Joseph Macbeth:

As direct support professionals, the holidays can often feel busy and stressful. The reality is that many of you will be working on Thanksgiving, and I want to acknowledge the incredible commitment that represents.

I truly hope you find time to be with your family and loved ones—to eat, drink, laugh, and share love. But my deepest wish for you this Thanksgiving is that you also take a moment for yourselves and simply be.

In many ways, Thanksgiving is the most pure and simple of holidays: a time to reflect and enjoy a meal. Please know that the millions of people with disabilities and their families who rely on your essential work are deeply grateful—even if they don’t always say it.

From my heart to yours, I wish you peace, happiness, and a moment of calm this holiday season.

Desiree Loucks Baer:

Earlier this year, the NADSP held our bi-annual conference in Buffalo, NY. As we kicked off this event, I was approached by a DSP who shared that she had recently received her DSP-3 certification through the NADSP E-Badge Academy. Her enthusiasm for the opportunity to grow in her career as a DSP and the pride in her achievement not only set the tone of the conference for me, but it reinforced the reason I love my job and the work we do at NADSP. It was a boost that stayed with me.

As I reflect on this DSP’s story and the stories I have heard from other DSPs and the organizations that support them, I am grateful to be part of a movement that promotes professional development and the recognition of this very important workforce. I believe the work we do at NADSP is important to the supports provided to people with disabilities. Having worked in the field for more than 40 years, I appreciate how far we have come to get to a place where states are starting to encourage DSP certification and the professional development that goes with it.

Thank you to all the DSPs who will be working this holiday season, giving your best to help those you work with to have a meaningful season. Your work does not go unnoticed. I appreciate each one of you.

Garrett Cole:

It’s been an exhausting year. I’m tired and my reserves are running low. I see people being stripped of support networks and systems and expected to make do with less. But I am grateful that I am able support NADSP in its mission. Reading testimonials and survey responses of E-Badge Academy participants gives me hope that in spite of the challenges in today’s world, people truly care for each other and are making meaningful individual impacts. I hope that you can recognize positive impact you’re having on the people around you.

Dan Hermreck:

As always, I am thankful for the work of DSPs across the country. NADSP’s E-Badge Academy gives the NADSP staff a chance to hear directly from DSPs and their supervisors about the work they are most proud of. While the human service system, and DSPs themselves, are facing many challenges that must be acknowledged and addressed, so much amazing support work continues to occur.

The E-Badge Academy would not be possible without the contributions of hundreds of people: the reviewers who choose to dedicate some of their time to providing both validation and feedback to DSPs, the local administrators who provide DSPs with the support they need to be successful, and our growing team at NADSP as well. I hope everyone involved (and everyone else as well) takes at least a little bit of time to relax and enjoy the holiday.

John Raffaele:

I am grateful for my family and my dogs. I am grateful for a decent health status as an almost 60-year-old man. I am grateful for what I consider to be an abundant life.  I am continually thankful for the opportunity to work with so many mission-driven people in a job and with an organization that allows me to share my passion for diversity, equity and inclusion. As a human being, and as a social worker, I am so lucky to wake up every day and do something that matters, something that makes a difference and something that I am proud of.  I hope what we do at the NADSP makes the world a better place for all.

Nicole DamaPoleto:

I always love reading our team’s reflections. Maybe it’s cheesy but it makes me think about our work and everyone’s journey to be here. One thing I’d be remiss to share is my gratitude this year is to recognize our team. In a time of grief earlier this year, folks showed up for me and supported me in a way that still makes me a little bit weepy.

DSPs – Thank you for your work, not just today but on those days when you may think no one notices how impactful you are. We see you. As a family member of someone who receives supports – thank you for everything you do to support families like mine.

Turkey day is always a time for me to reflect on the past year. Gratitude is a practice that I always love to do. It reminds me that even in dark times, we can find light.

Janet Wilson:

Although Thanksgiving is often thought of as a family holiday, to some it is an occasion to remember to give back to our community in return for all that the community has given us. There are people struggling this year, and as a community we need to step up, come together, and make sure everyone has food on their table throughout the year.

This season reminds us that gratitude is more than a feeling — it is an action. It is the warmth we extend to others, the kindness we share, and the support we offer to our neighbors who need it most.

As we gather around our own tables, may we also keep in our hearts those who are facing hardship. Let this be a time when compassion becomes our common purpose and generosity becomes our shared tradition.

Wishing everyone a Thanksgiving filled with warmth and kindness.

Susan Arwood:

Thanksgiving is such a wonderful time to reflect on what we are grateful for. I see gratitude as a practice and if practiced well it is a key to a satisfying life. In today’s uncertain world there are too many things we can find to be unhappy about. An attitude of gratitude is about experiencing joy from what is present in our lives, instead of what is absent, the love of family and friends, meaningful work, the security of a roof over our heads and food on the table, good health, the opportunity to help make the lives of others just a little better.  The possibilities are endless with the right mindset.

Kathy Brown:

I continue to be blessed with the gift of understanding what it means to be truly grateful. Not just at Thanksgiving but each day. When the sun rises and sets, I purposefully focus on all that I have and all that I am grateful for that day. My family and their well-being, body, mind and spirit as well as myself. For that I am truly grateful. I continue to be grateful to be working with people who passionately believe, as I do, that all people deserve to be happy and live the life of their choosing, that the DSPs are the foundation of that truth for the people they support, and that I can support and advocate for those DSPs to be able to do that role with pride, dignity, and with quality.

Wishing you all the gift of gratitude and the blessing of hope this Thanksgiving!

James Baptiste:

There is a lot happening right now, or at least it feels that way. Moments of steadiness and stillness seem to grow farther and farther apart. It makes practicing gratitude more intentional for me.

This year has brought a great deal of personal growth with many twists and turns and, unfortunately, many moments of doubt. Yet even in those moments, I am grateful for all of the experiences. In the midst of the chaos, I feel I have found a deeper connection to my faith and a stronger trust in what is ahead. I am grateful for my family and friends who are watching me transform into something new, and for the space they give me to process my thoughts, feelings, and decisions. I am grateful for the home I live in, the dishes in the sink, the clothes in the hamper, and even the things that make me uncomfortable. I am grateful that each day I wake up and take a deep breath. I am grateful for the peace I have begun to find within myself.

I am grateful for all the people, places, and things that have surrounded me with enough support and safety to be me.

Brian Gelb:

So much to be thankful for this year. I’ve had the opportunity to grow professionally into a role that allows me to work with so many talented people across the country. Being part of a team dedicated to supporting Direct Support Professionals as they reach certification means the world to me.

Personally, I’m grateful for my family—which now includes a dog who gets to call us his forever home. Last year, I said I often feel like the luckiest person in the world. This year has only confirmed that feeling even more.

Wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Jen Muller:

As I reflect on the past year, one word resonates deeply – Fortunate.

The opportunity to help elevate Direct Support Professionals nationwide through my role at NADSP has been nothing short of a dream. The energy and inspiration from our bi-annual conference in September continues to inspire me, serving as a powerful reminder of the purpose behind our work. Connecting with so many dedicated DSPs from across the country was an experience I will always cherish. The impact you’ve made on my heart fuels my passion and commitment each day, reinforcing the significance of our shared mission.

The word fortunate beautifully captures the warmth and gratitude I feel for my family. My oldest daughter (11) is thriving—fully immersed in her passions for competitive cheer and volleyball. The months ahead will be filled with travel across the country, cheering her on as she shines in her element. My youngest will celebrate her first birthday this December. Watching her discover the world and witnessing her personality unfold has been a true joy. The growing bond between my two daughters is a daily reminder of life’s most precious gifts. I’m also deeply grateful for my parents, who remain our steadfast supporters and the most loving grandparents. Their presence and encouragement mean the world to us.

As I look ahead to the coming year, my heart is full of anticipation and appreciation. A heartfelt thank you to all the incredible Direct Support Professionals—your dedication and impact do not go unnoticed. You inspire me every single day.