Raising a child who thinks or talks a little differently can be a big adjustment both to their families and the people they encounter on a daily basis.

But, the Pieroni family has brought their own experience of that sort to Moffat County and are aiming to help other families better navigate the process.

Jennifer and Paul Peroni operate Harmonie House, a 501(c3) nonprofit that is focused on providing assistance to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Northwest Colorado.

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The organization’s mission statement reads that its vision is “to create a world where individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are fully integrated, empowered and values members of their communities, achieving their highest potential and living fulfilling lives of dignity and independence.”

Jennifer and Paul first moved to Craig in March 2021 with kids Trey and Arayah, quickly noticing a stark contrast.

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Both the Pieroni children have autism, and having previously been a social worker in the Denver metro area, Jennifer had been dialed in to many outlets.

“When we moved here, they had a variety of services in Denver that support their needs,” Jennifer said. “We assumed that because those were statewide services, they moved everywhere and we were wrong. The services they were receiving in Denver don’t exist here.”

The big change in the new town led Jennifer and Paul to make a big decision.

“We knew that if we wanted a different future for our kids, we needed to build this business and then we realized, as we started building it just for our kids, that if all families were impacted, all kids, all adults didn’t have access to these services,” she said. “We’ve been working very hard to become this licensed agency to be able to bring more to our community.”

Harmonie House got underway in January 2023, and the Pieronis have spent nearly two years getting all their ducks in a row as far as accreditation, licensing, insurance and legal details.

Among the services Harmonie House offers are arranging In-Home Support Services for clients, helping families through transportation difficulties and assisting with training for parents to become a Certified Nursing Aide, among other parts of the program.

As a recipient of the second annual Craig Business Plan competition, the couple brought in an extra $15,000 to help market the program better.

The Pieronis have already begun the early stages working with about two dozen clients in the area.

“We’re helping a lot of families get through those steps and just kind of get the word-of-mouth out that we’re here to help them navigate all of those steps before they’re ready to work with us,” Jennifer said, adding that their goal is to offer complementary things to help with existing agencies like Horizons.

Jennifer said she had worked in the healthcare field before becoming a parent and, upon learning her son and daughter had different needs, it changed her own perspective a bit.

“Navigating this system and finding these resources feels like swimming in mud,” she said. “I began to help other families to navigate that in the school system and all of these complicated programs, and then I was able to get hired on with an agency that’s very similar to Horizons, it’s in Adams County.”

Tray, 13, and Arayah, 12, are both home-schooled, which Jennifer noted is part of supporting their individual needs and that both are thriving.

Paul said that while he had less experience with the medical world than his wife prior to becoming a parent — he comes from a family of restaurateurs — he became more and more involved in doing more.

“Having kids with special needs kinda push me into a different direction, and so I started at one point to do to learn about this and to work into day programs to help people with disabilities,” he said. “I joke with Jennifer, like, ‘Why couldn’t we have started a restaurant? That was so much easier with less red tape.’ I can pass health inspections. I can do all kind of building inspections. I’ve done all of that.”

Still, he said his wife and kids have motivated him to go further down this new path.

“I am learning and just trying to be like Jennifer in that way,” he said.

Paul’s business knowledge has come in handy in structuring Harmonie House and in knowing the importance of working with the right people

“You could have the best food in the world, but if you don’t have the proper staff, you don’t have the proper thinking and being able to pivot and being able to do different things,” he said.

Despite Craig presenting them with new challenges, the Pieronis have embraced their new location.

Paul said he enjoys the slower pace compared to the Front Range and ski areas.

“It feels like home, absolutely,” he said.

Jennifer noted that her family has deep roots in Colorado, and that was a driver for staying in the state but exploring more of it.

“I’m a fourth-generation native, and we moved here because it felt like and reminds me of Arvada, when I grew up. It’s like taking a step back in time,” she said. “People care about each other here, you know — our kids aren’t just gonna get lost, they’re not gonna get in trouble without somebody calling you. It just — It still has that Mayberry feel, and it’s nice to be part of a community that cares about each other again.”