What a week it was! September 8th-14th, AWARE proudly celebrated our very first Direct Support Professional (DSP) week. DSP is defined as someone who works as a direct care worker, in-home worker, personal assistant, or attendant that works directly with people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.
AWARE would not be the organization it is without our DSP Team Members who provide person-centered supports, help build and maintain relationships and community connections, promote health and wellness, and foster advocacy for our clients/residents/ students each and every day.
We are so proud of our staff! It’s with great excitement that we announce and celebrate our 2024 DSP winners, nominated by their peers: Doreen Seymour, Maria Erekson, Winter Maulding, Zach Kaufman, and Samantha Latray.
In this article, we will highlight three of our standout DSP winners—Samantha Latray, Maria Erekson, and Doreen Seymour! Their dedication and passion are truly inspiring.
Samantha Latray says, “Growing up in foster care as the 11th child, I often found myself in a world filled with challenges and uncertainty. Being the youngest, I had to navigate my own path, working hard to find my identity and meet my goals. Every obstacle I faced taught me resilience and determination, and I’m proud to say that, despite the difficulties, I have achieved so much.
My time with this company has been nothing short of beautiful. It has been a transformative learning experience that has shaped who I am today. The work we do as direct support professionals is vital. It’s not just a job; it’s a calling. It’s about empowering individuals to live independent lives, to find their voice, and to shine in their own unique way.
Every day, I have the privilege of being part of a community that feels like family. The people I support inspire me daily with their strength and spirit. Their gratitude, their smiles, and the small victories we celebrate together are what make this work so rewarding. Each moment spent with them is a reminder of the impact we can have on each other’s lives.”
Maria Erekson says, “I enjoy helping people, finding out that the clients are capable of doing things with patience is realizing that they are just like me. AWARE and I make a good team, we want our clients to be as independent as they can be! They exercise their brain, and body when on task.
I like to think that life prepared me to practice kindness and deal with challenges.”
Doreen Seymour says: “I have been employed at AWARE for almost 2 years. I have been the RC at Sharon Court for 1 year. I absolutely Llove my job here at Sharon Court and working for AWARE. It is very rewarding to be able to work with the clients.
The clients and their needs are very important to me. It's a huge honor and privilege to be able to work in their home and work with them.”
A huge congratulations to all five of our 2024 DSP winners and all Direct Support Professionals who represent AWARE in the community. AWARE thanks you for your commitment and dedication to providing quality support for the people we work with.
Feeling inspired? Want to join this incredible team and make a real impact in your community? Check out our career opportunities here.
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