About Us

God’s Embrace has been a passion project in the making for Colleen Simon, inspired by helping create a community for people like her daughter, Heather. Colleen aims to start changing other’s perceptions of the abilities of the special needs community by showcasing them inside of a coffee shop, one cup of coffee at a time. With the help of others who are passionate about what they do and compassionate towards those they serve, God’s Embrace will be a place where the special needs community can exercise their God Given talents.

Our initial endeavor is a coffee shop. We will be training and educating our team in the art of coffee making, cleaning and maintenance skills, financial skills, and effective communication with customers and each other. Every day, we will start with a meeting at the “Prayer Wall”. Our goal with the prayer wall is to encourage customers and staff alike to write down a prayer, knowing their prayer requests will be prayed for, and their praises celebrated. God’s Embrace will offer persons with disabilities unique experiences. Through this training, we hope our “trainees” will gain independence through interdependence.

Our menu (Pictured above) will be a simple one that aims to make it possible for anyone to come in and enjoy a coffee shop experience.

God’s Embrace Coffee shop is the beginning of the vision, to lead into the residential community. We believe that “Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity..” (Proverbs 21:5) Our efforts have become sponsored by the Knights of Columbus Fatima Council 3228 and the Fatima Event Center, by using their building, located at 1040 N. Post Road, Indianapolis, Indiana.

God’s Embrace is an Indiana 501c3 non profit corporation that was founded in November of 2020, with a vision to provide a God Centered residential community campus, also offering entrepreneurial, vocational/educational, and social opportunities for adults with developmental or intellectual disabilities.
As we progress forward into the Residential Community, we aim to:
-create a place of belonging
-foster independence through interdependence
-provide a safe and supportive environment to allow these individuals to fulfill a desire for independence

When the plans for the Residential Community move forward, so will our updates to our vision.

Vision:

To give dignity and purpose to adults with disabilities in order to achieve their greatest potential.

Mission:

God’s Embrace is a God-centered educational and vocational community that teaches the dignity of work, building relationships between our community and the greater community. Designed to give each adult person with disabilities a safe, supportive, purposeful opportunity to fulfill God’s will for them.

Core Values:

• A commitment to maintaining an all -inclusive Christ centered community.
• A commitment to being patient listeners with empathy, humility, and discernment by all members of the community.
• A commitment to find engaging, rewarding work for every member as independence is gained through interdependence.
• A commitment to dignity, service, and justice for all whom the community serves.
• A goal to maintain financial independence as best possible.

History: 

We are a group of parents, friends, and family members with adult family members with autism, intellectual and /or physical disabilities. We are concerned about the current housing choices available for our family members as we and they grow older.

God’s Embrace, Inc., is planning a Christ centered residential community. Our vision is to develop an educational, and vocational day program for adult persons with autism, intellectual and / or physical disabilities. Our objective is a community setting, making each day meaningful and purposeful. To create a way of life that values the gifts of each person. We intend to provide a safe, joyful, accessible neighborhood with choices in residential living and varying levels of support.

In 2005, a small group of parents initially met and discussed developing a residential program for adults with intellectual and / or developmental disabilities. We visited communities in the Tri state area, and we were able to decide on a tentative model, based on two successful communities that we had visited.

Both Communities we most admired were committed to providing residential service programs within the community itself:

– To Nurture participants under a faith-based, lifelong, residential, community with support programs staffed with competent professionals.
– To Provide a stable and secure environment, maximizing individual potential.

In 2018, knowing that God always has a plan, the original board members formed a new organization, God’s Embrace, Inc. We then visited two additional communities as far away as Lakeland FL and Berkshire, TX. We adopted similar models using the housing example from one and the employment program from the other. In 2020 we Incorporated and in 2021 we received our 501((c)3) nonprofit status.

Our first project will be a coffee shop. We will be offering both employment and volunteer opportunities to adults with disabilities. Our volunteers and employees will sell a variety of coffees, teas and other items, eventually to include handcrafted creations by our community. The Fatima Event Center is sponsoring our efforts by providing a commercial space and a commercial kitchen. We hope to build a strong relationship with the local community.

As part of our developmental phase, we intend to utilize local community leadership to help introduce our organization to individuals and families who may be interested in learning about our plans and future expansion. Introducing our organization to local religious members is an important part of our Christ centered mission.