As we transition into 2025, we reflect, with gratitude, on the events of 2024. It was a year of growth in many ways. What stands out is the expansion of our Evergreen “family” – which has increased in size and its sense of community.
It’s how we think of each other – as family – and it shows in our actions, priorities, and commitments. We have each other’s backs, we want the best for each other, and we are all dedicated to, and find joy in helping the IDD (Intellectual and Developmentally Disabled) Individuals in our care to thrive. Here are some ways we’ve strengthened our “family bond” over the past year.
Family Caregivers. We serve not only IDD Individuals, but their families as well. Sometimes that means genetic family members of an Individual officially become “one of us.” We serve families whose IDD children have reached adult age but have determined that it is a better fit for the Individual to reside with a family member than living in an external Host Home. We’ve continued to lend our expertise and in-depth knowledge of Colorado’s Family Caregiver program to help these families navigate its details and requirements and now have 11 families that are part of our larger, extended, Evergreen family.
SCC Program. Evergreen has continued to build our Supported Community Connections (SCC) program, while keeping it “in the family.” We added several relatives of IDD Individuals to fill these roles and now have a total of seven SCC coordinators who are part of the family. They plan activities to help Individuals participate, integrate into, and contribute to their communities and often accompany them in these activities. We’ve found great success with this program through which family members, who know their IDD loved ones well, can tailor activities to the unique needs and interests of the Individual.
Community. Like any family, we enjoy doing things together and for 2024, a couple of activities really stand out. We took our giant family to the last Rockies game of the year – it was great fun closing out the season with the boys of summer! In December we gathered for a special luncheon to enjoy food, share fellowship, and celebrate the blessings we experience through our Evergreen family.
The lives of the Individuals we serve are changed by the love and care they receive from their Evergreen family. But they’re not the only ones. We are all better people because of our association with these Individuals and with each other. Over and over our Host Home Providers, Family Caregivers, and SCC Coordinators express how drastically their lives have been positively impacted because of the work they do.
We have sometimes shared their experiences in our blogs and invite you to read a few of their inspiring stories:
The Perfect Fit: Family Caregiving and Supported Community Connections
IDD Persons Thriving in Our Community: A Month in the Life of John
How Working as an HHP Changed a Village
Our Evergreen family is excited to continue our work together and look forward to finding new ways to help the Individuals we serve to grow and thrive in 2025. If you have IDD Individuals in your life, please contact us to learn about opportunities that are available to them through Evergreen Service Providers.