Personal growth means learning from your lessons and other people’s lessons. If you do something wrong, you learn what’s right, and the next time that thing comes up, you do the right thing. Learning what’s good for you, what’s bad for you, and just becoming a better person for yourself and for others around you. At Emmaus, the men and women we support are “Always Growing” because they have the resources they need to learn, set, and accomplish their goals. Check out the stories below to see how some of our clients have grown at Emmaus…
In order to become a strong self-advocate, June is learning how to express herself by cooking more healthy meals. When making grocery lists, Emmaus Direct Support team members encourage June to plan out her dishes for the week. With limited support, June prepares her meals using step-by-step instructions such as mixing ingredients and adding spices. June loves to bake, and often enjoys making breakfast and dinner for her housemates. June is #AlwaysGrowing ❤
Stephen has a passion for learning about history and German Heritage, and he does many activities to pursue his interest. When his subscription to German Life magazine comes in, you will find Stephen reading each article often sharing what he reads with you. As a proud member of the German American Heritage Society, Stephen has also learned how to write in German! He practices by writing letters to his family and notes to himself all in the German language. Stephen can’t wait to start doing activities again such as going to meetings of the Boone-Duden Historical Society, or visiting a museum or library to learn something new. Stephen is proud to have many interests and if you ever met him he would love to tell you all about them. Stephen is #AlwaysGrowing ❤️
Betsy is quite the chef! She often plans out delicious meals and new recipes for her housemates to try each week. To prepare, Betsy measures, mixes and independently combines the ingredients to create her dishes. Her recipes will usually consist of different vegetables and spices. When Betsy plans out her meals, she is very courteous because she always caters to the dietary needs of those she cooks for. Betsy is #AlwaysGrowing ❤
For several times each week, you might find Terry taking a walk outside, doing an indoor work-out, or playing an active game on his Nintendo Wii. These activities are all part of Terry’s commitment to bring more physical activities into his life. When Terry set a goal for himself to exercise at least three times each week, our Direct Support team members were there to give him the extra push he needs to achieve his goal.Terry is #AlwaysGrowing ❤
Joyce is always gaining the confidence she needs to pursue new goals. In an effort to attain more personal responsibilities, Direct Support team members assisted Joyce in developing a plan to become more independent. This year alone, Joyce has learned to lock the front door at appropriate times, choose the correct utensil when eating certain meals, and cleaning out her drawers twice a month with limited assistance. What’s even more exciting is Joyce is now working on a plan to start seeing one of her closest friends again! Joyce is #AlwaysGrowing ❤
Carl is taking on new responsibilities to help out around his home. With guidance he does a variety of household tasks such as cleaning, taking out the trash, vacuuming and preparing meals! When asked what he would like to eat, his goal is to think of a recipe, gather items needed, and cook. Carl enjoys cooking soup, prepping salads, making sandwiches, and has baked a variety of delicious desserts. He washes dirty dishes for everyone after he’s done. Most importantly, Carl is using his goals of chores and healthy recipes to feel stronger and better about himself. Carl is #AlwaysGrowing ❤
Valerie is always excited to head outside and drop a little surprise in her mailbox. She is working hard to improve her arts and crafts skills by writing personalized cards for her friends and loved ones! Writing letters is just one of many ways Valerie expresses herself to create a memorable surprise for all who receive one. Wouldn’t a handwritten letter from Val make your day?
Valerie is #AlwaysGrowing ❤
David is working to improve his communication skills in a very innovative way. Using his iPad, David can type in any communication prompts that he wishes to use when socializing with others. With this technology, David can make specific requests and clarify himself independently. David soon wants to use his skills to help improve the lives of others. He aims to do this by helping people learn how to use assistive communication devices in any social setting. David is #AlwaysGrowing ❤