Jill's House

Jill’s House celebrates children with special needs and provides much-needed relief to their families in the greater Washington DC area. We serve boys and girls, ages six through seventeen, with intellectual disabilities without regard to race, religion, or ethnicity. Jill’s House provides a safe, fun place full of adventure and tailor-made activities to children with special needs while giving their parents and caregivers desperately-needed time to rest and recharge. To ensure that parents and caregivers get a real break, typical siblings are welcome to stay at Jill’s House. Their hope is that their model will help change the way communities address the needs of families with children with special needs. Jill’s House is named after a very special young lady. In 1992, Jill was born a strong and healthy baby to her parents, Lon and Brenda Solomon. Unbeknownst to them, Jill was born with Dravet Syndrome – a rare seizure disorder. At three months old, Jill started having multiple seizures every day. The Solomons’ happy and peaceful life with three sons and a baby girl began to unravel. Lon and Brenda suffered tremendous stress and exhaustion. Sleepless nights and regular trips to the ER marked their lives. Jill’s House serves over 500 families raising children with special needs, including many military families. While all Jill's House families experience intense stress, those dedicated to serving our country encounter added complications like deployments and frequent moves. ''I’ve been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan 10 times. Jill's House gives us that moment to simply slow down,'' shared Pat Work, father to Jill’s House guest JP. When you sponsor a child's stay at Jill's House on a monthly basis you give a recurring gift of Jill's House to families like the Works, keeping their marriages together, restoring their family and giving them a moment to just breathe.

show less