David’s House Ministries was born in the heart of a pastor and his wife, Pastor Jay and Lois DeBoer, who had been blessed with a son who was born with significant disabilities. At the urging of longtime friends, Pastor Jim and Sue Holwerda, they decided that the Lord was leading them to establish a ministry where their son, David, could live. Jay and Lois realized that there would come a day when they would no longer be able to provide the personal care, social opportunities, and encouragement in the Christian faith their son needed. The dream was born to not only meet David’s needs but to establish a ministry that would bless many other families as well.
David’s House opened the first Christian adult foster care home for 10 men with varying disabilities in June of 1987. House 1 was specially designed and purposefully built to include those who depend on wheelchairs for mobility. This barrier-free home features 10 private rooms with shared bathrooms for the residents. There is a large living and dining area, a spacious 3 season sunroom, and a patio.
House 2 was built in 1994. It was designed to meet a higher level of care needs for 12 men and women. There are 12 private rooms with private and shared bathrooms. Where needed, rooms are equipped with ceiling mounted tracks for an electronic lift system to assist with transferring the resident from wheelchair to bed, to bathroom, etc. This home also features a large living and dining area, as well as a spacious patio. Direct care staff members are awake and available to meet the needs of the residents 24 hours a day.
In 1997, a three-bedroom apartment was added to House 1. This was beneficial in providing a more livable space for the houseparents and enabled them to serve on a longer-term basis. A similar apartment was added to House 2 in 1999.
In 2010, House 3, a 12-bedroom, a state-of-the-art home, was added to meet the needs of men and women who faced life with even greater personal and medical needs. Each of 12 private rooms and bathrooms feature a ceiling mounted track lift system capable of transferring the resident to almost any area in their room or bathroom. Direct care staff members are awake and available to meet the residents needs 24 hours a day.
House 3 also has several features which enhance the total program for the entire ministry. These include a commercial kitchen, a large multi-purpose room for activities such as special dinners, games, activities, large meetings and celebrations, and our LEAP day-programming, a large fully equipped physical therapy room including a therapy tub, and a conference room to be used for family meetings, staff meetings and training.
Also, in 2010, we began providing staff for 2 independently owned homes in the Grand Rapids Community, Boston and Hampton House.
In 2012 the apartment that was added to House 2 was converted into a 3-bed adult foster care home for individuals who have high needs and benefit from a smaller setting. Each resident has their own bedroom, a private bathroom and spacious shared living and kitchen area. Direct care staff members are awake and available to meet the needs of the residents 24 hours a day.
In 2018, our newest home opened, Willow Tree Lodge. It was designed to meet a higher level of care for 6 women and is intentionally staffed with only women. This allows the residents to feel more comfortable with daily tasks and living. There are 6 private rooms with private bathrooms. Rooms are equipped with ceiling mounted tracks for an electronic lift system to assist with transferring the resident from wheelchair to bed, to bathroom, etc. This home also features a large living and dining area. Direct care staff members are awake and available to meet the needs of the residents 24 hours a day.
The staffing pattern at David’s House was changed in 2010 from a houseparent-based care system to a staff model involving a professional manager and a team of direct care providers.