July 2025 — Team Alora Supports set out to rekindle a simple, powerful idea: every person deserves more than a roof—they deserve a place to belong. The question was audacious in its simplicity: What if “home” were defined not by square footage, but by the relationships inside it?
For decades, adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) were nudged to the margins—shuttled between large facilities or isolated apartments that met regulations but rarely met hearts. Families shouldered paperwork, wait-lists, and worry. Meanwhile, would-be host families wondered how they could help, unaware that the answer might be as close as their own kitchen table.
Co-working spaces showed us that sharing resources can spark community; ride-sharing proved idle seats could become meaningful connections. Shared living taps that same collaborative energy for housing—pairing people who want support with households eager to share life, all powered by thoughtful safeguards and a whole lot of empathy.
From lived experience to movement
Alora wasn’t born in a boardroom—it was born in founder Nicole Kanaman’s guest room. In 2017 Nicole and her husband welcomed two adults with IDD into their home. The walls didn’t just gain new residents; they gained laughter, purpose, and proof that “family” can be chosen. That spark became Alora Supports, anchored by a mission to make support personal and turn every suitable house into a place to be seen, supported, and truly at home.
Shared living itself isn’t new. Pioneered in the 1960s and backed by hundreds of studies, the model thrives on personalized support, independence, and strong community ties. What is new is wrapping that evidence-based approach in modern technology, behavioral science, and 24/7 wrap-around care.
