Message from Mike – Fall/Winter 2018

Mike Rodrigues

As we close out 2018, I marvel at the amazing ways that Thrivers are living their best lives and reaching their unique potential. In the cover letter of this package, I shared the story of Jackie, a Thrive participant who graduated from the LEAD program and went on to use her newly learned skills to bring joy to seniors in an assisted living center as a volunteer. Jackie is just one of many stories about participants impacting their communities and creating well-lived moments.

As most of you know, Thrive’s mission is to empower children and adults with developmental disabilities to lead rich, active and self-directed lives. At Thrive we offer our participants the tools they need to accomplish great things, then tell the stories, like Jackie’s. But, none of this would be possible without your support as a member of the Thrive community. From participants to family members and volunteers to financial supporters, everyone plays a role in these successes. While it’s the participants who are putting themselves out there every day, it’s the rest of us who stand in the background lending a helping hand, offering a pat on the back, or giving a high five when needed.

This incredible community is what inspires us to provide leading-edge experiences, programs, and services to our participants and families every day. We are looking forward to the coming year and offering more opportunities, to more people, in more communities, and impacting more lives. I thank you for being a part of the community and spreading the word about Thrive. We are so excited about 2019 and know that the best is yet to come!