I’ve been a direct support professional for about five years now, and I honestly love the work. I didn’t set out on this path—I kind of fell into it. A friend of mine worked for AHRC NYC and mentioned they were looking for people to join. I was curious, ready for something new, and started in an entry-level position. I’ve been here ever since.

In this role, I support people with disabilities in their day-to-day lives, but it’s more than just that. A big part of what I do is helping folks build skills—job skills, life skills, communication skills. We spend time in the community volunteering, attending book clubs to build reading skills, and just being out in the world doing things that matter. It’s all about working on goals that they set—things that are meaningful to them.

We’ve done everything from sorting baby donations for families in need in the Bronx, to organizing art supplies that go out to public schools, to delivering meals with different Meals on Wheels programs. Sometimes we help with landscaping and clean-up in Prospect Park. All of it is real work that gives back to the community, and the people I support take pride in that.

This job has taught me a lot, especially about patience. There are tasks I could do quickly, but the point isn’t for me to do them. It’s about giving the person I’m supporting the time and space to learn and do it themselves. That’s where the growth happens.

In this job, you have to learn to go with the flow. You can have a plan for the day, but things come up—unexpected stuff. You just figure it out in the moment. I’ve really learned to let go of the idea that everything has to go perfectly. Sometimes we’re late. Sometimes the plan changes. That’s life, and that’s okay.

What keeps me here is how meaningful the work is. I love working directly with people. It’s not always easy—it takes a lot of effort and flexibility—but it’s fun, too. You’re not just clocking in and out; you’re building relationships, and that’s powerful.

If someone’s thinking about getting into this work, I’d say: don’t expect to learn about people just from labels. You might be told, “This person has autism,” or “This person has a disability,” but none of that really tells you who they are. You have to take the time to get to know them. That’s how you really learn.

I see myself staying in this field long term. In the next few years, I’d love to grow within the organization and find new ways to help people even more. This work matters, and I’m proud to be part of it.