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Mary Jo and Tom O’Neill lead an active family life with their three adult children, Katie, 30, Matt, 28 and youngest daughter Annie, 22, who has high-functioning Autism. The O’Neill’s are excited to be new grandparents to their granddaughter, Mary Clare, and are equally excited about the path that Annie has taken since her involvement with the Horvitz YouthAbility program.
“Annie went to public school and then switched to a school for students with special needs during middle school, then attended high school,” says Mary Jo. “As she got older, we were looking for ways to keep her active either through volunteering or other activities. Annie can be a little bit shy, but she can be outgoing, too. She’s not always comfortable in new situations.”
Mary Jo says she and Tom were lost and didn’t know what to do. As an active participant of SNAP (Special Needs Advocate for Parents), Mary Jo heard JFSA’s Heidi Solomon speak about the YouthAbility program. When she learned about the volunteer opportunities available for young adults like Annie, she knew it would be a good fit.
“It was awesome,” she says. “YouthAbility has given her lots of positive reinforcement, she loves to volunteer, and it’s really given her a social life. She had to get service hours for high school, so she got those with her volunteer activities, too.” Tom adds “She’s really embraced the whole environment.”
Annie’s volunteer placement at a local orthopedic physician practice, was so successful she was hired to work part-time helping new patients register on the practice’s patient portal. “The staff there are just incredibly wonderful,” says Mary Jo. “They make her feel important and welcomed every day.”
Tom says, “Annie’s greatest challenge has been her communications skills. She was shy and wouldn’t look someone in the eye. One of the things she’s been very afraid of is talking on the phone, but her boss said ‘I think you can help patients when they have questions. You can call them back.’ That has helped her overcome that hurdle.”
Annie says she likes her job and the trips she’s taken with YouthAbility, as well as her volunteer activities. “I get to see people I don’t normally see during the week,” she says. “My friends are super nice. I like hanging with them outside of YouthAbility.”
Both Mary Jo and Tom say Annie’s confidence has catapulted. “She embraces work. She goes every day and loves it,” says Mary Jo. “I think it has given her a wonderful life and something she can grow with.
”The O’Neill’s are grateful for the support they experienced with JFSA and YouthAbility. “I couldn’t even begin to thank them enough for what they’ve done for Annie and the whole family,” says Mary Jo. “It has taken such a burden off what we didn’t know. While we don’t know what the future holds for us, we do know it’s a lot brighter than it was a few years ago before we got involved with JFSA.”
Annie is very enthusiastic about her own future. “I think about being really happy in my life and having more friends. I want to keep my job for a very long time. I enjoy seeing my boss and co-workers. I feel like I’m very good at having more confidence and not being shy.”
Tom says, “I see Annie moving into some type of independent living with a friend, being able to get out into the community, arranging her own transportation, directing her own medical care, and taking part in whatever makes her happy. I see that happening for her now.”