Day Spring

Our Mission: 

Day Spring provides a path forward for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through services that cultivate hope, belonging and community. 

A joyful and fulfilling life begins at home. 

Imagine waking up every day in your childhood bedroom.The same wallpaper, the same stuffed animals, the same limitations. You’re an adult—but your life has never been given the chance to grow up. This is the reality for many individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) across our community: adults stuck in limbo, not because they lack dreams or potential, but because society never created a path forward for them.

Day Spring exists to change that.

Born from the determination of families who refused to settle for institutional care or isolation, Day Spring is a Louisville-based nonprofit creating real opportunities for adults with IDD to live full, independent lives. Since opening our first home in 1994, we’ve grown into a vibrant network of residential support, community integration, and life skills development—built on dignity, choice, and inclusion.

At the heart of our work is a simple belief: people with disabilities deserve more than care, they deserve connection, growth, and purpose. We empower individuals to ask, “What’s next for me?” and help them pursue answers with confidence. Whether that’s learning to budget, cooking independently, making friends, or preparing for meaningful employment, Day Spring is there every step of the way.

Day Spring has provided residential services for adults with IDD for over 30 years. We pride ourselves on cultivating homes filled with exceptional care, unconditional love, and a person-centered approach. We see people first, and disability second. Day Spring offers diverse residential settings to ensure residents have options that fit their lifestyles.

Our residential community includes 3-person homes, 8-person homes, and a 7-unit apartment building with communal areas. Additionally, our Family Home Provider program integrates residents into a provider’s household, ideal for individuals that may not want the housemate/roommate living style that the residential community offers.

Our newest program, the College for Living, promotes independence in a safe and secure environment. Students gain life skills through daily classes and a staff of mentors who provide individualized success plans to support their journey toward independence. This allows people with IDD who have the drive and capacity to live on their own one day the opportunity to step out in a semi-independent living community and achieve their highest potential. We recently expanded the program’s capacity from 6 to 19 residential students, tripling the number of young adults who now have access to this life-changing opportunity!

We not only meet our residents’ basic needs but also cultivate a sense of belonging and community integration, essential for overall quality of life. We aim to connect the Louisville and Day Spring communities by hosting volunteer events and exposing residents to art, culture, and neighborhood events through our Arts and Wellness program.

We envision a world where people with disabilities are not isolated or sidelined, but fully visible and involved in the life of their community. A world where people are accustomed to seeing individuals with disabilities working, volunteering, attending events, and living independently, because that’s what inclusion really looks like. When people with disabilities are included, everyone wins. Individuals with disabilities have so much to offer, and Day Spring is here to make sure the world sees it!

Learn more about all the amazing things we do HERE

 Help Fill The Funding Gap:

A portion of Day Spring's revenue is issued by government-funded Medicaid dollars, but unfortunately it does not cover all of Day Spring's needs, leaving a gap of more than $500,000 in services. As the future of Medicaid funding is uncertain, this fundraising gap is likely to rise. 

Many of our programs require 24.7 support, necessitating a 1:1 staff-to-client ratio to ensure the safety and well-being of each residents. This results in significant personnel costs. 

Additionally, Day Spring encompasses 7 buildings and 13 acres requiring daily maintenance to ensure a healthy and clean environment for our residents. The size and demands of our properties need substantial funding to maintain the integrity of our residents homes.

In order for Day Spring to continue to provide the exceptional services to our beloved residents we rely on individuals like you to help fill our funding gap. 

Join us on Give For Good Louisville to help Day Spring continue the vision of every person being valued and having a path forward regardless of ability.