A Dream Shared started as a conversation between my wife and I about what our daughter, Kelsey, was going to do after high school. We had talked with many people throughout the community and had many recommendations, but nothing sounded like it would be good enough for her. All the programs around town are great, but any parent will tell you that they always want the best for their child. Having a child with special needs and severe disabilities, we have even higher expectations.
One day we were talking with our good friend, Joe, and we were telling him how we were unhappy with the options for our daughter after high school. We were looking for a program where she would be a part of the community and continuing to build skills she would need to be a functioning member of the community. Joe suggested that we do something that would allow her to work towards these goals and provide a service to the community. As we thought about the suggestion, Joe had the idea of a thrift store. The store would allow people with disabilities to work and be a part of the community, while learning job and life skills.
We realized that this would be a perfect fit for Kelsey and other people similar to her situation. They could come down to the store to work and do something that is meaningful to them. We found a great location downtown and started building our dream for our daughter. The community has been great and we look forward starting this adventure with Kelsey.
Please stay tuned as we continue this journey and we will keep you updated on all the exciting adventures as they come along.
Thank you,
The Heard Family