Where flowers grow, so does hope!

Today, I’d like to invite you to make a $25 gift in honor of someone who played a significant role in your life – whether a biological or foster parent, grandparent, teacher, or one of our courageous frontline staff members.

Donations are a great way to pledge your compassionate support to the Unsung Heroes at Abbott House and Helpers everywhere.

All gifts at the $25 level and up will be represented by a flower bearing the name of your loved one in the Abbott House Virtual Garden of Hope.

#HopeForHeroes

Spring is a time of rebirth as bare branches magically transform into blooming gardens. It is no secret that flowers grow with the help of sun, rain and rich soil, but a seedling flourishes best under the watchful eye of a gardener who tends to it and adjusts the conditions as needed. Some plants need extra light; others need shade. Some need a damp environment; others prefer dryer soil. Some even need stakes to grow straight and tall. A gardener is a caregiver who ensures that fragile seeds have the best chance to survive – and thrive as they blossom and reach their full potential.

Here at Abbott House, we witness this kind of transformation every day; we know that so many in our care are counting on us to tend to their special needs, perhaps now more than ever.

As we continue to forge forward during this unprecedented time of the Coronavirus pandemic, we draw strength from our heroic frontline Direct Support Professionals who provide critical care and services to children in our foster care programs as well as struggling families and adults with developmental disabilities every day. They are unsung heroes and their dedication is nothing short of remarkable.

This Mother’s and Father’s Day, we pause to remember the incredible sacrifices of caregivers in all their forms. Whether it be a biological or foster parent, grandparent, family member, teacher, mentor, friend – or an essential caregiver serving on the frontlines of the pandemic, this is a perfect time to honor those who keep us safe, give us hope and play a vital role in helping us become the best versions of ourselves.

Who is this person in your life? Chances are you can’t imagine the story of your life without this person in it.

They helped us with homework, taught us how to ride a bike, showed us love and respect and gave us hugs. But most importantly, they gave us someone to count on; someone to turn to when life got tough.

For many of the children and adults in care at Abbott House, it is our Direct Support Professionals and Foster Parents who take on these supportive roles. They are the healers and the helpers who preserve and protect; they are the teachers who guide and inspire; they are the parents who love and lead.

They go above and beyond in responding to the unique and specialized needs of those entrusted to our care.

Each and every individual in our care is an extension of our family at Abbott House. And so are their families.

Recently, I had the privilege of reading a beautiful letter from the parent of a young woman named Mickey who has been in living at one of our SPDD residences since 2005.

She felt compelled to let us know that Abbott House is making a difference!

Mickey is autistic and with that comes a range of behaviors and special needs. Her mother mentioned some of those needs in her letter. She adheres to rituals. She suffers from incontinence. She has difficulty reigning in her emotions.

Mickey’s mom also mentioned that each one of the compassionate frontline staff members who care for Mickey have contributed their own special gifts in caring for her daughter. She wanted to extend special gratitude to Mariel, who takes Mickey on day trips to water parks and always finds a way to include mom in the fun by sharing videos of her adventures whether it be enjoying an ice-cream cone or swimming in the “lazy river.”

The pandemic has been an especially difficult time for Mickey, her siblings and of course, her mom because of statewide stay-at-home mandates that prevent them from visits. Mariel has been keeping the family in touch with almost-daily video calls – which she suggested, planned and hosted - earning Mickey’s mom’s heartfelt thanks.

Although she may not know it, Mariel acts in many ways like a master gardener. Every plant is unique and may require a different set of conditions to help it reach its fullest potential – and the truth is, people are no different.

I am proud to know that Mariel’s acts of kindness bring a sense of calm to a family in our care.

Here at Abbott House, we work hard to reunite families, create new ones and make promising futures a reality for each and every individual entrusted to our care. We support more than 2,800 children in foster care, unaccompanied immigrant minors, adults with developmental disabilities and struggling families in the New York region. We provide safety, promote healing and restore hope through countless programs and initiatives.

But we cannot do this important work alone. We rely on donations to help us continue to ensure that all those entrusted to our care can experience a sense of belonging rooted in home and community. Your support can help ensure that frontline caregivers like Mariel can continue to provide the quality care relied on by so many at Abbott House.

Today, I’d like to invite you to make a $25 gift in honor of someone who played a significant role in your life – whether a biological or foster parent, grandparent, teacher, or one of our courageous frontline staff members.

Donations are a great way to pledge your compassionate support to the Unsung Heroes at Abbott House and Helpers everywhere.

All gifts at the $25 level and up will be represented by a flower bearing the name of your loved one in the Abbott House Virtual Garden of Hope.

Help us continue to grow and tend to magnificent gardens, rooted in love but more importantly, rooted in family.

Thanks for all your help.

James L. Kaufman, LCSW-R

President and CEO

Plant a Flower in the Garden of Hope

By Abbott House

Plant a Flower in the Garden of Hope

Abbott House Spring 2020 Fundraiser