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Desiree Brown is a parent of a child with special needs, and she is also a Parent Coordinator for the DC Early Intervention Program. As a parent and a professional, she often goes well beyond her duties in serving children with special needs. Desiree has had many accomplishments in her work on behalf of children with special needs and their families. For example:

• She organized a family support group that meets weekly to allow parents and caregivers to come together to voice concerns about their children and the issues they face.
• She’s also organized a Family Fun Day and Family Luncheons, where parents can socialize with one another and their children can play together.
• And, during the holidays, she coordinated a Christmas Toy Give-away, where she got the Today Show and many other organizations to donate not only toys, but also clothes and household supplies.

Desiree eagerly serves on committees and focus groups when she can advocate for children with special needs.

Roberta Rinker is a social worker at the Burgess Clinic with the Children’s National Medical Center. At the clinic, Roberta provides social work services to HIV+ children and adolescents, many of whom are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In the District, African American sexual minority youth can be marginalized and forgotten and they are often taken advantage of in many ways.

While Roberta’s job requires her to provide counseling and case management for her clients, she goes well beyond those responsibilities and takes a personal interest in their well-being. Roberta engages her young clients in different activities, such as poetry groups, and goes on retreats with them.

Roberta sees her clients for their strengths. She helps them discover and further develop their internal resources. This is extraordinary because she has been able to establish strong relationships with young people who often do not trust others, especially adults. These youngsters rarely live at home and receive little to no support from families. With her help, these young people receive health care and housing. She is the person they can call for support.

Parents’ Perspective is a nonprofit organization that produces an award-winning public service parenting radio program. While Parents’ Perspective is based in the District, the radio program is a national and international program - via Armed Forces Radio - that is aired weekly.

On the program, guest experts discuss subjects like childhood autism, the legal and financial aspects of raising a child with a disability, adopting older children, developmental delays, shaken baby syndrome, home schooling, ADHD, and “what to watch for” in parenting a child with a disability. While, the program is about overall parenting, a significant number of its shows are focused on special needs issues.

Essentially, Parents’ Perspective is an outreach organization. By providing information through their radio program, they raise awareness about children with special needs. Parents’ Perspective is a leader in helping parents access information. By better understanding the issues around children with special needs, parents, providers, and educators can focus on these children’s gifts and abilities, rather than letting their disabilities limit their potential.