Familyhome Homeostasis has officially been closed

On July 28, 2026, we officially closed our family home, Homeostasis. When we closed the door behind us that day, it felt surreal. Honestly, I didn’t really know how I was supposed to feel. Even though we had known for some time that this moment was coming, it still felt different when it actually happened.

When Rockey and I started The Homeostasis Foundation, we had already been carrying the dream of creating a place where children who could not live at home, either temporarily or for a longer period of time, would feel welcome and seen. On April 19, 2022, we officially started working for the Salvation Army and opened family home Homeostasis.

Looking back now, I realize just how big the step we took actually was. We were young, had a clear vision, and above all, we had so much enthusiasm to do something meaningful for others.

For four and a half years, our house was not just our home. It was a place where children who could not live at home lived. Within the same building, there was also a semi-independent living program for young people and young adults. They had their own space and responsibilities and could receive support whenever they needed it.

Our daily lives consisted of caring, supporting, cooking, having conversations, setting boundaries, laughing together, and sometimes going through difficult moments together. Our work literally took place in our own home. In 2023, we also started activities for vulnerable older adults who lived in the residential complex across from us. The children’s families and support networks also began visiting more often. Parents, family members, and other people involved became part of life around the family home.

This created more and more connections between different people and generations. Slowly, I began to notice that family home Homeostasis was becoming something bigger than just a family home.

Family home Homeostasis gradually grew into what we now call Communityhome Homeostasis.

At the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024, we started developing The Green Garden. A community garden where people can come together, learn, work, and enjoy nature. By now, the garden has become an important part of our community. There are fruit trees, herbs, vegetables, flowers, and many other plants. We are also continuing to develop our workspace, creative space, coaching and counseling services, and new projects.

When I look back, I think it is beautiful to see how all of this came together. We started with a dream for a family home, and over the years that dream continued to grow. At the same time, this way of life was also intense. For four and a half years, we lived and worked in the same place. Our home was our workplace, but our workplace was also our home. When I developed a serious infection, we realized that we had to make a choice. We could no longer continue living the way we had been living.

It was not an easy conclusion to reach. We had spent years building the family home with so much love and dedication. Yet we had to honestly look at our future and at the form in which we wanted to continue.

Ultimately, we decided to close the family home. This does not mean that our vision has disappeared. Quite the opposite. We want to continue building on what has developed over the past few years.

That is why we are continuing as Communityhome Homeostasis, without the family home.

In the coming period, we want to further professionalize communityhome Homeostasis. We want to continue developing The Green Garden, our workspace, creative space, coaching and counseling, and new projects. This new chapter also gives us the opportunity to look again at what we want and how we want to shape it. Not everything has to happen at once anymore. We want to be more intentional about what fits us, what our community needs, and where we want to invest our time and energy.

When I think back on the past four and a half years, I think about the children who lived with us. The young people from the semi-independent living program who took steps toward greater independence. Their parents, family members, and other people in their support networks. The older adults across from us, the people from the neighborhood, and the volunteers who were part of this chapter.

But I also think about the ordinary everyday moments. Eating together. Conversations at the table. Going outside for a while. And all those little moments that may not seem particularly special at the time, but that you find yourself remembering later. I think about the vacations we shared. The outings, the moments of laughter and togetherness, and all the things we experienced together. I also think about all the donors who supported us throughout the years. Because of their support, we were able to accomplish so much.

And finally, I think about God. Above all, I am grateful to Him because He carried us through every situation. Even in the moments when we did not know how to move forward ourselves, we experienced that He was there.

I still don't know exactly how I feel now that this chapter has come to an end. But for now, I am mainly grateful for everything we were able to experience and for everything these years have taught us.

We are taking those experiences with us into our next chapter. Familyhome Homeostasis ends here, but communityhome Homeostasis continues. And I am curious to see what God has in store for us in this next season.