AUBURN — Unity House of Cayuga County, Inc. recently announced that it has added Christina Warter, owner of Soul & Mind Evolution (SAME) in Auburn, to its board of directors.

SAME is a sensory center that offers a supportive sensory experience and programming that is sensitive to individuals affected by autism and other developmental delays. She created SAME as a safe space for her young daughter, who has special needs, and other families and caregivers in similar situations. Prior to starting SAME, Warter was a housing coordinator, community educator, and support-group facilitator at Community Action Programs in Auburn. 

“I am looking forward to working with Christina; she will ask the questions that need to be asked,” Liz Smith, executive director of Unity House, said in a statement. “As the parent of a child with disabilities and as a small-business owner, she understands the importance of inclusion and service requirements, and will be able to share her insight with the board.”

Unity House of Cayuga County is a nonprofit that provides transitional and permanent housing, rehabilitative, and employment services for individuals with mental illnesses, developmental disabilities, and/or chemical dependencies from which they are recovering. The agency says it serves more than 700 consumers a day in six central New York counties.