This month’s guest blogger is parent Brenda Brewer and family. Daughter Brianna is a member of Mary Cariola’s graduating Class of 2024 Brianna started at Mary Cariola in 2013. She loves fidget toys, dancing and spinning, participating in the Work Center making cards and sorting. She has enjoyed making pottery, cooking activities, and helping with a variety of daily living skills and jobs around the East Avenue campus.

The day is quickly approaching that our daughter Brianna Brewer graduates from Mary Cariola Center and transitions into adult life. As a parent and family this used to be one of the scariest things for us to think about. But with the amazing help of Mary Cariola staff, their support and continued independence goals for Brianna we have had less to worry about.

Brianna’s Mary Cariola journey has been simply amazing. The only thing I regret about it is that it didn’t start sooner in her life. Everyone has always been so welcoming, understanding and caring. I have yet to meet anyone who has been less than stated. As a family we have always felt supported, understood and cared about and for.

With this new transition coming up we feel confident that Brianna will excel in the Day Habilitation program that she got accepted into full time after graduation with the help of Mary Cariola. We hope to see her continue to strive in the program and become as independent as possible in her future. We have all worked hard as a team throughout the years with Brianna to make Day Habilitation an option for her. There was a time where we questioned if there would even be a program fit for her, but she has come a long way thanks to the effort and support from Mary Cariola staff.

The closing of our Mary Cariola journey will be one that is bittersweet. Some may think of it like they are losing a family but to us we know we have gained one for life. We know in our hearts that if we ever needed anything they would help us with open arms. It really has meant a lot to our family to have had such great connections throughout Brianna’s time at Mary Cariola. Like any journey some have to come to an end but ours we would never choose to change.

A big thank you is in order to Mary Cariola, and the staff for years well spent together. Thanks for being our tribe when we needed a village.

Sincerely,

The Brewer Family