Lisa and Chad Powell adopted their sweet baby boy, Jared, at six hours old. They marveled at their son, counted his ten perfect fingers and toes, and felt unbelievable joy when he smiled at them for the first time. As he grew, Lisa noticed that Jared’s tiny hands, where she had so lovingly counted the fingers, seemed to always be clenched. As the months passed, Lisa and Chad realized that there may be a serious problem with Jared’s development. They visited their family doctor and then a neurologist who told them Jared had cerebral palsy and that there was only a 50% chance he would ever walk.

After his diagnosis, Lisa and Chad began the journey to help Jared achieve the outcomes that they were told were unlikely. They knew they couldn’t do this work alone. To give Jared the best chance, they needed to assemble a team. The first time they came to the Achievement Centers for Children, they could see how we successfully utilized a team-based approach. For two years, Jared has received services from physical and speech therapists, working hard to reach his goals. Lisa and Chad have been supported by an Accent social worker to be advocates for their son. However, Jared’s team includes many other members. From the receptionist to our Board members, each team member is working to help Jared and other children like him, achieve their greatest potential.

When you donate to the Achievement Centers for Children, you help support another child with disabilities . . . helping them to talk, to make their first friend, and take their first steps.