In the summer of 1985, Esperanza participant, Juan, became an early intervention student at six months old. At the same time, DSP Rovidio was a few months into his career at Esperanza. 38 years later, their bond is stronger than ever and Rovidio has seen Juan grow into the man he is today.
“I feel like he is my son,” Rovidio said. “I met him when he was a little baby. I love all of [the participants] but for me, he’s something special.”
Rovidio shares how Juan used to fight him on simple tasks, did not want to do the things he was told to do, and did not listen. Throughout his time at Esperanza, Juan has become a great listener, communicates his needs to the DSPs, and does tasks as he is asked.
“He is growing up,” Rovidio said. “He is not the same Juanito.”
Because of your support, we have been able to help Juan grow for 38 years. We’ve been able to offer him stability and set our DSPs up for the foundation they need to help our participants flourish.
As the new year quickly approaches, we need your help to ensure we can continue to provide stability to our participants. Every day, we teach our students new skills and expand each client’s world with experiences and outings but we need your help to support these programs.
Your donation is not just a financial contribution; it is a symbol of hope for those who depend on our services. As we look ahead to the new year, we are determined to amplify our services for clients like Juan and create an even greater impact on our community, but we cannot do it without your help.
You can donate today at esperanzacommunity.org/holiday.