Introduction to Community & Human Connection Core Value Series

 

Several years ago, Vista created a set of nine Core Values that describe what is important to us as we work to impact the lives of individuals with disabilities and the broader community. For 2022, we have chosen to focus our blog series on these Core Values - telling the story of our students and members and our organization through this important and powerful lens.

June Core Value Highlight: COMMUNITY & HUMAN CONNECTION

For the month of June, Vista will be focusing on the Core Value of Community & Human Connection. Developing meaningful relationships and a sense of belonging is what binds us together. The students and members at Vista actively engage with the many communities they belong to, including those in their local shoreline towns.

Maddie, a Discover student living in Vista’s residential dormitory, has been fostering her relationships in the local community. We wanted to share a story that Maddie told us about the close-knit feeling she has living along the Connecticut shoreline and the value of human connection:

This year, Maddie and a few other Vista students and members were invited to speak on Vista’s core value of Diversity at a local school. During the presentation, Maddie described what it was like to join Vista and foster her independence skills while living with multiple disabilities. The presentation went well and she was able to meet a few of the attendees after the event.

Maddie (second left) was one of a few Vista students and members to present with our Admissions team to leadership and students from a local school

Afterwards, Maddie went to her neighborhood pharmacy and saw an attendee from the presentation worked there! It was great for her to run into a familiar face and chat. And, she describes, “It gets even better!” A few days later, Maddie was working out at her local YMCA when she heard someone say, “Maddie?” It was a staff member from the school that had held the presentation! They talked about how much they enjoyed working out and what a small world it was.

In recounting this story, Maddie said that she felt it was important to do the presentation, but it was even better that she was able to meet people in the community that she regularly crosses paths with, and this must be another reason it is important to make community connections. We couldn’t agree more, Maddie!

More to come!