Our Vision & Mission
Community Independence of Texas is a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Our vision is to uplift the autism community, empower adults with autism toward independence, and foster a greater understanding and acceptance of spectrum adults.
Our mission is to provide the comfort and dignity of long-term affordable housing in a caring, dedicated spectrum community to those with Autism Spectrum Disorder who have the skills, ability, and desire to live semi-independently with limited onsite support.
For our purposes, “semi-independent” means that these amazing adults are capable of self-care on a day-to-day basis and do not require live-in caretakers, but still need assistance with certain life tasks and situations. This assistance will be provided by advisors that will live onsite.
Our Values
Community Independence of Texas has established these Core Values that drive our Vision and Mission as well as guide our decision-making.
Caring community only happens when we commit our HEARTS to it:
Hearts of love – God created us in His own blessed image, therefore our hearts are to reflect His radical love and compassion to others.
Every person has inherent value as a beloved and miraculous creation of God.
Abundant Life – We have the option of an abundant life of peace and faith through Jesus Christ, but it is up to each individual to grab on to it.
Respect & Responsibility – Successful community living begins with consistent and caring respect for one another and acceptance of personal responsibility for our own lives and actions.
Thankfulness in all things is the root and fertilizer of a life well lived.
Sharing lives – God calls us to live in community with one another; to share life with those around us, and to serve one another with compassion.
Our Team
Karen Koiner
Founder & Board President
Karen Koiner earned a M.A. in Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling from Azusa Pacific University followed by a 10-year career in counseling and social work, then cheerfully switched her career to Full-Time Mom as the children’s unique needs became apparent. During 18 years as a home educator, Karen was both a class instructor and on the Board of Directors for their educational co-op, served on the Leadership Team for the local activities group (field trips, events, celebrations, park days, etc.), and joined others in establishing and co-leading faith-based service and activity groups for different age groups. Karen also developed curriculum for and taught group classes designed for teens whose ability to learn flourished under nontraditional visual and kinesthetic methods. Since the youngest child's graduation, Karen has continued to participate in faith-based activities, encourage her children toward independent living, run a small online business, and develop this nonprofit.
Louis Koiner
Founder & Board Vice President
Louis and Karen Koiner are blessed with three young adults on the autism spectrum and thus have many years of experience with the special needs of those on the spectrum. Louis was the primary researcher in the hunt for affordable semi-independent options for their children as well as the chief instigator in founding this project. In the course of his research and discussions with those at various facilities, Louis recognized the need for an affordable semi-independent living community in central Texas. Utilizing his background in drafting, he is developing the architectural plan for the proposed ComInTX structures and site. Louis currently works part-time for UPS and is also self-employed, primarily as an artist.
Carol Regli, OTR, OTD
Director Of Therapeutic Services
Carol has been an occupational therapist for over 30 years, working with clients of all ages from geriatric to pediatric. She completed her post-professional doctor of occupational therapy degree with a desire to give back to her profession. Carol's professional and personal experiences fostered the desire to develop a residential community for adults with autism that would address this growing need. Through divine intervention she met the Koiner family and joined the board of Community Independence of Texas. As the vision for CominTX grew, her expertise in life-skills was a perfect match for the program development needed for the Launchpad preparation phase and became the focus of her Capstone Project. Carol's expertise serves the ongoing development of this non-profit.
Lauren Viljoen
Treasurer
Lauren Viljoen earned a B.S. in Business Administration from City University of New York and worked in administrative positions, both as office administrator for smaller companies and executive assistant in medium to large companies. After 13 years, Lauren changed her career to Full-Time Mom and Home Educator to her four children. When her youngest was a high school senior, Lauren joined the Board of Directors as Treasurer for the local homeschool football team on which her three sons had played and her daughter had cheered. Since she was already very involved, this was a natural next step to support a team that had long been a tremendous blessing to her family. For many years, Lauren has also assisted her husband Derek by acting as administrator for the Bible class he teaches. When Karen and Louis Koiner, dear friends of the Viljoens, were called to begin ComInTX, Lauren felt the call to join them - and she looks forward to the miracles God is going to perform with ComInTX!