June 25, 2025 • 24 mins
When doctors told Dori Luzardo her autistic child would "never have a conversation" or "live much of a life," she faced a pivotal moment. Rather than accept this limiting prognosis, she channeled her 20 years of education experience and "stubborn genes" into creating something revolutionary: Angels Reach Foundation.
Established in 2004, this transformative nonprofit has since helped over 4,000 neurodivergent youth develop their unique potential in a world that often focuses on what they can't do rather than what they can. Their comprehensive approach spans K-12 education, therapy services, family resources, and innovative entrepreneurship programs that allow young adults with social challenges to build sustainable livelihoods while focusing on their natural talents.
What truly distinguishes Angels Reach is their unwavering belief that integration benefits everyone. When neurodivergent individuals learn alongside neurotypical peers, both groups flourish. The typically developing students gain invaluable leadership skills and emotional intelligence, while their neurodivergent peers develop social confidence in supportive environments. This philosophy challenges the persistent myth that separate education serves either group better.
Despite facing significant hardships—including the devastating loss of their permanent facility with just one day's notice—Angels Reach continues to expand their impact globally. Their current partnership with the government of Madrid demonstrates how their trademarked methodologies can transform inclusive practices across cultures.
The foundation operates with remarkable flexibility, establishing micro-schools and clinics within existing private institutions, offering remote learning options, and creating learning pods that require just five participants to launch. This adaptability allows them to meet families wherever they are, from Miami-Dade and Broward counties to international communities.
Discover how Angels Reach is creating a world without limiting labels by visiting angelsreach.org or angelsreachacademy.org. Their story reminds us that human potential knows no boundaries when communities truly embrace the value that everyone brings.
For more information call (305) 828-5276 or visit https://www.angelsreach.org/.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Jeremy Wolf.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Hello, hello everyone , and welcome back to another
episode of the Good NeighborPodcast.
I'm your host, of course,jeremy Wolf, and today I'd like
to welcome to the show DoriLuzardo.
Hope I got the pronunciationright there Did.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
I nail it Dori.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
You did, you got it.
Oh yes, batting 100 right offthe bat, perfect.
And Dori joins us from theAngels Reach Foundation, which
is a nonprofit.
Anytime I meet a business thatis a nonprofit, I'm always very,
very happy to kind of showcaseand spotlight what they do Very
important, the work thatnonprofits are doing in our
(00:49):
community.
So with that, thanks everyonefor joining us.
Dori, thank you for being here.
I'm excited to get into this.
Start by telling everybody alittle bit about what you do at
Angels Reach Foundation.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
I'm happy to, jeremy.
So Angels Reach Foundation is atransformative nonprofit.
We've been established since2004, and we have been focused
on creating a world free fromlabels.
That is our main mission andthat encompasses our work with
the neurodivergent youth.
We have specialized in workingwith children, youth and young
(01:24):
adults who are somewhere on theautism spectrum or who have
emotional or behavioralchallenges.
But I think that what makes ustruly, truly unique is our sense
of community.
We believe that our world isdesigned to bring everyone
together and that everyone hasvalue and, as such, all of our
programs, from our K through 12schools, our therapy programs,
(01:46):
our community and familyresource programs are all about
fostering and nurturingcompassion and inclusion in all
sense.
We see a world where everyoneis valued for their particular
abilities and not anything thatwould be considered a disability
, that would limit them anythingthat would be considered a
disability that would limit them.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
You know I've been saying that often lately that
everybody has within them aninnate potential for something
great and it's unfortunatebecause so many people live
their lives without tapping intothat inner potential.
And it's great that you'redoing this work to help.
So you mentioned you're atransformative nonprofit.
That's right.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
What does that mean?
Specifically?
Into situations such aseducational systems or community
employment systems, where thereare barriers that limit some
individuals from fullyparticipating and fully
benefiting from all of theresources that a community can
offer.
And we go in there withcompassion, with understanding,
(03:02):
with the belief that just alittle bit of information can
make a huge difference, andthat's what we provide.
We bring information, we bringinformation, we bring resources,
we bring training, we bringspecialists and we help make
what was considered impossiblebefore possible.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Now are you dealing specifically with youth, or is
it all ages?
What is your demographic?
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Our youngest begins at two years old and our oldest
has been 43.
Now most of our population isschool-aged, most of our
population is somewhere between5 and 22, but we go where the
need is.
So, since there is a specificneed for young adults who have
(03:56):
some condition that may limittheir ability to be able to
become steadily employed, forexample, we have started to
reopen our youngentrepreneurship program, where
we help these individuals withgreat talent but perhaps social
phobias or social inadequacieslimit them from really feeling
(04:17):
that they fit in, at least rightnow, into a regular employment
setting.
We help them becomeself-sufficient by running their
own entrepreneurship, but withsupport, so the administrative
side can be supported, the kindsof things that bring them great
stress, the accounting, thelegalities that can be supported
(04:37):
through the foundation, andthey can be the talent and do
what they love to do.
So, while most of ourpopulation is school-aged, again
, we go where we're needed,whether it's here, locally.
We are happy to go into anycity, any county, any country
that we are asked to go andprovide our services and support
.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
So how are you typically getting the message
out Like how do you, you said,when you go anywhere how are
people finding out about whatyou do?
How do the people that needyour service ultimately connect
with you?
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Well, it's amazing because, as a nonprofit, our
budget for marketing is neverreally very big.
Over 90% of our resources godirectly to the individuals who
work with the neurodivergentcommunity and the regular
community that integrates withthe special one.
So people find out about usthrough word of mouth, through
(05:29):
programs like yours, Jeremy.
It's.
It's very grassroots One familytells another tells another.
We have local universities thatrefer to us, we have local
school systems that refer to us,and it really is very organic.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Yeah, I would think that that the local schools
would be a wonderful resourcefor you'd be a wonderful
resource for them and partneringwith them and doing things like
that.
And then, like you mentioned atthe top of the show, community
engagement right, reallyintegrating your roots within
specific communities, and yousaid you go anywhere.
Where are you based out of like?
Is there a primary area for?
Is it like mostly browardcounty?
(06:05):
Is it something that you alsowork with students remotely on?
Or do people, do you, need togo to them physically?
How does that kind of work foryou guys?
Speaker 3 (06:12):
So pretty much yes to everything that you said A
little bit of it all.
We are able to open microschools or micro clinics within
community private schools,wherever they are.
It doesn't cost them nothing tohave our micro clinic or our
micro school within theirfacilities and, as a matter of
(06:33):
fact, sometimes we can evenbecome a contributing member to
those schools.
We do have remote services, sofor approximately 10 years we've
had remote K through 12 schoolprograms as well.
We do homeschooling, learningpods wherever these families are
situated.
We just need a group of fiveand we're ready to go.
(06:55):
We can provide therapy servicesDayton, broward County.
We provide community resources,training, advocacy, consulting
anywhere in the United Statesand in Latin America as well.
We have been invited by in ourhistory, by different Latin
American countries and by PuertoRico to take our services there
(07:17):
and we will fly a team out forfree.
We just ask that it not cost us.
So if they can offset the costof the flight, and we just ask
that it not cost us.
So if they can offset the costof the flight and house us in
somebody's home who's not goingto kill us, because usually it's
mostly females who traveltogether but house us and just,
and we're happy to spend a week,two weeks and provide intensive
(07:37):
training, come back and providesupervision, virtually so.
We're mostly Miami-Dade andBroward headquartered, but we go
anywhere.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
Now, how long has the foundation been in place?
For when did you guys start?
Speaker 3 (07:53):
We started in 2004.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
So it's been quite some time, okay, so, and this is
your full-time endeavor, rightthat you do this.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
No, this is full time and a half.
This is uh, my my, yeah, mythree uh, natural born children
have grown up knowing thatthere's a fourth, uh, bodiless
child, that that belongs to themand that's the foundation,
because it goes wherever we go.
And, uh, this is my passion,this is.
I gave up my teaching career of20 years actually to be able to
(08:28):
dedicate myself to this.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
That was going to be the next question.
You know, many times people endup like when they're young they
have a passion for somethingand they end up doing that and
making that their life's mission, and then other people start
off in something totallydifferent and then pivot midlife
.
So this for you goes back topretty much the beginning.
Right At what point did yourealize that you wanted to be in
(08:53):
education?
Speaker 3 (08:55):
I knew that I wanted to be in education since I was a
little girl.
I used to play with my dollsand pretend that I was a teacher
and has a classroom.
That was my you know my happyworld.
And I did.
I have two master's degrees ineducation and I worked for the
public school systems for 20years.
I worked for a couple of ourlocal university and college.
(09:17):
But my world changed when one ofmy own children was diagnosed
with autism and I was told thatthat child was never going to
have a conversation with me, wasnever really going to have much
of a life, and I refused toaccept that.
So I traveled around the UnitedStates, I learned, I trained, I
realized that there was so muchthat could help my child and
(09:38):
others, but it wasn't availablein Miami, dade County, in
Broward County, in South Florida, and I could find little bits
and pieces that might help alittle bit, but nothing that was
really integrated, nothingintensive, nothing inclusive,
nothing that prepared hercommunity for her and her for
the community.
And so it was out of that needthat Angels Reach was founded
(10:00):
and honestly, I never imaginedthat it would grow to where it
has grown.
I thought you know if I couldhelp my child and one other,
we've done good.
We have since helped over 4,000individuals, over 4,000 youth
in particular.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
What a wonderful story.
The transition from educationto having a personal experience
with your own child and then notfinding what you need to create
success for your child and justbasically creating it out of
whole cloth.
So my hat's off to you therefor sure.
That's really, really special.
You know, dory, one of thereasons we do this show, it's
(10:42):
all about education, right, it'sall about informing the
community and sharing with folksand helping them learn things
that they didn't know.
What are some of the biggest?
I mean, you've been doing thisquite some time now.
What are some of the biggestmisconceptions, myths, things
that people are just confusedabout when they encounter what
you do?
Speaker 3 (11:03):
Well, I think that one of the biggest
misconceptions is when peoplebelieve that individuals with a
special ability or a specialneed have to be.
I guess, interacted withseparately, that somehow
blending a special need studentwith a regular education or an
advanced student is going to bedetrimental to one or the other,
(11:24):
and that is absolutely theopposite is what is true.
There is research thatdocuments and shows how
integration and inclusionbenefits everyone.
So the typically developing oraverage or high functioning or
advanced learner will get tolearn leadership skills,
compassion, be able tounderstand how to interact with
(11:46):
others who maybe speak a littledifferent or have different
needs, and that is a critical,critical skill that is necessary
for our future ambassadors, ourfuture politicians, our future
doctors, our future policemen,our future, basically, community
server, whether it's locally orinternationally.
That humanity factor is key indeveloping our relations within
(12:14):
our local governments and ourinternational governments.
And I think that the secondmisconception is that an
individual that has any specialneed or neurodivergent needs,
such as autism, is going to bestuck in the way that they
present themselves long term,that once they reach a certain
(12:35):
age, that's it.
There's nothing more that canbe done.
This is the way they're goingto be, and, while it is
absolutely true that earlyintervention is key and that if
we can start to work withchildren as young as possible
with a fully comprehensive andintensive program, the
improvement is much faster theimprovement in the sense of
(12:55):
attaining the needed skills incommunication and socialization
and emotional and sensoryregulation.
But you never stop learning.
So we have worked withindividuals who come to us when
they're 30 years old and they'vebeen able to go from a place of
dependency to a place wherethey're able to live very much
(13:17):
independently.
They might need someone tocheck in on them or some support
independently.
They might need someone tocheck in on them or some support
, but, truthfully, don't we allneed to have somebody who cares
for us, check in on us everyonce in a while and say, hey,
(13:39):
how are you doing?
So?
We are all different and we'reall the same and hopefully we
get to spread our message thatthe fact that someone dresses
differently doesn't make eyecontact with you.
The way that they shouldperhaps has a different way of
communicating doesn't mean thatthey are cognitively impaired or
emotionally stunted or thatthey need to be isolated.
On the contrary, they have somuch that the typically
(14:01):
developing population can learnfrom.
And I say that kind ofhesitantly because, truthfully,
I don't know who is fully, 100%typical anymore.
I don't know if I am.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Or any of us 100% typical.
We're all humans.
There's a big spectrum Really,really interesting stuff.
Looking back in my own life,one of the things I've come to
realize like when I was younger,I was always looking to avoid
(14:39):
pain, struggle, all the thingsthat typically make us great,
and so as I've gotten older,I've come to realize that change
comes off the back of struggle,right, and the more we learn to
deal with that, the more welearn to push through that, the
better off we are.
(15:00):
So there's a lot of things thathappened throughout my life
where at the time going throughit, it felt like it was the end
of the world.
There was no coming back fromit.
I was struggling tremendouslyand, having gotten through that
and looking back at it, youoften look back at these
experiences and are forevergrateful and so happy to have
(15:20):
gone through that.
Is there something that comesto mind throughout your journey,
professionally, personally,that fits that bill right, where
you were just down in the dump,so to speak, and you didn't
think there was any way out, butsitting here today looking back
on it, you're again gratefulfor having gone through that
experience.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
Absolutely.
Actually, there are, as you'respeaking, I'm thinking of,
several instances in my lifewhere I thought this is I can't
handle this, I can't do this, Iapologize, I need help.
And it's exactly as you say,jeremy once you go through it,
you go back and you say I am sograteful to have been able to go
(16:00):
through that.
And it also, I think, gives youcourage when you look forward
to say, if I was able to getthrough that, I can get through
this as well and I can helpsomeone else who's going through
it get through it as well.
As a mother, being told thatyour child is going to have a
(16:21):
very limited life is extremelyheartbreaking and you have two
choices you either accept it oryou fight it.
I'm very grateful that I havevery stubborn genes that I
inherited from my parents andI'm still fighting.
But I think that most recently,the foundation has just
(16:42):
overcome.
We are so grateful.
We look back at the last threeyears and we have just summited
another peak, because we wentthrough an extreme hardship when
we had sacrificed a huge, hugeinvestment.
I mean, we saved for years, ourboard of directors contributed
(17:05):
funding and we made a hugesacrifice and we purchased a
beautiful property.
It's a huge property that wethought was going to be our
forever home and unfortunatelythere were complications that
were unexpected, that surprisedus, regarding permitting and
(17:25):
occupancy and things like that,and we were asked to evacuate
our beautiful building after wehad received permission to be
there.
We were asked to evacuate ourbeautiful building with one
day's notice, including, yeah,which meant relocating about 120
special needs students and,yeah, and that was very that
(17:47):
would have been difficult forany student, but when you are
working with children withautism who require stability and
routine, that was an extremehardship, and for the families
as well.
Most of the families in ourschools are very, very low
income and so they don't have alot of resources.
But something good always comesout of every challenge.
And while we kind of becamegypsies and we had to move
(18:10):
around multiple times in thelast three years, we have found
that in the process we have notonly reestablished ourselves,
but we have reopened again thepossibility of doing something
we used to do before that weloved, and that is to not just
operate our own programs but tooffer and open the micro clinics
(18:30):
and micro schools in otherprivate schools, and we have
started to again receiveinvitations.
Right now we're working withthe city of Madrid in Spain.
Working with the city of Madridin Spain, where we have been
invited to start a multi-phaseprogram and create, basically,
angels Reach satellites inMadrid.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
Why Madrid?
Do you have ties to Madrid?
What was it that launched thatover there?
Speaker 3 (18:57):
So again, everything happens.
I think there's a purpose toeverything and we didn't seek
any of, we never have sought anyof our international
connections.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
They just come present themselves to you.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
Right.
So what happened is that wereceived a young lady into our
school program whose parentswere the dad was from Madrid and
the mother was from LatinAmerica and their intention was
to be here for a year beforethey returned to Madrid.
And the dad happens to work inthe medical field for the
(19:32):
government of Madrid and he wascalled back early.
So the family had to relocateand the daughter had done
extremely well.
She had tried two other schoolsbefore coming to us and she had
experienced bullying and she'svery high functioning but just
was not accepted, and so sheflourished with us and was doing
(19:52):
so well, and then the carpet,the floor, was pulled out from
underneath them and they had tomove back.
So they moved back and theystarted.
They found the best of theservices for her.
She's still regressing.
So the father, having hisconnections with the government,
proposed that they make analliance with an American
(20:15):
nonprofit organization that hasexperience and expertise in
working with inclusiveenvironments and children with
autism, and they loved it.
And so we're collaborating nowwith another nonprofit in Madrid
and the government in aparticular province of Madrid,
and we're hoping to establishnow in the fall the first phase,
(20:37):
which is the creation ofspecialists over there, because
we cannot run.
The magic of what we do is inour people.
We invest in our people, in ourtrainers and our teachers and
our therapists.
Our, our therapists and ourteachers are not like others,
you know.
They have their certificationsas required, but they have to go
through our own trainingprotocols before they ever get
(20:59):
to work with one of our children, because we have trademarked
systems, trademark methodologies.
So we're creating a workforce inMadrid and we're starting by
training and creating our people, and then the second phase will
be to create a micro school anda micro clinic within a
particular school that's alreadybeen identified and we're
(21:21):
negotiating with, and then it'llgrow to other private schools.
And, very importantly, both inMadrid and here locally, we're
working with our localgovernment so that the
after-school and summer programsthat are offered through the
cities can become more trulyinclusive, because, while they
(21:42):
all accept children with somespecial needs, usually the
children who come to us withspecial needs are not accepted.
Their behaviors are such thatmake it difficult for them to
integrate into generalpopulations unless that
population is really wellprepared.
So we're working to make thatpossible here locally and in
(22:05):
Madrid right now as well.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Really really appreciate the work you're doing
.
I love learning all about yourstory.
For our listeners out therethat would like to learn more,
what is the best way to connectwith you guys?
Maybe share your website, maybesome social media handles?
How can our listeners kind ofconnect and learn more?
Speaker 3 (22:23):
Absolutely.
Thank you, jeremy.
So we have two websites, twoversions of social media handles
, because we have one for thefoundation, so it's
angelsreachorg is the mainwebsite that's for the
foundation, and the academyprogramming has its own separate
, so it's angelsreachacademyorgprogramming has its own separate
(22:45):
, so it's angelsreachacademyorgand angelsreachorg and our
handles areangelsreachfoundation underscore
on Instagram, on Facebook, andangelsreachacademy.
And they can always contact usat our main office.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
Very cool, so we will , of course, drop a link in the
description to all of thatinformation so we can put this
out into the community andspread the message far and wide
for what you're doing, becauseit really it truly is incredible
, and I really enjoyed learningabout your trajectory, your
story and then all the wonderfulthings that you're doing, not
just in our community but reallyaround the world, which is
(23:18):
fantastic.
So it was great meeting you.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
Thank you, jeremy.
It's wonderful meeting you too,and thank you for what you're
doing.
This podcast is very, veryimpactful, so thank you.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
I appreciate the feedback and thanks, as always,
to our listeners for tuning inand we will catch you all next
time on the next episode of theGood Neighbor Podcast.
Everyone take care, have awonderful day.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
Thanks for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast
Cooper City.
To nominate your favorite localbusiness to be featured on the
show, go to GNPCooperCitycom.
That's GNPCooperCitycom, orcall 954-231-3170.
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Jeremy Wolf.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Hello, hello everyone , and welcome back to another
episode of the Good NeighborPodcast.
I'm your host, of course,jeremy Wolf, and today I'd like
to welcome to the show DoriLuzardo.
Hope I got the pronunciationright there Did.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
I nail it Dori.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
You did, you got it.
Oh yes, batting 100 right offthe bat, perfect.
And Dori joins us from theAngels Reach Foundation, which
is a nonprofit.
Anytime I meet a business thatis a nonprofit, I'm always very,
very happy to kind of showcaseand spotlight what they do Very
important, the work thatnonprofits are doing in our
(00:49):
community.
So with that, thanks everyonefor joining us.
Dori, thank you for being here.
I'm excited to get into this.
Start by telling everybody alittle bit about what you do at
Angels Reach Foundation.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
I'm happy to, jeremy.
So Angels Reach Foundation is atransformative nonprofit.
We've been established since2004, and we have been focused
on creating a world free fromlabels.
That is our main mission andthat encompasses our work with
the neurodivergent youth.
We have specialized in workingwith children, youth and young
(01:24):
adults who are somewhere on theautism spectrum or who have
emotional or behavioralchallenges.
But I think that what makes ustruly, truly unique is our sense
of community.
We believe that our world isdesigned to bring everyone
together and that everyone hasvalue and, as such, all of our
programs, from our K through 12schools, our therapy programs,
(01:46):
our community and familyresource programs are all about
fostering and nurturingcompassion and inclusion in all
sense.
We see a world where everyoneis valued for their particular
abilities and not anything thatwould be considered a disability
, that would limit them anythingthat would be considered a
disability that would limit them.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
You know I've been saying that often lately that
everybody has within them aninnate potential for something
great and it's unfortunatebecause so many people live
their lives without tapping intothat inner potential.
And it's great that you'redoing this work to help.
So you mentioned you're atransformative nonprofit.
That's right.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
What does that mean?
Specifically?
Into situations such aseducational systems or community
employment systems, where thereare barriers that limit some
individuals from fullyparticipating and fully
benefiting from all of theresources that a community can
offer.
And we go in there withcompassion, with understanding,
(03:02):
with the belief that just alittle bit of information can
make a huge difference, andthat's what we provide.
We bring information, we bringinformation, we bring resources,
we bring training, we bringspecialists and we help make
what was considered impossiblebefore possible.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Now are you dealing specifically with youth, or is
it all ages?
What is your demographic?
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Our youngest begins at two years old and our oldest
has been 43.
Now most of our population isschool-aged, most of our
population is somewhere between5 and 22, but we go where the
need is.
So, since there is a specificneed for young adults who have
(03:56):
some condition that may limittheir ability to be able to
become steadily employed, forexample, we have started to
reopen our youngentrepreneurship program, where
we help these individuals withgreat talent but perhaps social
phobias or social inadequacieslimit them from really feeling
(04:17):
that they fit in, at least rightnow, into a regular employment
setting.
We help them becomeself-sufficient by running their
own entrepreneurship, but withsupport, so the administrative
side can be supported, the kindsof things that bring them great
stress, the accounting, thelegalities that can be supported
(04:37):
through the foundation, andthey can be the talent and do
what they love to do.
So, while most of ourpopulation is school-aged, again
, we go where we're needed,whether it's here, locally.
We are happy to go into anycity, any county, any country
that we are asked to go andprovide our services and support
.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
So how are you typically getting the message
out Like how do you, you said,when you go anywhere how are
people finding out about whatyou do?
How do the people that needyour service ultimately connect
with you?
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Well, it's amazing because, as a nonprofit, our
budget for marketing is neverreally very big.
Over 90% of our resources godirectly to the individuals who
work with the neurodivergentcommunity and the regular
community that integrates withthe special one.
So people find out about usthrough word of mouth, through
(05:29):
programs like yours, Jeremy.
It's.
It's very grassroots One familytells another tells another.
We have local universities thatrefer to us, we have local
school systems that refer to us,and it really is very organic.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Yeah, I would think that that the local schools
would be a wonderful resourcefor you'd be a wonderful
resource for them and partneringwith them and doing things like
that.
And then, like you mentioned atthe top of the show, community
engagement right, reallyintegrating your roots within
specific communities, and yousaid you go anywhere.
Where are you based out of like?
Is there a primary area for?
Is it like mostly browardcounty?
(06:05):
Is it something that you alsowork with students remotely on?
Or do people, do you, need togo to them physically?
How does that kind of work foryou guys?
Speaker 3 (06:12):
So pretty much yes to everything that you said A
little bit of it all.
We are able to open microschools or micro clinics within
community private schools,wherever they are.
It doesn't cost them nothing tohave our micro clinic or our
micro school within theirfacilities and, as a matter of
(06:33):
fact, sometimes we can evenbecome a contributing member to
those schools.
We do have remote services, sofor approximately 10 years we've
had remote K through 12 schoolprograms as well.
We do homeschooling, learningpods wherever these families are
situated.
We just need a group of fiveand we're ready to go.
(06:55):
We can provide therapy servicesDayton, broward County.
We provide community resources,training, advocacy, consulting
anywhere in the United Statesand in Latin America as well.
We have been invited by in ourhistory, by different Latin
American countries and by PuertoRico to take our services there
(07:17):
and we will fly a team out forfree.
We just ask that it not cost us.
So if they can offset the costof the flight, and we just ask
that it not cost us.
So if they can offset the costof the flight and house us in
somebody's home who's not goingto kill us, because usually it's
mostly females who traveltogether but house us and just,
and we're happy to spend a week,two weeks and provide intensive
(07:37):
training, come back and providesupervision, virtually so.
We're mostly Miami-Dade andBroward headquartered, but we go
anywhere.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
Now, how long has the foundation been in place?
For when did you guys start?
Speaker 3 (07:53):
We started in 2004.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
So it's been quite some time, okay, so, and this is
your full-time endeavor, rightthat you do this.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
No, this is full time and a half.
This is uh, my my, yeah, mythree uh, natural born children
have grown up knowing thatthere's a fourth, uh, bodiless
child, that that belongs to themand that's the foundation,
because it goes wherever we go.
And, uh, this is my passion,this is.
I gave up my teaching career of20 years actually to be able to
(08:28):
dedicate myself to this.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
That was going to be the next question.
You know, many times people endup like when they're young they
have a passion for somethingand they end up doing that and
making that their life's mission, and then other people start
off in something totallydifferent and then pivot midlife
.
So this for you goes back topretty much the beginning.
Right At what point did yourealize that you wanted to be in
(08:53):
education?
Speaker 3 (08:55):
I knew that I wanted to be in education since I was a
little girl.
I used to play with my dollsand pretend that I was a teacher
and has a classroom.
That was my you know my happyworld.
And I did.
I have two master's degrees ineducation and I worked for the
public school systems for 20years.
I worked for a couple of ourlocal university and college.
(09:17):
But my world changed when one ofmy own children was diagnosed
with autism and I was told thatthat child was never going to
have a conversation with me, wasnever really going to have much
of a life, and I refused toaccept that.
So I traveled around the UnitedStates, I learned, I trained, I
realized that there was so muchthat could help my child and
(09:38):
others, but it wasn't availablein Miami, dade County, in
Broward County, in South Florida, and I could find little bits
and pieces that might help alittle bit, but nothing that was
really integrated, nothingintensive, nothing inclusive,
nothing that prepared hercommunity for her and her for
the community.
And so it was out of that needthat Angels Reach was founded
(10:00):
and honestly, I never imaginedthat it would grow to where it
has grown.
I thought you know if I couldhelp my child and one other,
we've done good.
We have since helped over 4,000individuals, over 4,000 youth
in particular.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
What a wonderful story.
The transition from educationto having a personal experience
with your own child and then notfinding what you need to create
success for your child and justbasically creating it out of
whole cloth.
So my hat's off to you therefor sure.
That's really, really special.
You know, dory, one of thereasons we do this show, it's
(10:42):
all about education, right, it'sall about informing the
community and sharing with folksand helping them learn things
that they didn't know.
What are some of the biggest?
I mean, you've been doing thisquite some time now.
What are some of the biggestmisconceptions, myths, things
that people are just confusedabout when they encounter what
you do?
Speaker 3 (11:03):
Well, I think that one of the biggest
misconceptions is when peoplebelieve that individuals with a
special ability or a specialneed have to be.
I guess, interacted withseparately, that somehow
blending a special need studentwith a regular education or an
advanced student is going to bedetrimental to one or the other,
(11:24):
and that is absolutely theopposite is what is true.
There is research thatdocuments and shows how
integration and inclusionbenefits everyone.
So the typically developing oraverage or high functioning or
advanced learner will get tolearn leadership skills,
compassion, be able tounderstand how to interact with
(11:46):
others who maybe speak a littledifferent or have different
needs, and that is a critical,critical skill that is necessary
for our future ambassadors, ourfuture politicians, our future
doctors, our future policemen,our future, basically, community
server, whether it's locally orinternationally.
That humanity factor is key indeveloping our relations within
(12:14):
our local governments and ourinternational governments.
And I think that the secondmisconception is that an
individual that has any specialneed or neurodivergent needs,
such as autism, is going to bestuck in the way that they
present themselves long term,that once they reach a certain
(12:35):
age, that's it.
There's nothing more that canbe done.
This is the way they're goingto be, and, while it is
absolutely true that earlyintervention is key and that if
we can start to work withchildren as young as possible
with a fully comprehensive andintensive program, the
improvement is much faster theimprovement in the sense of
(12:55):
attaining the needed skills incommunication and socialization
and emotional and sensoryregulation.
But you never stop learning.
So we have worked withindividuals who come to us when
they're 30 years old and they'vebeen able to go from a place of
dependency to a place wherethey're able to live very much
(13:17):
independently.
They might need someone tocheck in on them or some support
independently.
They might need someone tocheck in on them or some support
, but, truthfully, don't we allneed to have somebody who cares
for us, check in on us everyonce in a while and say, hey,
(13:39):
how are you doing?
So?
We are all different and we'reall the same and hopefully we
get to spread our message thatthe fact that someone dresses
differently doesn't make eyecontact with you.
The way that they shouldperhaps has a different way of
communicating doesn't mean thatthey are cognitively impaired or
emotionally stunted or thatthey need to be isolated.
On the contrary, they have somuch that the typically
(14:01):
developing population can learnfrom.
And I say that kind ofhesitantly because, truthfully,
I don't know who is fully, 100%typical anymore.
I don't know if I am.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Or any of us 100% typical.
We're all humans.
There's a big spectrum Really,really interesting stuff.
Looking back in my own life,one of the things I've come to
realize like when I was younger,I was always looking to avoid
(14:39):
pain, struggle, all the thingsthat typically make us great,
and so as I've gotten older,I've come to realize that change
comes off the back of struggle,right, and the more we learn to
deal with that, the more welearn to push through that, the
better off we are.
(15:00):
So there's a lot of things thathappened throughout my life
where at the time going throughit, it felt like it was the end
of the world.
There was no coming back fromit.
I was struggling tremendouslyand, having gotten through that
and looking back at it, youoften look back at these
experiences and are forevergrateful and so happy to have
(15:20):
gone through that.
Is there something that comesto mind throughout your journey,
professionally, personally,that fits that bill right, where
you were just down in the dump,so to speak, and you didn't
think there was any way out, butsitting here today looking back
on it, you're again gratefulfor having gone through that
experience.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
Absolutely.
Actually, there are, as you'respeaking, I'm thinking of,
several instances in my lifewhere I thought this is I can't
handle this, I can't do this, Iapologize, I need help.
And it's exactly as you say,jeremy once you go through it,
you go back and you say I am sograteful to have been able to go
(16:00):
through that.
And it also, I think, gives youcourage when you look forward
to say, if I was able to getthrough that, I can get through
this as well and I can helpsomeone else who's going through
it get through it as well.
As a mother, being told thatyour child is going to have a
(16:21):
very limited life is extremelyheartbreaking and you have two
choices you either accept it oryou fight it.
I'm very grateful that I havevery stubborn genes that I
inherited from my parents andI'm still fighting.
But I think that most recently,the foundation has just
(16:42):
overcome.
We are so grateful.
We look back at the last threeyears and we have just summited
another peak, because we wentthrough an extreme hardship when
we had sacrificed a huge, hugeinvestment.
I mean, we saved for years, ourboard of directors contributed
(17:05):
funding and we made a hugesacrifice and we purchased a
beautiful property.
It's a huge property that wethought was going to be our
forever home and unfortunatelythere were complications that
were unexpected, that surprisedus, regarding permitting and
(17:25):
occupancy and things like that,and we were asked to evacuate
our beautiful building after wehad received permission to be
there.
We were asked to evacuate ourbeautiful building with one
day's notice, including, yeah,which meant relocating about 120
special needs students and,yeah, and that was very that
(17:47):
would have been difficult forany student, but when you are
working with children withautism who require stability and
routine, that was an extremehardship, and for the families
as well.
Most of the families in ourschools are very, very low
income and so they don't have alot of resources.
But something good always comesout of every challenge.
And while we kind of becamegypsies and we had to move
(18:10):
around multiple times in thelast three years, we have found
that in the process we have notonly reestablished ourselves,
but we have reopened again thepossibility of doing something
we used to do before that weloved, and that is to not just
operate our own programs but tooffer and open the micro clinics
(18:30):
and micro schools in otherprivate schools, and we have
started to again receiveinvitations.
Right now we're working withthe city of Madrid in Spain.
Working with the city of Madridin Spain, where we have been
invited to start a multi-phaseprogram and create, basically,
angels Reach satellites inMadrid.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
Why Madrid?
Do you have ties to Madrid?
What was it that launched thatover there?
Speaker 3 (18:57):
So again, everything happens.
I think there's a purpose toeverything and we didn't seek
any of, we never have sought anyof our international
connections.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
They just come present themselves to you.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
Right.
So what happened is that wereceived a young lady into our
school program whose parentswere the dad was from Madrid and
the mother was from LatinAmerica and their intention was
to be here for a year beforethey returned to Madrid.
And the dad happens to work inthe medical field for the
(19:32):
government of Madrid and he wascalled back early.
So the family had to relocateand the daughter had done
extremely well.
She had tried two other schoolsbefore coming to us and she had
experienced bullying and she'svery high functioning but just
was not accepted, and so sheflourished with us and was doing
(19:52):
so well, and then the carpet,the floor, was pulled out from
underneath them and they had tomove back.
So they moved back and theystarted.
They found the best of theservices for her.
She's still regressing.
So the father, having hisconnections with the government,
proposed that they make analliance with an American
(20:15):
nonprofit organization that hasexperience and expertise in
working with inclusiveenvironments and children with
autism, and they loved it.
And so we're collaborating nowwith another nonprofit in Madrid
and the government in aparticular province of Madrid,
and we're hoping to establishnow in the fall the first phase,
(20:37):
which is the creation ofspecialists over there, because
we cannot run.
The magic of what we do is inour people.
We invest in our people, in ourtrainers and our teachers and
our therapists.
Our, our therapists and ourteachers are not like others,
you know.
They have their certificationsas required, but they have to go
through our own trainingprotocols before they ever get
(20:59):
to work with one of our children, because we have trademarked
systems, trademark methodologies.
So we're creating a workforce inMadrid and we're starting by
training and creating our people, and then the second phase will
be to create a micro school anda micro clinic within a
particular school that's alreadybeen identified and we're
(21:21):
negotiating with, and then it'llgrow to other private schools.
And, very importantly, both inMadrid and here locally, we're
working with our localgovernment so that the
after-school and summer programsthat are offered through the
cities can become more trulyinclusive, because, while they
(21:42):
all accept children with somespecial needs, usually the
children who come to us withspecial needs are not accepted.
Their behaviors are such thatmake it difficult for them to
integrate into generalpopulations unless that
population is really wellprepared.
So we're working to make thatpossible here locally and in
(22:05):
Madrid right now as well.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Really really appreciate the work you're doing
.
I love learning all about yourstory.
For our listeners out therethat would like to learn more,
what is the best way to connectwith you guys?
Maybe share your website, maybesome social media handles?
How can our listeners kind ofconnect and learn more?
Speaker 3 (22:23):
Absolutely.
Thank you, jeremy.
So we have two websites, twoversions of social media handles
, because we have one for thefoundation, so it's
angelsreachorg is the mainwebsite that's for the
foundation, and the academyprogramming has its own separate
, so it's angelsreachacademyorgprogramming has its own separate
(22:45):
, so it's angelsreachacademyorgand angelsreachorg and our
handles areangelsreachfoundation underscore
on Instagram, on Facebook, andangelsreachacademy.
And they can always contact usat our main office.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
Very cool, so we will , of course, drop a link in the
description to all of thatinformation so we can put this
out into the community andspread the message far and wide
for what you're doing, becauseit really it truly is incredible
, and I really enjoyed learningabout your trajectory, your
story and then all the wonderfulthings that you're doing, not
just in our community but reallyaround the world, which is
(23:18):
fantastic.
So it was great meeting you.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
Thank you, jeremy.
It's wonderful meeting you too,and thank you for what you're
doing.
This podcast is very, veryimpactful, so thank you.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
I appreciate the feedback and thanks, as always,
to our listeners for tuning inand we will catch you all next
time on the next episode of theGood Neighbor Podcast.
Everyone take care, have awonderful day.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
Thanks for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast
Cooper City.
To nominate your favorite localbusiness to be featured on the
show, go to GNPCooperCitycom.
That's GNPCooperCitycom, orcall 954-231-3170.
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