Testimonials
“My daughter, Brooke, is a non-verbal 22-year-old with a profound intellectual disability. We agonized over her exit from Portland Public Schools as programs for the least employable kept shrinking or disappearing altogether. We know the importance of community and inclusion and feared an adulthood marred with isolation and depression.
When visiting a day facility in Beaverton that serves the medically fragile (not Brooke), I learned about Imagine Possibilities and called to inquire about their program. Shortly thereafter I scheduled a visit.
The first thing that struck me when I arrived was the number of people – clients and staff – who happily greeted me. I saw people of all ages and abilities engaging in a vibrant community. I was impressed with staff’s commitment to getting clients out in the community and was thrilled that they invited Brooke to join their program.
Most of the focus and resources in the state currently support models that promote job skills and/or employment. Clients like Brooke with profound impairments and a need for 1:1 staffing suffer when these alternative to employment programs are devalued and defunded.
Imagine Possibilities is a wonderful place that allows Brooke an opportunity to be in the company of her peers and have regular community outings. It brings much needed structure to her day and allows opportunities for social engagement she would not otherwise have.
We are grateful to all the staff of Imagine Possibilities for their commitment to Brooke, and others like her, who deserve to be part of a community that values and respects them. Thank you for helping people live out of the shadows and into meaningful lives.”
-Kerstin Maroney, parent of an Imagine Possibilities participant
“Dear IP staff,
As of today, this is my last day here at Imagine Possibilities because of my internship with Kaiser Permanente starting next Monday. I want all of you to know whatever happens hereafter; I will always be thinking of you all; mostly about all of the fun times I have had with each and every one of you. Believe me, this is hard for me to do. I don’t want to leave this program, because I love it, and everyone in it. Saying goodbye for the last and final time breaks my heart.
I hope that you all know how huge of an impact you all have had on me, and on my life as well. You helped me to become a better version of what I want to be in my life from now on; and I greatly appreciate everything that this program has taught me, and all of the knowledge I have learned throughout my year here. Thank you from a very special girl!”
-Avery Cranor, former Imagine Possibilities participant