Out entire world is spinning so fast that it is impossible to know all who should be thanked for fighting this war on the human race for the rest of us, often at the risk of their own lives.
Nevertheless, I would like you to know about a very special genre who deserve the title of Heroes but are not mentioned in the media. They are hidden, invisible, off the radar.
The story begins with the sad facts that many of our fellow human beings are born with horrific birth defects, so severe that they can never live on their own or take care of themselves.
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For purposes of focus, I am limiting my remarks to people born with very profound intellectually or developmentally disabilities. I do so based on my 42 years of association with the iconic Camp Venture in Rockland County, which has served this population so very well for almost half a Century.
Most parents usually turn their hearts and lives over to the care of their beloved children with broken minds and bodies as beloved as any child is or more, but arrive at a time, because of aging or other compelling reasons, can not provide what their child needs to flourish. At which time agencies such as Camp Venture become surrogate parents, in every sense of the word, in partnership with the biological parents, and eventually as the only parents.
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These agencies are funded by our State & Federal Governments but their budgets do not provide a living wage for the "hands-on" care-givers. Many of these wake up the most helpless care-givers, toilet/diaper them, wash them, dress them, feed them, talk with them and when they die, hold their hands. Because of the low pay, the jobs are often filled by the less educated, mostly women, often single parents, who must work two jobs to support their children and nevertheless,most remarkably, are fantastic surrogate mothers to the care-receivers. I saw sensitive tender loving care more than not.
They do not have Monday to Friday 9 to 5 desk jobs and can't observe the social distancing rules.
I need not go further. If I was successful in even the slightest way to make my case, I hope you will browse the internet for the web sites of such agencies as ARC, Camp Venture, Jawonio to find out how you can help them in any way.
