In November, we often think about the aspects of our lives that we are grateful for. I am not only grateful for many things personally, but my work life is also filled with many people that I can’t help but be thankful for.
Our employees at the Shelby County Board of Developmental Disabilities are such an amazing team of people. They are entirely dedicated to ensuring that people with disabilities in our community receive what they need. Our services are intended to provide support to people with developmental disabilities from birth to the end of life and everything in between. Each time I have the pleasure of watching our team work directly with the people we serve, I am reminded of their passion and their expertise and am grateful that they choose to share their talents with us.
I am also thankful for the unsung heroes that oftentimes go unnoticed in our community — our provider partners. Direct support professionals and providers are the people who work directly with people with disabilities. They are working in the homes of individuals with disabilities, helping with daily tasks like laundry or cooking. They are accompanying individuals to their new jobs and assisting with learning new tasks to help them become better employees. They are in the community making sure that people have opportunities to enjoy leisure activities and do things that are important to them. They are working in programs to assist people with developing their skills and provide them with social interactions throughout the day. The direct support professionals that work with people with disabilities are the backbone to our field and we are grateful for their work and tireless dedication.
Lastly, I’m thankful for our community. Historically, our community has been incredibly supportive of our levies which fund every service we offer, as well as the provider services I mentioned above. The community has also been supportive in volunteering their time and resources for events and activities, as well as for people in need of items such as furniture or household items.
If you have any interest in learning more about the services that the Shelby County Board of DD provides, or if you are someone you know wants to become a direct support professional and get paid for working directly with individuals with developmental disabilities, call us at 937-497-8155. You can also check out our website at www.shelbydd.org and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/shelbydd.org.
