“I Wanted to Be More Than My Disability” “Most of my life I’ve been told what I couldn’t do,” says Candy, age 20, who is partially sighted. “I started believing it. I wanted to see if I could read print. If I could cook independently. If I could travel on my own.” Feeling lost But…
Mark, age 10, and his mother, Andrea, were locked in an ongoing battle. Mark reacted aggressively when his classmates made fun of him. The school called Andrea so frequently when he got in trouble that she had to work night shifts. Andrea tried to implement consequences, but his behavior only escalated. He shut down and…
Alberta has an immense capacity for love and an ability to smile even when things are not going well. She is also one of the special relatives or family friends who step up to become kinship caregivers for children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect. Alberta is the caregiver…
A Unique Beginning Families form in many different ways—and for Lester and Vannessa, it all started with a television commercial. Vannessa had always carried a quiet hope in her heart: to one day foster to adopt. But she had never spoken to Lester about it. Then, one evening while visiting family and watching TV, a…
He was born blind and later diagnosed with intellectual disabilities and autism. And when he smiles, he lights up the room. He’s an enthusiastic Dodgers fan, loves to eat and dance. And he adores his brother and sister. He’s a joy! But by middle school, his parents knew he’d need more than his local school…
Could you explain the theme of Wayfinder’s impact report, “Can we do more?” From Wayfinder’s founding in 1953, we have always asked, “Can we do more?” to address needs in our communities. Every time we asked this question, the answer was a resounding “Yes!” This awareness of need has driven our growth in programs, the…
Wayfinder’s answer to “Can we do more?” is always “Yes, we can.” What kinds of services has Wayfinder started providing recently in response to community need? We live in a time when the needs in the communities we serve could not be greater. Wayfinder has responded to these challenges with new programs focused on preventing…
Growing up in Los Angeles, Leigh Steinberg’s father raised him with two core values: to treasure his relationships with family and friends and to make a meaningful and positive difference in the world. “He was always less concerned with our professional success,” says Leigh, “and wanted to make sure we were finding tangible ways to…
Could you explain why Wayfinder always asks, “Can we do more?” From Wayfinder’s founding in 1953, we have always asked, “Can we do more?” to address needs in our communities. Every time we asked this question, the answer was a resounding “Yes!” This awareness of need has driven our growth in programs, the geography we…
