A Mother's Dream for Her Son and Others Like Him

I have a lot of dreams.

Years ago, my friend and I applied for a grant to start a business designed to employ people with cognitive disabilities. We imagined hydroponic gardens-offering repetitive purposeful tasks and community connection. The greens could be sold to restaurants and schools. They’d not only work with their hands but also learn marketing and delivery. The goal was to create a self-sustaining business that empowered people.

When I learned that Possabilities plans to develop an agricultural program as part of its Achievement Hub, I knew one of those dreams may become a reality.

I moved to Minnesota for my younger son, Parker, who has autism. Back home in Oklahoma, there aren’t many resources for people with disabilities. After years of misdiagnoses, Parker was diagnosed with autism at age seven. I was told to get him on a waiting list for adult services because it could take 13 years just to be seen, with no guarantee of approval.

As a single mom of two boys, the weight of that reality was crushing. When your child doesn’t “fit” into traditional childcare, you can’t work unless you find home or specialized care. You scramble for answers, not evening knowing what to ask. The early years are hard-navigating school, systems, and services. And while we focus on the child with special needs, siblings often take a back seat.

I dream of a resource center for the whole family. Where parents get connected. Where there is childcare, respite care, sibling support, activities, and education.

As children enter adulthood, you worry about transitional education, housing, and job training. At 27, Parker lives at home, works part time at a hotel, participates in competitive sports, and studies art a Possabilities. Always good at replicating characters from his favorite games, Parker’s skills have flourished. He learned to paint, use software, and created over 100 dragons of his own design. He made a coloring book with detailed descriptions of each one.

Everyone deserves the chance to contribute, to be part of a community. I dream of a campus for adults with disabilities-tiny apartments with shared gathering spaces, build-in supports, transportation options, activities, and above all, dignity. Groups could come in, cook meals, eat with and interact with folks that live there. I imagine a place where people like Parker don’t just live-they belong.

That’s why I believe in Possabilities. They’re not just imagining what’s possible-they’re building it. And I hope you’ll help make that dream come true.