From a Parent Perspective: Julie Monroe
Hello, my name is Julie Monroe, mom to Ali, our 3rd and youngest child. Ali was diagnosed with several special needs throughout her 22 years which have kept us from ever calling our lives boring. She has struggled with being comfortable in group settings and social situations from the start but it became more and more apparent as she and her typical needs peers got older and grew apart. It became harder and harder for her to feel like she fit in, harder for her to connect as the world around moved rapidly ahead while Ali remained behind. She found it as difficult to understand other's lives as it was for them to understand hers filled with frustration, medication and the "doctor du jour."
When Ali graduated from high school she moved to a young adult program called START. Although her transition was rocky and super challenging at times she had a fantastic group of adults to support her, who would get to know her, help her discover and applaud her strengths, manage and downplay her weaknesses, teach her about the world, teach her about herself and never, ever gave up on her. Ali grew and changed so much for the better during these 3 years as they taught her more patience, more self confidence, and an amazing feeling of belonging for the first time ever. We are grateful beyond words.
When Ali graduated from START in June of 2024 it left a void, one we struggled with and really didn't know how to fill. We wanted for her to feel she belonged somewhere outside of our small family. Without a social life, without peers, Ali pulled back into herself. For almost a year she existed in an in-between place, working her very part time job hours and "hanging out" at home with us. She was not living her best life.
That's when the wonderful people from her previous program reached out to us. They created a new program, Aspiring Abilities, and wanted to know if Ali would like to be a part of it! Of course she would! Of course we would!
Aspiring Abilities helps Ali feel whole again, providing a much needed space of inclusion for her to be with other young adults. The activities they've hosted are both enjoyable and freeing for Ali, allowing her to have fun nights out with peers and her mentors, both old and new, whom she is now very proud to call friends! My husband Michael and I are so thankful that there is a place we can bring Ali to be with people we trust and who understand her, knowing she will have a good time and be safe while we actually have date night again! Aspiring Abilities has helped our whole family by giving us much needed space we rarely get from each other to enjoy our individual evenings. Most of all they've helped Ali to feel she is part of the community on her own, as her own person, independent from Mom and Dad.
Ali loves her time with Aspiring Abilities and eagerly looks forward to it each week. We have seen changes in her for the better since joining the program as she is able to again practice her social and budgeting skills regularly. Ali feels accepted, appreciated and a genuine part of a group of people she likes. We cant speak highly enough about our experience and would recommend Aspiring Abilities to families in similar circumstances to ours. It has been such an important addition to Ali's life.
Thank you, Jen, Jenna, Rob and Sarah!
