Because Home is Everything

**Launch of the Together, We Ensure Tomorrow Campaign**

Isaiah with Jacob, supported at our Knollway home

Home is so important to us all. It’s the place that holds our memories. It’s where we gather with family and friends to celebrate holidays, enjoy a meal, or just hang out together. We want our homes to be comfortable and safe and to provide what we need to have a good life. Home is where we want to live as long as we are able.

At Hammer & NER, home means everything to the people we serve. And to our dedicated caregivers, home is where they provide the care and support that ensures everyone enjoys the best life possible. It’s important and noble work.

We recently launched the Together, We Ensure Tomorrow campaign, which provides us with the opportunity to ensure the future for the individuals we support and their caregivers. The goal of this campaign, our most ambitious fundraising effort ever, is to raise $5 million or more by April 2026 for immediate critical funding needs and to lay a solid foundation to fulfill our mission long term.

The needs of Hammer & NER are changing rapidly as we prepare for the impact of Medicaid and state program changes. Government funding for services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities continues to be restricted, and the gap between what is funded and what is needed is widening. The Together, We Ensure Tomorrow campaign will ensure we can continue to provide excellent, person-centered care in the face of these challenges. The people we serve can’t wait. Their future—and ours—depends on what we all do next.

Meeting New Challenges with This Campaign

Medical advances mean people with disabilities are living longer, healthier, and more active lives than ever before.
Homes must be remodeled to improve accessibility with lifts, elevators, widened floor plans, and updated bathrooms.
Staff need advanced training and new resources to meet increased medical and mobility needs.
Additional nursing support and medical care are required, even when Medicaid does not cover it.

Lillian Marriott, Program Manager at Cedarwood East, with Shannon

Increased funds are needed to fill the gap in order to prevent cuts that would be detrimental to the people we serve and their families. We must face these challenges head on and take action now. Together, we can ensure a future in which the people we support can live their lives in their Hammer & NER homes with full support from highly trained and well-equipped caregivers who are committed to providing them with the best care possible.

Throughout our history, Hammer & NER has moved and changed with the reality of the world around us. This is such a moment. With donors like you who believe in our mission, we will keep moving forward because our mission is too important and because the people we support deserve to live their best lives. Thank you for your commitment to Hammer & NER.

To learn more about the Together, We Ensure Tomorrow campaign, please visit: hammer.org/together-we-ensure-tomorrow/