Our History

Planted with a seeds of faith and love, we’ve been growing ever since.

Beginning

Inspired by faith and propelled by crucial needs, Mount Olivet Rolling Acres (MORA) began in 1953 by a group of parents from Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, to provide a summer camp and school for their children with developmental and intellectual disabilities. From the beginning we believed every human being deserved to be included. For their own happy, healthy lives and within our society.

At that time, schools didn’t provide any appropriate educational or social opportunities for children with disabilities or behavioral health issues. MORA trailblazed along side the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, and this simple summer camp was at the forefront of efforts that forever changed how our culture understands, includes and supports people – regardless of background. All people.  

Eventually summer camp cabins made way for more permanent buildings – homes designed for those with adaptive physical needs – wheelchairs, specialized bathrooms, entryways and gardens. Some of children who attended our camps years ago, have grown up through the decades with MORA. Family.

Growing

MORA became an independent and non-denominational nonprofit led by a Board of Directors in 1968 and began to receive the newly created public funding. Our services expanded to include children, adults and seniors with disabilities, mental health diagnoses, brain injury and other needs. Now we manage an array of services serving the entire Twin Cities metro and greater Minnesota: Adult Day Services, Case Management, Community Supports, Residential, Respite, Therapeutic Recreation, Training, an Annual Conference for caregivers, social workers and leaders and a special Discover Summer Camp for Youth with Autism.

Our unique Metro Crisis Coordination Program (MCCP) began in 1996 and offers a safety net of crucial and cost-effective services for adults and children with intellectual disabilities or mental health issues in the 7-county Twin Cities metro.  

Today, most of MORA’s funding comes from the county, state and federal resources that our clients receive. Therefore public advocacy within our communities and with the Legislature has become increasingly important. As a nonprofit MORA may accept tax-deductible donations and still shares a special supportive relationship with Mount Olivet Lutheran Church (Minneapolis/Victoria). The Church Development team coordinates donations, legacy gifts, special fundraising events and congregations generously offer volunteer, pastoral guests as well as home-cooked meals for residents and caregivers.

Changing

Cherishing the big-hearted heritage of our beginnings, MORA has evolved with both clients and employees becoming richly more diverse just like our surrounding Minnesota communities. Always learning, we actively advocate for equity and inclusion for the individuals we serve and for our employees. Healthy. Happy. Human. Join us. .