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SAMI AND PASS--HAPPILY INTERTWINED
Our daughter, Sami, first started attending the PASS Day Program when she left school at age 21. She is now 25 years old. As her family, we have seen Sami come out of her cocoon and blossom into a lovely social butterfly-something I didn't dare hope to see. 
Sami had behavior issues during most of the years of her attendance in the school system. School personnel were faced with "How do we get through the day with Sami?" rather than "How do we teach her something today?". Understandably, with the high student to staff ratios in the school system, Sami and her ability to interact with those around her suffered greatly. For whatever reason, during her last few years in the school system she finally quit having behavior issues, but she was still withdrawn and lonely. It made her dad and I quite sad. I credit the low ratio of clients to staff at PASS (3:1) and the loving care and compassion of the caregivers with pulling her out of her shell and enabling her to lead a happy and well adjusted life. They treat her with dignity and compassion. The staff are now mentors as well as friends. Also, she has developed friendships with many of her peers. Her communication skills have vastly improved and she is able to carry on intelligent, babbling conversations with most anyone willing to listen and talk to her. The staff have also helped her to "turn up the volume" when she speaks. While mainstreamed in the school system for four years she learned to whisper so as not to disturb her peers in the classroom because she had a different curriculum. The schools and our family worked hard for 6 years trying to correct the whispering. The staff at PASS have helped her improve the whispers. 
I believe Sami's success mirrors the accomplishments of many of the participants at PASS. It is so rewarding to see the joy in the faces of the program participants as they interact with one another and the staff. I thoroughly enjoy each visit to the Program. Deanna Burris-Sami's mother HELP PASS MAKE A DIFFERENCE Your tax deductible gift will be used to help PASS continue to bless Sami, Deanna, Lyn, Dorothy and many other individuals and families. Your support is especially needed during this 1st quarter of 2007-a very challenging cash-flow time for PASS. We hope to hear from you soon. Warren Rushold-President, PASS 
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- 10700 SE Division St. Portland, OR 97266
- (503) 262-9322
- fax (503) 761-6783