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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.
The Landscaping & Grounds Maintenance team at SOAR365 is known for working hard and doing great work. From mowing to trash removal to demolition, this award-winning group has made an impact throughout the Richmond area.
But sometimes, their stellar work takes place when no one is watching.
When Iffad first came to SOAR365 Supported Employment in December, he wouldn’t say a word. He would only communicate through his father. And he wouldn’t even make eye contact. Things didn’t look promising.
Luckily, Iffad was paired with Leeanne Jones, one of our knowledgeable and encouraging employment specialists.
Nafeesah beams as she wears a t-shirt with pastel colors and cheerful bubble letters. The message? “Today is not the day.” That mix of sweet and sassy is well known to her family, friends and staff at SOAR365. But that wasn’t always the case.
Rachel Danielsen loves to listen to music. “The Beatles are one of my favorite bands. Paul McCartney is one of my biggest, favorite, famous Beatles people,” she gushes. Her top songs? “All You Need Is Love,” “Baby I’m Amazed” and “Rocky Raccoon.” “Did you know Ringo Starr is a stage name? His real name is Richard Starkey,” Rachel shares. “And...
Nobody was sure what to expect when Trey Hope returned to Adult Day Support in 2022, after suffering abuse and neglect during the pandemic. “When the van driver opened the door, and I saw him grinning from ear to ear, that just warmed my heart,” says Supervisor, Josh Rubino. Trey has cerebral palsy and autism. On weekdays, you can find him...
Rusty Graham’s favorite things are playing sports, creating art and making new friends. It’s no wonder, then, that if you ask him his favorite part of SOAR365’s Summer Camp, he says, “Everything!” Rusty, who has Down syndrome, is 27 years old and full of energy. From the time he was a toddler, he’s played sports in a variety of programs for...
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