Every day at Therapeutic Living and Learning Centers, our Direct Support Professionals show up with care and dedication. TLC is proud to celebrate the individuals who make our Residential Program more than just a place to live. They make it a home.
Direct Support Professionals provide hands-on care that allows adults with disabilities to live with dignity and independence. It is demanding, impactful and extraordinary work.
A Role That Asks for Everything, and Gives Something Back
On any given day, a Direct Support Professional at TLC might:
- Help a resident get ready for the morning
- Prepare meals
- Coordinate a ride to a doctor’s appointment
- Sit and talk after a long day of activities and learning
Each day at TLC, the work calls for patience and a caring hand, whether that is managing a medication schedule or celebrating a resident’s first time trying something new. It asks for constant attention and genuine care, and it is not always easy. But the reward shows up in small moments: a laugh, a skill mastered, a bond built over months or years of showing up for their residents.
In Their Own Words
While Evelyn Artiga has worked at TLC for a little while, the impact of this work is already clear.
“I have been working at TLC for about 2 months, and I already feel incredibly blessed and happy to come to work each day,” said Artiga, Direct Care Staff for the Hilton house. “The best part of my job is ensuring the individuals we support have their needs met and can live as independently as possible.”
For Flor Nicolas, Elkwood Residential Aide, the learning goes both ways.
“The residents teach me as much as I teach them,” Nicolas said. “Their resilience and determination motivate me to be a better person.”
Lisset Gonzalez, Ravitz House Coordinator, finds the reward in connection.
“I love working at TLC because every day I know I am making a difference in someone’s life,” she said. “The bonds I build with the residents are truly rewarding.”
That sense of purpose deepens with time. Jonathan Castillo, now House 2 Coordinator, has spent more than five years at TLC.
“I will never forget where I started,” he said. “Direct care is the foundation of everything we do, and I am proud to have been part of it.”
Mayra Ortega, Lead House Service Coordinator for the Ravitz House, has been with TLC for over 14 years.
“TLC has truly become a second family to me,” Ortega said. “The connections we build with our residents make every day worth it.”
Matthew Awofadeju, Residential Aide Floater, finds the reward in the outcome.
“I come to work every day knowing what we do matters,” he said. “Seeing our residents thrive is the greatest reward.”
Andrew Diaz, House 2 Coordinator, has spent seven years building something that goes beyond a job title.
“I started working here at 18 years old, and after seven years at TLC, I’ve grown to love my residents,” Diaz said. “Some don’t have family, and they have become part of mine.”
For Diana Nuno, Direct Care Staff at Parthenia House, it did not take long to feel like part of the family.
“I love my Parthenia House family,” said Nuno. “The individuals at Parthenia are the best. We help each other, support one another, and work together as a team every day. It’s a wonderful environment, and I’m grateful to be part of such a caring and supportive family.”
To every Direct Support Professional at TLC, thank you. Thank you for the early mornings and late nights, for the small victories celebrated and the hard days pushed through, and for choosing this work, again and again. You are seen, you are valued, and TLC would not be TLC without you.
Become a Direct Support Professional at TLC
Whether someone has been at TLC for weeks or for over a decade, the takeaway from our Direct Support Professionals sounds the same: this work builds something lasting. TLC’s Residential Program depends on people willing to show up with compassion, day after day.
If you are looking for a role where your work truly changes lives, apply for Direct Support Professional openings at TLC and take the first step toward joining our second family.