MORA Nonprofit Serves Bloomington Residents with Disabilities
MORA, a nonprofit organization serving individuals with disabilities and seniors, has operated in Bloomington and across Minnesota since the 1950s and 1960s, according to a recent presentation to city officials.
The organization provides community-based support services designed to help residents maintain independence in their homes rather than requiring institutional care. MORA operates residential homes and provides in-home support services, assisting clients with daily living skills, medication management and general care activities.
In May, MORA opened a crisis stabilization home for youth in Bloomington following a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The facility supports young people experiencing mental health crises, expanding the organization's services beyond its traditional adult disability and senior care programs.
A MORA staff member with 33 years of experience emphasized the organization's community integration mission. "These are people just like anybody else," the employee said, noting the importance of moving beyond outdated institutional models toward inclusive community living.
MORA representatives highlighted their partnership with the City of Bloomington, describing the municipal relationship as supportive of their continued operations. The organization noted that effective community-based care reduces emergency service calls and strengthens neighborhood connections.
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- The impact of community-based disability care on reducing public service calls to police and fire.
- The shift away from institutionalized care for disabled residents in Minnesota.
- MORA's crisis stabilization efforts for youth in the Twin Cities metro area.
Today we celebrate not just the opening of the building, but the opening of new possibilities, possibilities for healing and stability and hope for young people.
When providers like us do a good job, it means that there are less calls to local police and fire departments.
Source document
[0:00] Hi!, hi Kim!
[0:02] MORA is an organization that’s been around
[0:04] since the 1950s and 60s,
and we support individuals
[0:07] with disabilities
and seniors in the community.
[0:10] We also have a fairly large footprint
across the metro
[0:13] and across the state of Minnesota.
[0:14] Kimberly!
[0:16] MORA is a community.
[0:18] And we seek to serve people
[0:19] with disabilities so that they're living
their best lives .
[0:21] In Bloomington.
[0:22] Specifically,
we provide a level of support to residents
[0:26] that is helping them stay in their home
community, keeping them in a place
[0:30] that has been meaningful to them.
[0:31] Help them out to every day
of living skills, medications,
[0:37] just general cares and other activities.
[0:41] She's a kindhearted lady.
[0:42] Aren't you? The lady Red,
[0:46] Would you like some drink?
[0:47] Kind of a combination of supports
that we provide to residents.
[0:50] Some of them live
in some of our residential homes.
[0:53] Some of them are living in their own homes
or with a caregiver.
[0:56] And we're going into their home
to provide support
[0:58] so that they can stay at home
instead of going to some more intensive
[1:02] care, like a nursing home
or an assisted living or even a hospital.
[1:05] We have a crisis home
also in Bloomington, that we.
[1:08] had the ribbon cutting for it
[1:09] in May, which were to support youth
in crisis stabilization.
[1:13] Today we celebrate not just the opening
of the building, but the opening of new
[1:17] possibilities, possibilities for healing
and stability and hope for young people.
[1:23] Our staff is so dedicated
to all of our persons we work with.
[1:27] I mean, I can't say enough
about our staff, the supervisors,
[1:30] the program coordinators, the,
medical coordinators, the DSPs.
[1:35] Everybody puts their heart and
[1:37] soul into MORA homes.
[1:38] and that's what really makes us work. Hi.
[1:43] I've been with Mount Olivet now
[1:46] coming up
[1:46] on 33 years.
[1:48] It's been a family within a family.
[1:50] First, I enjoy the clients I have to say,
[1:54] I have the best clients.
[1:56] No one's going to tell me otherwise.
[1:59] I love helping.
[2:01] I believe that I was put here
for a purpose.
[2:03] And my purpose is to help.
[2:04] Look at that.
[2:05] We're here
to make them feel like a part of the,
[2:08] the city of Bloomington.
[2:09] A lot of people don't always see that.
[2:11] Here you go.
[2:12] These are people just like anybody else.
[2:14] It's people like you who need empowering.
[2:17] So it needs to be out there.
It needs to be heard.
[2:20] It needs to be seen.
[2:21] Kind of got to get past
[2:22] this thing that people are different
because our guys really are just people.
[2:26] They might have
some intellectual differences, but really
[2:29] when you spend time with them,
they're just like everybody else.
[2:33] And that's kind of getting past that thing
of like the old days where everything
[2:37] is institutionalized and these people
are like different and separate.
[2:40] They're not. They're just people
that live in your community.
[2:43] I want to have my children. Treat people
how you want to be treated.
[2:46] You never know what somebody goes through
[2:48] before they walk out the door,
or even if they had a door to walk out of,
[2:53] you know?
[2:53] So you always
[2:54] want to treat people with respect
because you always want to be respected.
[2:57] When providers like us do a good job,
it means that
[3:00] there are less calls
to local police and fire departments.
[3:04] It means that, you know, communities
feel part
[3:07] of supporting these residents
and that we are being a good neighbor.
[3:11] City of Bloomington
is near and dear to our hearts.
[3:13] They really partner with us
just fantastic.
[3:15] So we really look to their partnership
as something that allows us
[3:19] to continue doing our work.
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Other Topics from This Document
Support services for individuals with disabilities and seniors
Community-based living vs. institutionalization
Crisis stabilization services for youth
Staff dedication and the role of direct support professionals
Community integration for disabled residents in Bloomington
Partnership between MORA and the City of Bloomington
Also from this meeting
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