When I first moved to California, I was convinced that everyone’s heart was plastic. No one ever says excuse me if they graze your cart in Costco, very few people let you merge over even when you have your blinkers on, and a good number of people will ignore your “hi” or “hello” when you accidentally catch eyes at the gym. However, when I got on the phone with Israel Menera from Unlimited Possibilities, I was reminded that there are some really sweet people out there.
Unlimited Possibilities, formerly known as the UCP of Orange County, is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to create limitless opportunities for children and families with disabilities. The company works with over 160 diagnoses, and they can be covered with insurance.
Unlimited Possibilities encourages people from all walks of life to participate and form a kinship with their clients, and they are available in person and over the phone 24/7 for anyone to reach out to. As an employee, you can make your own hours, and you are not confined to an 8-5 time slot. Employees also get benefits like a 401(k), paid medical insurance, sick leave, and paid time off. Open positions include becoming a Personal Care Assistant, a Respite Worker, or an Inclusion Facilitator. These positions do not require a college degree and are great for those who just want to help the best way they can. On the other hand, there are positions like Speech Language Pathologist and Child Development Specialist that do. These positions are more focused on the patients’ health and require a high level of expertise.
When Israel said that they helped over 50 families a day, I was pleasantly surprised. So many people are willing to help others and become an integral part of someone’s life. Your main purpose is to be there as a friend, an advocate, and a mentor. Sometimes you’ll play games with the patients, and other times you might be helping them with homework or getting them dressed. Either way, you get to help other people at your convenience as well as theirs, and you’d be making a big difference! If you’d like to get involved, you can learn more at UPtheimpact.org/careers or you can email them at [email protected]. It’s a really good opportunity to work towards a good cause, and you get to meet some cool people in the process.