Dear Aspire Community –
During this time of year as the light, air, and natural landscape change, I find myself turning inward, spending time reflecting on the year past. Like the last several years, this past year was punctuated with challenges—COVID, staffing, and loss. I am struck by the way the Aspire community continued to show up for each other. As we mark the Thanksgiving holiday, I want to share my gratitude for the ways in which you show up each and every day to make a difference in the lives of the people around you.
On a recent visit with a family whose daughter we support, we discussed the common challenges we’ve face during the last year—the staffing shortages and turnover, the restricted and still limited access to community life, and the balance between sustainability and innovation. We also discussed our common goals—providing the safe and flexible conditions from where people can discover their passions, unlock potential, and thrive, and building a supportive environment for employees to develop and grow. The conversation reminded me that we are deeply supported in our challenges and opportunities here at Aspire.
The work of ensuring that neurodiverse children and adults are able to discover their passions, unlock potential and thrive takes a village. Employees throughout the agency, in every location are working collaboratively to address challenges head on and create systems that will help Aspire Living & Learning create strong communities where people realize their passions, potential, and power. And Aspire has the commitment and support of parents, guardians, and external stakeholders in bringing this vision to fruition. We are not on this journey alone. Let’s embrace our community and everyone in it
Your commitment to yourselves, each other, the people we support, and their families is inspiring. I am humbled and deeply grateful for your engagement and adaptability. Your response to my call for compassion, for meeting each other and those we serve with an open heart, curiosity and a desire to learn, fills me and so many with gratitude. Seeing the Aspire community working together, creating opportunities, aspiring to learn and to be present, is having an impact on so many. Thank you.
I wish you and your family a happy Thanksgiving holiday, full of love, laughter and your favorite foods. Thank you for being here with me and with each other on this inspiring journey.
– Lou