Southern Oregon Aspire

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving from Southern Oregon Aspire! 🦃

Today, we’re giving thanks for the incredible individuals we support and the dedicated team who stands beside them every day. Their strength, joy, and unique gifts inspire us and enrich our entire community.

We’re grateful for the opportunity to champion inclusion and empower choice.

Wishing you a Thanksgiving filled with connection and gratitude.

11/26/2025

Arianna Finding Her Confidence ✨

When Arianna first moved into Oregon House, she often kept to herself. The world felt intimidating, and anxiety made even small interactions difficult. But little by little, surrounded by newfound freedom and people who believed in her, Arianna began to open up.

She learned new skills—using the bus, budgeting for groceries, sewing, and crafting beautiful resin art. She began volunteering at Asante Hospital, where one day she noticed an elderly woman sitting alone. Arianna gently asked if she needed help, arranged a ride home, and waited until she was safely on her way.

That moment reflected how far Arianna had come—from being unsure of her place in the world to being a confident, compassionate helper in her community. Today, Arianna proudly expresses her identity, creates her own art, and continues writing her first book. With acceptance and support, she’s found not only her voice, but her freedom to use it.

Aspire Forward – Help Us Ensure the Future ⏩

Our work is about people like Arianna, and walking alongside them with their ever-evolving journey. But creating real change takes numerous resources—resources that are increasingly being restricted. Your support ensures that individuals like Arianna can continue building confidence, independence, and a future they choose.

❤️ Give a Gift Today: soaspire.org/forward

11/25/2025

Nikolai is looking forward to obtaining a community job soon and is currently participating in our Discovery program, where he’s exploring his skills and job interests at local business partners’ assessment sites. 🔍 Through the program, he’s discovered that stocking and working at an ice cream shop are at the top of his list. 🍦

Nikolai is passionate about animals and helping others. He also enjoys building LEGO sets and watching YouTube.

Thank you to our business partners who serve as assessment sites for all of the individuals in our Discovery program. Providing a supportive environment for them to explore workplace skills and interests is truly invaluable!

11/20/2025

🌟 Aspire Forward — Help Us Ensure the Future

For 50 years, Southern Oregon Aspire has stood beside adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities—walking with them through every milestone, challenge, and new beginning. Today, we support over 130 individuals as they build meaningful lives filled with independence, connection, and opportunity.

🤝 But the road ahead requires all of us.

With government funding shrinking and essential services under threat, unrestricted gifts are more vital than ever. Your support allows us to respond to urgent needs in real time—providing safe and accessible homes, adaptive equipment, transportation, and the resources that help each person thrive.

✨ Your gift directly supports:
• Accessible, affordable housing
• Adaptive & mobility equipment
• Transportation solutions
• Recreation and personal items that support wellbeing

This season, help us ensure a future full of dignity and choice for the people we serve!

❤️ Join us. Give a gift. Aspire Forward. 🔗 soaspire.org/forward/

Stay tuned as we share inspiring individual stories over the coming weeks—showing exactly how your generosity changes lives!

Real change takes more than compassion—it takes resources, accessibility, and dedicated people. Join us in ensuring a more inclusive future.

11/11/2025

Recently, our very own DSP, Brittney Berg, was honored as a Work of Heart recipient at the 2025 ORA - Oregon Resource Association conference. ❤️🥳 Alongside 20 other Oregon DSPs, Brittney was recognized for her extraordinary dedication to helping individuals thrive.

Her work truly exemplifies what it means to support individuals in leading meaningful, empowered lives—each and every day. Brittney supports five women and is a trusted, dependable presence in their home. She consistently fosters a safe and supportive environment where each person feels valued and respected. The women she supports seek her out for guidance, encouragement, and to share both their celebrations and challenges.

Brittney doesn’t just provide support—she uplifts others, helping them recognize their strengths and inspiring them to pursue their goals with confidence.

Brittney, on behalf of our entire team, we want to say that you are deeply deserving of this honor, and we are so proud to have you as part of our Aspire Team. ❤️

11/05/2025

🎃 We had such a wonderful time dressing up and celebrating together at our annual Trunk or Treat! It’s always a special opportunity to come together as a community and share a little festive fun.

We hope your Halloween celebrations were filled with joy and creativity.
❤️ A big thank you to Encompass Person Centered for joining us and helping make this year’s event one to remember.

10/24/2025

We are honored to be recognized as one of the Top 100 Best Nonprofits to Work For in Oregon — for the fifth consecutive year! 🏆

The heart and drive of our staff, day in and day out, is what brings our mission to life for the individuals we support. This year’s staff quotes say it best:

“Each and every single person believes in our mission and shows it each day in the work they are doing,” one employee shared. ❤️
“This entire organization is built on a foundation of compassion, integrity, and a commitment to making a meaningful impact,” said another.

Congratulations to all the wonderful nonprofits included in the Oregon Business list this year! We’re proud to be in such good company among those providing I/DD services.

10/21/2025

Lynette and Charles are celebrating 31 years of marriage with a meal out and the joy of each other’s company! If you’ve been around Aspire for a while, these two are familiar faces. The Ponders love staying active in the community and enjoying the occasional getaway.

Congratulations on 31 years—here’s to many more!

10/18/2025

🎉 We had a truly unforgettable time celebrating our 50th anniversary last Saturday at our Golden Gala! ✨

The evening was filled with laughter, meaningful reflection, and inspiring stories that honored our journey — and the incredible people who made it all possible. From reliving key moments in our history to celebrating the vibrant individuals we serve today, it was truly a night to remember.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who joined us in marking this incredible milestone. Fifty years of changing lives has only been possible thanks to the ongoing support of our community partners, donors, dedicated staff — and most importantly, the individuals we support every day.

Here’s to the next 50 years of growth, service, and community partnership!

🙌 A special thank you to our generous sponsors who made this event possible:
Title Sponsor: Pacific Power
Herb Pharm
Pacific Botanicals
Hart Insurance Agency
Caveman Kiwanis
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Rogue Valley
Evergreen Federal Bank
Century 21 J.C. Jones American Dream
Roe Motors
Board President Jim Hamilton