Hi Tiffany, I consider it a privilege to talk about the New Horizon YMCA. First it is a splendid program. My Joe has been going on trips for the past 15 and more years. The excellent work done by the leaders has been the guiding hands to our young adult, planning the best trips by asking them their thoughts and where they like to go. I am deeply grateful and wanted to express to the leaders my great appreciation for the cooperation and support they have given me. They always give lavishly of their time and real ability, and have freely, graciously, and to the fullest possible degree opened their ears and hearts to us. We trust them with Joe and in return they deserve our cooperation. Please do not hesitate to call me at any time.

Cheers,Nouha Hreish, Mother of Joe Hreish
YMCA Community Services - NEW HORIZONS

My passion for working with people who have special needs began in high school when one of my friends was in an accident that left her with a traumatic brain injury and months of recovery. Assisting her recovery changed my life and has led me into working to change the lives of developmental disabled adults. I go to work every day for the lives I am able to impact in the New Horizons program, the smiles I make on my participant's faces and the dreams I am able to make come true. These moments happen at every event. My job is incredibly rewarding and I couldn't be luckier.

Tiffany Reaves
YMCA Community Services - NEW HORIZONS

New Horizons is awesome! My son has been in the program for almost a year and he looks forward to every event he attends. There are so many cool events to choose from that my son often has a tough time choosing. The staff is amazing. I feel very comfortable knowing my son is in good hands. I am so thankful for New Horizons. The program has given my son so many great opportunities to socialize and have fun adventures!

Anonymous
YMCA Community Services - NEW HORIZONS

Chris played with the children in the neighborhood. One day, Chris was watching the children play across the street in the school yard. He asked, "Mommy where are my friends?" His neighborhood friends grew up and left Chris behind; as they should. Chris was ten years old and is now thirty-four. Chris no longer looks out of our window; alone. He has his friends and is a participant in the world!

Thank you New Horizons for enriching our son's life, for strengthening the relationships between the members of our family by offering us time together.

Most Sincerely,
Brenda Okubo
YMCA Community Services - NEW HORIZONS

Another school year was coming to an end and that sinking feeling began to fill me up as I tried to envision what the summer would look like. What programs would be willing to take an adult sized child with autism? I turned to the Regional Center of Orange County and was introduced to Y Inclusion. Wow, what an experience! From the moment I walked through the Y Inclusion's doors and met with Theresa Dirden, I knew I was in good hands. She had all of my son's information (provided by the Regional Center) and was already wrapping her brain around goals for Chris in his summer program. Goals? My only expectation was to have enough support to keep my son safe and out of trouble. We got so much more! Radna, an instructional aide, was assigned to support Chris. What a great summer it has turned out to be! Chris is happy and is learning skills in an environment that would not be possible without the support of a skilled aide. He is afforded the same social opportunities as typical children rather than being sheltered behind closed doors, away from the world. Thank you Y Inclusion for caring about our children and for making a difference in our lives. We are forever grateful for the support and guidance you have provided us!

Bonnie Smith
Y INCLUSION & AFTERSCHOOL CARE

The New Horizons program has been such a unique experience for my brother Joseph. There aren't a lot of programs available that offer the types of experiences and events that New Horizons offers. Joseph has been able to participate in many activities that he may not have had the opportunity to take part in if it were not for this program. He has had many fond memories over the years and has made some great friends along the way. It's not easy for him to always reach out or open up to new environments and situations, but New Horizons has given him the bridge to do that. The new events, such as the formal dance, were a great addition to the calendar. He enjoyed that very much. (He doesn't get to dress up too often and not wear his sweatshirt!) The annual events such as the upcoming pumpkin patch are always looked forward to as well.

Overall, this program has given, not only Joseph, but all the participants a way to socialize and interact in a positive and safe environment.

Sorry I got a bit wordy there but my family and I appreciate this program very much, as well as all the hard work and time everyone involved in the program has given to the participants.

Alexis Camarillo
YMCA Community Services - NEW HORIZONS

Shawndi,

Tracy and I wanted to take a moment and thank you, Chris, and the Y-Inclusion staff for all you have done for our son Jake. Jake has been able to fully participate in the TLC after school program because of your committed and supportive staff. He is able to socialize with his peers, play games and do arts/crafts. He was even able to earn the ability to go on field trips during the Summer with the help and accompaniment of Chris.

We cannot say enough about Chris. On a daily basis, Chris keeps us informed about Jake's progress. We have excellent communication. It's great to see her involvement with his socialization. Tracy and I can go to work with peace of mind and not have to worry about Jake. We thank all of you for everything that you do for our kids (and parents!) each and every day!

Sincerely,
Jeff and Tracy Persic
YMCA Community Services - INCLUSION

How The YMCA Has Helped My Son

The YMCA has helped my family in so many different waysÖ Ironically, I probably would have never ended up adopting three years ago if the Y did not have a mentoring program. I started mentoring foster children over 15 years ago through the YMCA's mentoring program and was so struck by the number of children in foster care in our community that I started thinking about becoming a foster parent. I made that leap about 6 years ago and decided to adopt 3 years later.

As a mentor, I saw firsthand how mentoring can help foster children. Last weekend I had dinner with a former mentee who is very close to becoming a law enforcement officer in our community. He recently returned from serving our country in Iraq. I never would have thought that was possible when I first met him as a 14 year old, but a little kindness and guidance can make a huge difference in the life of a young person.

My son has socialization issues that are not uncommon among abused children. The YMCA Fun Days allow my son to gather and socialize with kids who've had similar experiences. The Y's volunteers and staff are incredible and always make Tyler feel welcome.

The substitute teacher or babysitter might think of my son as "that behavior-challenged kid", but to me he is the greatest gift I could ever hope for, and I am extremely thankful that there are organizations like the YMCA Community Services to help children like my son.

Anonymous
YMCA Community Services - MENTORING

I just wanted to take the time to send a heartfelt "thank you" to all those who had something to do with Camp Horizons in South OC this summer (Laguna Niguel). My daughter Larisa attended all four weeks of camp. If you recall, I called and talked to several of you about the camp's ability to handle her needs. As a parent of a child with Angelman Syndrome, you get very used to hearing "sorry, NO, we can't". So forgive me for being initially a bit surprised/doubtful. Larisa had a great time. Although she is non-verbal, Larisa has very clear ways of communicating what she does not want to do, and getting out of the car each morning at George White Elementary was never a problem. She loved Michelle, Morgan, Angelique and Denise-all involved with her at some point or another during four weeks. It was sweet that they all got "bonded" as she was the only camper that returned all four weeks, it was rewarding to see the schedule and know that she was enjoying so many things a typical teen would enjoy: swimming, beach, baseball games, theme parks, zoos, and aquariums. In addition of her standby favorites: swings at the local park and water play of any kind. Again, thank you for making it happen. I know I speck for many of the parents when I say that the YMCA Camp Horizons was a highlight of our special kids/teens summer.

Denise Godreau
YMCA Community Services - NEW HORIZONS

My daughter, Gillian Palumbo, has been an active participant in the New Horizons program since she was 16 years old. For these past 15 years, we have New Horizons to thank for broadening her social opportunities and providing her with years of memories she shares with people she knows as friends. New Horizons filled a void for a young teenage girl with special needs who was eager to meet new people and have fun. Over the years, Gillian has traveled to San Francisco and all points in between New York, Washington DC, the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Disney World in Florida, and has taken a Caribbean and Mexican cruise, gone river rafting and other exciting events too numerous to list. She has made many friends of both participants and staff. We feel so lucky to have this program available to us. Though we have seen many changes over the years, one thing remains constant, the YMCA consistently hires caring staff who take treat my daughter with respect and are committed to providing FUN!! Thanks for everything!

Gail Palumbo
YMCA Community Services - NEW HORIZONS