Richmond, Virginia
Vivian’s Dream Team
Pediatric therapists work together to help each child grow
Scotty’s Sweets
Adult Day Support activities spark a new passion for baking
More Than a Job
Mark earns a paycheck while training toward his lifeguard goals
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Camp Baker Makeover
Altria volunteers transform our Chesterfield location
At SOAR365, therapists work as a team—helping one remarkable little girl grow, learn, and thrive.
On a typical day, you can find Vivian riding her tricycle, cheering like a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, or wagging her “tail” dancing with her chihuahuas. But behind her joy is a journey of hard work, determination—and therapy.
Vivian was diagnosed with developmental delays as an infant. At just 14 months old, Vivian started working with SOAR365 physical therapist Sandy Timok. “She went from not being able to sit up to I can’t catch her!” says her mother.
Next, speech therapist Aiyana Doswell-Coles stepped in to help Vivian learn to drink with a straw and communicate. Today, Vivian can say words like “yes,” “no,” “up,” and “juice.” “We’re working on helping her move from those single words into phrases,” says Aiyana.
“Vivian loves seeing her,” says Vivian’s mother. “Every book Aiyana brought her quickly became her favorite and has been read countless times.” In fact, a book about animals unlocked a whole new learning path!
Now, “Vivian can identify animals and make animal noises when you ask,” says her mother. And she found a new hobby— touring aquariums to look at fish and sharks. Vivian is even learning to sing, starting with “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.”
Aiyana is also working with Vivian on school readiness skills, like listening to directions.
“Very honestly, I got her involved in early intervention thinking, ‘What is therapy going to do for such a young child?’ And it made a whole world of difference,” says Vivian’s mother.
“It’s hard to imagine a stranger caring about your child as much as you do. But Sandy and Aiyana care so much! They personally care about her success. I think that speaks volumes,” she adds.
“Working with SOAR365 has been a really great and positive experience.”
Adult Day Support activities lead to new interests and skill-building for Scotty and his friends.
When Scotty first tried baking muffins at SOAR365’s Staples Mill location, he got more than a tasty treat—he found a new passion. Mixing ingredients, following recipes, and sharing baked goods with his friends gave him a sense of pride.
Since then, baking has become one of his favorite activities, and he now leads the baking group of the Adult Day program every other Thursday. “I like baking because it takes my mind off things, and because I get to teach other people,” Scotty explains.
Direct Support Professional (DSP) Evelyn Williams remembers the moment she identified Scotty’s interest. “When he brought in his lunch, he would tell me he cooked it himself,” she says. “The first thing he made here were muffins, and he’s been baking ever since.”
With their support, Scotty has been studying recipes and writing down measurements. He even bought his own measuring cups!
Scotty shares his love of baking with his friends, leading them through each step of a recipe. He tells them when to fill a measuring cup with water, pour oil into the pan, or set the oven to preheat. “By teaching other people, I learn more too,” Scotty says.
Sometimes things don’t go as planned—like the time the group realized they were out of cooking oil, mid-recipe. Luckily, they had applesauce on hand, which delivered the same delicious results. It was a great teaching moment, helping Scotty and his friends learn creative problem-solving.
But Scotty’s favorite part is seeing everyone enjoy what he makes. After each session, participants gather to eat together. “Getting a piece makes me happy,” he says. “And everybody else that helps, it makes them happy, too.”
“Scotty really enjoys leading the group, and the other participants love joining him,” Evelyn says. “It feels good to find something they really enjoy. It’s about encouraging them to try new things and experiencing it together.”
At SOAR365, that spirit of discovery is alive every day, and for Scotty, it’s baked into every muffin, cake and cookie he makes.
Disability employment provides more than just a paycheck—it creates a crucial support system that helps employees and communities thrive.
In Henrico County, it’s a beautiful summer day—sunshine, blue skies, and a lake surrounded by trees and wildlife. But parts of the water are covered in trash.
Luckily, a SOAR365 truck pulls up. It’s Nick and Mac from the Commercial Grounds team. They hop out, pull on waders and get to work. Using gloves and litter pickers, they pull out tires, basketballs, and chunks of styrofoam. They scoop up motor oil bottles, chip bags, and drink cups—filling bag after bag of trash.
SOAR365 Director of Commercial Grounds, Randy Britt, says “it’s uncomfortable, strenuous work but of extremely high value to the government and citizens of Henrico County.” He notes that Nick and Mac’s willingness to jump in “makes them uncommonly special.”
What inspires such hard work and dedication? SOAR365 hires employees with disabilities, including those with substance use disorder (SUD). Stable employment is key to sobriety, but it can be hard to find. Those with SUD often face difficulties with housing or transportation.
At SOAR365, these challenges are supported like any other.
“I’ve never been treated at a company, by management, like I have here,” says Nick, who just celebrated 18 months of sobriety. “If I went to anybody that I work with and said, ‘Look, this is the situation…’ I could count on those people helping me out. And that makes a big difference.” Mac agrees, noting “everybody works together.”
Nick joined SOAR365 as a crew member but has now worked his way up to PartTime Crew Leader. He’s grateful that SOAR365 has given him opportunities to grow. “They were the only ones who gave me a shot,” says Nick.
With encouragement, our employees are motivated to excel—leading to results that impress our clients. In fact, Henrico County has hired SOAR365 to clean lakes, streams, trails and roadsides for over two decades.
“We all need people like Nick and Mac, who have the vision to see an end result and the grit to get it done,” says Randy. At SOAR365, meaningful employment isn’t just changing lives - it’s creating a cleaner community, a stronger workforce, and a future where everyone gets a chance to succeed.
Supported Employment helped Mark find a position doing work he loves while building skills for his dream job.
When you walk into the pool area at the Shady Grove YMCA, you might see Mark hard at work. He cleans the windows, checks the pool’s chemical levels, and makes sure the floor is safe and dry. But Mark is doing more than just his job—he’s also chasing a dream.
Mark came to the YMCA through SOAR365’s Supported Employment program.
“I like working at the Y because it’s fun,” Mark says. “When my work is done, I train in the water because my dream is to become a lifeguard.”
Britt Cope, Senior Aquatic Director at the time, remembers his first meeting with Mark.
“We sat down with Mark, his parents, his job coach, and our staff to talk about what Mark could do and what he wanted,” Britt explains. “Mark’s dream was to be a lifeguard. So, we built a job where he could begin with pool safety and cleaning tasks but also learn
from our instructors. It was exciting to imagine what his job could be.”
Mark’s SOAR365 job coach is also key to his success. Job coaches use tools like visual schedules and checklists, which help Mark stay organized and confident at work.
“Mark is very sharp,” says Chris Martin, Director of Employment Services. “Sometimes he just needs a reminder of what task comes next.” Chris has been excited to see Mark’s growth. “When people like Mark find a job they love, and they get to shine, that’s when we know we’ve done our job too,” says Chris.
“Working with SOAR365 to get this job was great,” says Mark. “They helped me find work that really fit me.”
Mark’s presence also shows YMCA members what the organization’s mantra of “for all” really means.
“It’s important that the people who walk into our building see themselves
in the staff who work here,” Britt says. “By giving opportunities to people with disabilities, we live out our mission and make our community stronger.”
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)! Each year, we celebrate the incredible talents and value that employees with disabilities bring to the workplace. SOAR365 is proud to employ 140 people with disabilities. We also offer Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) to help youth with disabilities gain career skills and Supported Employment to help adults with disabilities find jobs in our community.
Thank you to Altria and the Community Foundation for making this wonderful day possible.
On a sunny September day, SOAR365’s Camp Baker in Chesterfield was buzzing with energy. Employees from Altria rolled up their sleeves for our largest volunteer event ever.
Altria partners with the Community Foundation to match corporate volunteers with meaningful service opportunities across Richmond. Camp Baker was the perfect fit for a largescale event. Altria not only provided volunteers but also funded the project.
“Working with Altria is always a treat,” says Savannah Simonds, Corporate Program Manager with the Community Foundation of Richmond. “They bring the resources and people power needed to make projects possible. It’s so fulfilling to help connect them with nonprofits like SOAR365 and take some of the planning load off, so these wonderful organizations can focus their time and energy where it matters most.”
It was a day of incredible impact. Volunteers painted and reorganized the Lodge and Price House, refreshed campgrounds with mulch and gravel, stained picnic tables, and even assembled brand-new furniture. They also put together LEGO sets for Pediatric Therapy and Adult Day Support and created special holiday therapy kits for children.
In just one afternoon, the group achieved what would have taken our staff weeks to complete. We can’t wait for everyone to enjoy the brighter spaces, safer outdoor areas, and thoughtful therapy resources they created.
“Leading our Altria team at the SOAR365 Camp Baker volunteer event was an amazing experience!” says Elicia Taylor, Altria Contributing Together (act) Ambassador, Senior Manager. “Even in the heat, we tackled landscaping, organized activity spaces, and spruced up the campus—all while building team spirit. Camp Baker’s beautiful grounds and fantastic resources set the perfect stage for us to make a real impact for campers and participants. I’m proud we could add to such a great community, and grateful that act makes it possible for us to give back together.”
“We are so grateful to Altria for their generosity and to the Community Foundation for their partnership,” says John Walker, President & CEO of SOAR365. “This project will help us ensure Camp Baker continues to be a place of joy, rest, and growth for the people we serve.”
Sometimes it’s the people who have received help who know how much it means to give.
That’s true for Katherine Timberlake. “I like to support others because I was supported at important times in my life, and that made a big difference,” she says. That spirit of gratitude has guided her both as a teacher and as a donor to SOAR365. Katherine has also included a legacy gift to SOAR365 in her estate plans. She cares deeply about the work that SOAR365 does, and a legacy gift ensures it continues beyond her lifetime. It also supports her vision for a better future for all members of our community.
For 30 years, Katherine taught at St. Catherine’s School, where she had firsthand experience with SOAR365. Her students helped host dances for SOAR365’s program participants and helped with painting projects at Camp Baker. Those early service projects sparked a lasting personal relationship with the organization.
Over time, Katherine learned more about SOAR365 through visits and program updates. As her interest grew, so did her desire to do what she could to have an impact on individuals with disabilities and their families.
Reflecting on her years in the classroom, Katherine sees a parallel: “SOAR365 is a safe place for a lot of people,” she explains. “It
provides the activities, outings, and friendships that so many of us take for granted.” Just as she once nurtured her students, she now helps ensure that children and adults with disabilities continue to thrive. Katherine smiles when she describes herself as “a very modest little woman.” It’s a phrase she learned from her mother, who passed away in 2020. Katherine was inspired by their heartfelt discussion about what they wanted their legacy to be—but her impact will be anything but “little.”
Katherine’s legacy gift will help create life-fulfilling opportunities for people with disabilities for years to come. She hopes others will consider the same: “Don’t assume somebody else will do it. Each of us can make a lasting difference. You might not be able to do that much, but as long as you do something, you’re making a difference,” says Katherine.
Legacy giving is not only for the wealthy or financially savvy! Naming SOAR365 in your will or as the beneficiary of a retirement account, IRA, life insurance policy, or trust is a simple process. Legacy gifts are personal, allowing you to express what you stand for. By including SOAR365 in your estate plans, you continue creating opportunities for individuals with disabilities far into the future.
Please contact Dana Wilson, Director of Major Gifts, for more information at (804) 665-1213 or dana.wilson@soar365.org.
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3600 Saunders Avenue Richmond, VA 23227 (804) 358-1874
Join us at SOAR365’s Summer Camp! Here, kids and adults with disabilities can explore 22+ wooded acres of fun. June 7 – August 14, 2026 AGES 6 AND UP
