Imagine how alone and scared Sonia felt when she learned her youngest son, Luis (1 yr), had cerebral palsy. She immediately got early intervention services from Aspire for her one year old, and Aspire pointed her to Early Head Start (EHS) home visits. Heather, a Lynn Economic Opportunity Inc. (LEO) EHS home visitor, guided Luis toward age appropriate tasks, and Sonia began to consider Heather a trustworthy mentor.
When Luis transitioned to LEO’s center-based care, Sonia anxiously lingered at drop-off time, cautious and fearful he might not get the right care. At the time, he didn’t nap, ran around the classroom and threw toys. He couldn’t sit through circle time or table meals. In just two months, he was fully participating. Says Sonia, “I’m the happiest mother in the world! He progresses every single day. Early Head Start has filled me with faith and hope. I want others to know about what LEO can do, and I want to give back for how they’ve helped my family.”