Gallery • 8 Photos

Jonmarcus Burnette

The model poses for his adoring fans.

Before the founding of Our Hearts Day Habilitation Center many families struggled with finding the means to take care of loved ones with special needs. Usually these circumstances led families to quit jobs, pay out of pocket for a sitter or place loved ones in adult daycares not equipped to take care of individuals with special needs. Both the Lewisville and Lancaster centers are family-like environments where special needs individuals receive the education and socialization they would get in a school setting, while being accepted for who they are.

It is sometimes assumed by those who have never experienced raising a special needs child that this situation is an obstacle that can never be overcome. But with the help of others, it is proven to be more than just possible.

“I think we all have challenges with all children,” mother of a special needs child and model Linda Creme said. “[Children with] disabilities [are] just a little bit different, but they’re all a blessing in their own way; it’s a different challenge, but it’s the same challenge – it’s raising a child.”

The centers emphasize that it is important to reach out to others who have been through similar experiences when faced with unexpected challenges, and finding support in others will not only benefit one internally, but all involved. Reaching out to other families facing the same financial and emotional hardships will help alleviate some of the issues that put pressure in everyday lives.

“The child can be your biggest blessing or your greatest heartache, it’s the parents who have to make that decision,” mother Michelle Norwood said. “So if you decide early that [your] child is going to be your greatest reward, that’s how you’ll go through life. You’ll go through life like we do: happy, smiling, taking it with a grain of salt just flying by the seat of our pants. But if you decide that [your] baby is your greatest heartache you got a long, long road ahead of you. So when you find out that you’re in this situation feel blessed about it, and move that direction.”

The centers hold multiple fundraising events throughout the year; the most recent was the Feb. 4 fashion show starring their own special needs clients as models. Marshalls sponsored the event by providing the clothing and accessories models used on the runway. It featured a spring collection with vibrant colors and floral decorations.

“Yes, I love [my outfit],” model Zeila Boyant said. “My mom bought it.”

Our Hearts Habilitation Center helps instill the notion that those with special needs do not need to conform to what society sees them as. The only thing that matters is how they view themselves.

“We are serving mentally challenged teens and adults,” coordinator Lala Guseynova said. “[We held this event so] that we could let our clients be themselves [and] be beautiful regardless of their disabilities.”

Models walked through the scenery of flowers when their names were called by Guseynova. They would occasionally sit down in the chair located in the front of the set. During the intermission, a former employee of the center sang “You Raise Me Up” by Josh Groban because of the inspiration she always felt from the clients at the center.

“I thought it was awesome seeing [my daughter] on stage,” Creme said. “I was actually there with her so being able to participate and help her on stage was amazing. But the focus was really on them and the fact that we’ve had this fundraiser. This is the first time that they’re actually involved in it which is a blessing.”

Other than fundraising events, the center asks for donations and volunteers who are willing to give their time to benefit the lives of those who attend Our Hearts. The centers are in need of donations such as art supplies, cooking and cleaning products, and larger items which include laptops, baby gates, pianos or keyboards.

“We are [a] nonprofit organization, [and] we are in desperate need for [a] newer van so we can pick up our clients from their homes and bring them to our center,” Guseynova said. “So, all of the profits will go towards a down payment for a van.”

The fashion show was such a success that plans are in the process to make this an annual event. By raising money, the center can expand its reach to families in need. Finding support in the community and among others in similar situations is essential to thrive in an ever-changing society.

“[For those with special needs children] the first thing I would say is get all the support that you can through the government,” Creme said. “Get on every waiting list you can because there’s a lot of money that can come from the state to help you with what you’re doing. That’s the first thing because the waiting lists are really, really long. Second thing I would say is just kind of get yourself involved with other people that have special needs [children] as a support group. And don’t be afraid to get out there and just be part of the community.”