Congratulations, Isaac

Isaac Marin, Assistant Site Supervisor at the Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont, was recently nominated for an Alliance Direct Support Professional of the Year Award. The winner of this award will be announced Wednesday, February 19, at Alliance’s Awareness Day for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities at the Denver Art Museum. Below is information from his nomination that demonstrates why he was nominated for this prestigious award. Congratulations Isaac, and good luck! 

Isaac Marin (left), seen here being honored with a "Hero Award" from Charles Family SmartHome site supervisor Chris DiRosa, has been nominated for a prestigious Alliance Direct Support Professional of the Year Award.

Isaac Marin has been a Direct Support Professional with Imagine! since 2008. At that time, Isaac worked at a group home where five adolescent boys in the foster care system lived. The residents at the home frequently had a difficult time managing their behavior, and helping them to find replacement behaviors for intrusive, dangerous outbursts was on ongoing issue. One of Isaac’s coworkers commented that during outbursts by the residents, Isaac’s calm yet firm demeanor was instrumental in helping the residents successfully redirect themselves. Isaac also made himself available to his coworkers to help them process what had occurred when things calmed down. His positive attitude helped his coworkers to recognize that their efforts were valuable.

Another piece of this story is that Isaac made one of the foster children in the house his apprentice carpenter. This resident had many skills with carpentry, along with a genuine interest in that sort of work, but due to his behavioral challenges, he had not been successful with obtaining or maintaining employment. As Isaac’s apprentice, he learned valuable job skills in a safe, controlled environment, making minor repairs at the group home. The consumer, who is now a young adult, is able to include on his resume that he has experience as an apprentice carpenter because of Isaac.

Isaac currently works at the Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont. His supervisor, Chris DiRosa, said, “Issac has been an incredible resource to those he serves at the home. Isaac ensures that doctor appointments, adaptive technology usage, and direct care needs are accomplished in an above and beyond manner. Isaac regularly coordinates and completes extra community outings and constantly meets emotional and friendship needs along with direct care needs. One of Isaac’s strong suits is that he encourages independence and helps those he serves by helping them help themselves in tasks and responsibilities that residents are able to complete.”

During the flood in September, there was a weekend where a lot of things went wrong with staffing at the house and Isaac did an exceptional job with helping in any way that he could to get staff to cover shifts and to be proactive with covering the house.

Isaac’s most recent noteworthy effort was just a month ago when he missed attending a Denver Broncos game against the San Diego Chargers that he had a ticket for, due to a direct care immediate need. He wasn't scheduled to work, but he went ahead and helped a co-worker take a resident to a seating/wheelchair appointment in Englewood. The appointment went far past the scheduled time frame and when they got back to the group home, it was too late for Isaac to attend the game. And Isaac handled this with grace and good cheer. Once again, Isaac placed his service to others above his own plans. Isaac is a great asset to the team, and an example of fantastic servanthood to the community we serve.

Anthony, who lives at the house told us, “I like Isaac, he’s funny.” Isaac summed up his outlook on being a Direct Support Professional by saying, “I really enjoy what I do..........I Love it.”