Imagine!’s Family Recruited Employees (FRE) program puts
families in control of hiring people to take care of and work with their loved
ones. The Oade family found a great fit when they hired Patty Gutierrez to
spend time with their seven-year old son, Cort, every Saturday morning.
Patty works full time as a real estate broker and has always
enjoyed doing something on the side with people. She worked with seniors
as an in home health care provider and also worked with a young girl with cerebral palsy for a
few years, creating meaningful relationships.
Patty found a job posting last fall to work with Cort, who
has autism. “When I saw the job posting, I thought to myself ‘I have no clue how
to work with someone with autism,’ but I wanted to learn how,” said Patty. She
checked out books on autism, including literature by Temple Grandin, prominent
author and speaker on autism. While reading about
autism and getting to know Cort week by week, Patty became more and more
comfortable meeting Cort’s needs.
“Patty is amazing,” said Stephanie Oade, Cort’s mother. “She
manages my son’s behaviors better and better as she gets to know him, and he is
a happy guy when they’re together.”
One example of how Patty goes above and beyond is her efforts to give Cort more social
opportunities by having him attend Sunday school. She is coordinating
with the children’s ministry at her church to find accommodations and knowledgeable care for
Cort so that he can socialize with typical peers in the class room. While
Cort is in Sunday school, his parents will be able to attend church service in
the chapel.
“Patty truly cares about not just my son, but about us too,”
said Stephanie.
We recognize and admire Patty for her efforts to step out of
her comfort zone and build a meaningful relationship with Cort and his family. Thank you, Patty, for your hard work and all you
do!
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