Looking forward to 2016

When walking the halls of Gompers one cannot help but to notice a smile has formed so big on your face that it starts to hurt. No matter what is happening in your own life, spending, even just a short time with members means your spirit becomes a little lighter and your day a little brighter. As you walk the halls, members freely share with you their hopes and dreams as they offer you a handshake or a hug. Today they shared their excitement for what’s to come in 2016.

 

To get the New Year started off right, Norma from our Day Training for Adults Program shared that she enjoyed eating tamales and spending quality time with her family on New Year’s day. She told us how much she loves her friends at Gompers and how she is simply excited to be able to spend more time with them this year. Developing social skills by showing up each day and forming meaningful relationships with staff and peers are clearly a highlight for Norma. While she shares her wishes to spend more time with family and friends in 2016, she confidently names each one of her peers.

 

Jama, one of our members who always has a warm smile on her face eagerly shared her excitement to be transitioning from Gompers pre-employment program to part-time employment training over the next few months. She has worked hard over the past several months to develop the necessary skills to succeed in our part-time employment training program and will soon be earning an income. “I’ll be working soon!” she excitedly exclaimed. Jama shared with us that she is also looking forward to being able to help out more around the house. She lives with her family, and she enjoys being able to help out around the house with her younger cousins. Experiencing the success of reaching goals and milestones in our programs carries over into the daily lives of our members as they increase their self esteem and become confident contributors in all areas of their life.
Arc, a tall and quiet member of our Day Training for Adults Program recently received a new pair of shoes for Christmas. A smile crossed his face as he explained how he is simply looking forward to taking those shiny new sneakers for long walks, one of his favorite activities. Arc will soon be walking his way over to our part-time employment program as he has been working hard and successfully reaching and exceeding his goals.