highlight their skills and allow them the additional freedom and independence of working. Rita Landgraf, the Delaware Health and Social Services Secretary, says, “Micki is relentless. When she has a vision, she will go after that vision, and if you tell her no, that just fuels her fire even more. I believe that the community was very very fortunate to have Micki focus on enhancing the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities.”
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Sources and Additional Readings
DelawareonlineTV. (2010, August 16). 25 who matter: Micki Edelsohn [Delaware Online News Video]. YouTube. Retrieved January 19, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgFiuabQEmw
Home. hflfoundation. (n.d.). Retrieved January 19, 2022, from https://www.homesforlife.com/
March 21 event to celebrate four of Delaware's "Glorious women". State of Delaware News. (2014, November 14). Retrieved January 19, 2022, from https://news.delaware.gov/2012/03/13/march-21-event-to-celebrate-four-of-delawares-glorious-women/
- Collections: 2012