JCHAI currently has two types of residences: supervised living in home environments and more independent living in apartments. The following is a description of each type of residence:

Homes:

JCHAI runs three homes, one each in Wynnewood, Elkins Park, and Northeast Philadelphia. They each house six residents who have their own rooms. They have staff supervision at all times, except from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays. The residents cooperate with each other in preparing meals and keeping the house clean. All houses are accessible to public transportation, which many residents use to go to work and social events.

Strauss/Actman House: The Strauss/Actman House is located off City Avenue in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. It is a contemporary dwelling, with bedrooms on the second floor and the lower level. It was the first of JCHAI’s homes and has recently added a beautiful garden that the residents enjoy during many seasons.

Samuel Bernstein House: This house is located on Beech Road near Gratz College in Elkins Park. It is the original home of a well-known Philadelphia builder and has many beautiful architectural features, including arts and crafts tile on the entry floor, beautiful moldings, and the original wood built-in bookcases in the library. The kitchen was just remodeled in 2004.

Elaine Ominsky, Ph.D. House: This is the newest JCHAI residence located on Welsh Road in Northeast Philadelphia. The home was built in the 1920s and has the original wood moldings and paneling throughout the house. The kitchen is large and the home has many other areas for communal events. It is the largest of the JCHAI homes, and hosts many of JCHAI’s gatherings.

Apartments:
The apartments are located in the Presidential City Complex at the junction of City Avenue and the Schuylkill Expressway. The residents are located near each other on two floors in the same wing. The staff supervises the residents from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and as needed on weekends. The staff helps them prepare their evening meal and get ready for their next day’s events. They also help with items related to daily maintenance, such as bills, money management, and personal grooming. Some residents have roommates and some residents have their own apartment, but in any case, the residents enjoy spending time together and often socialize and eat their meals together.

JCHAI was the beneficiary of a matching grant challenge from the Levis Foundation, which matched over the course of three years (2004-2006) all monies raised by JCHAI up to $500,000 for the purchase of its own apartment building. To find out more information about how you can help JCHAI with this project, please call the JCHAI office at 610-667-7875.