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Dr. Joe and April Niamtu donate generously to SOAR365, where their sons received pediatric therapy. When parents first learn their child has a disability, it can be a disorienting experience. “You don’t know what to do. You’re lost,” says Dr. Joe Niamtu. He and his wife, April, are parents to two sons with cerebral palsy: Joey and Evan. When...
Did you know that SOAR365’s Summer Camp recruits counselors from all over the world?
“Summer Camp has become not only an American cultural exchange, but a cultural exchange of the entire world,” says Jessica Damm, a Summer Camp supervisor hailing from England.
That sentiment is backed up by the 11 unique countries represented on staff in 2024.
If it wasn’t for one Boy Scout camp director, Chris Martin might have been a CPA.
“He wanted me to work with people with intellectual disabilities,” says Chris. One week later, Chris was hooked.
The Next Move Program launched the Capable Portrait Campaign in 2017 with the mission to showcase diverse perspectives on life in our community, provide adult role models for our youth and demonstrate the power of inclusion. Every year, models are nominated and selected to be featured at a portrait exhibition and their powerful stories are proudly shared with the community on social media.
SOAR365’s Pediatric Therapy program worked with the Haas family’s daughter, Betsy.
Now, nearly two decades later, the Betsy Haas Fund for Children is gifting Summer Camp scholarships to two young women.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to helping people succeed. Each person you meet in life has it within themselves to thrive when put in the right situation, no matter their abilities.
That sentiment holds true for Asia, a participant in SOAR365’s Supported Employment program, who recently went through a situational assessment to help find her place to thrive.
James started training for his job in Landscaping & Grounds Maintenance at an early age, thanks to his dad’s landscaping business. “I’ve been cutting grass since I was five,” he says proudly.
Even so, it can be hard for people with disabilities, like James, to find a supportive work environment.
Weldon Hall is a man of many talents. His first experience working for SOAR365 was in facilities maintenance at Camp Baker. He enjoyed the job but left after two-and-a-half years to start his own business. “One guy in a truck doing home renovations and remodels,” he explains with a smile.
While the work let him use a wide range of skills, something was missing.
DeCarlos Savage never dreamed he’d be an intern on the floor of the Virginia General Assembly. Seeing legislators debate political issues in real life was surreal. It was nothing like watching on TV.
“I was in a state of shock during this whole thing,” says DeCarlos. “I was like, ‘Wow!’”
One of Antonio’s favorite places to be is in the kitchen. His face lights up talking about food. “I like to cook shrimp, fried rice, chicken alfredo, steak,” he says. Who taught him to cook? “I taught myself to cook!” he says proudly, with a laugh.
He does give some credit to the cooking skills he learned after school in SOAR365’s Youth Services. Program participants use the kitchen for lessons in making everything from kimchi to cakes.
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