Frontline and Behind the Scenes Support Help Javi Achieve Independence

When Javier Requejo first joined Jubilee his mom had no idea what a big role Jubilee would eventually play in their lives. First came a social skills class, then support in the family home.

Today, Javi lives in his own apartment with Jubilee’s Sandra Esquival. She supports him to live on his own. Javi’s days are filled with sports, volunteering, and outings with his Jubilee friends.

“As I got to know the people here over the years I felt happy to have found Jubilee,” said mom Raquel. I used to have to do it all, and now we have Jubilee helping us.”

Promoting Independence

Javi’s direct support team help him with daily tasks and with community inclusion. Program Manager Daniel Garcia ensures Javi can take the lead on creating the life he wants. The team communicates with Javi and his family in both English and Spanish, which is the family’s first language.

“It can be hard for me to be independent but I like when my staff help me figure out how I can do things on my own. It’s fun,” said Javi.

Sandra is joined by Maria Bhattacharyya and Judith Brzovich in supporting Javi daily. They help him develop his independent living skills and attend community activities with him. Judith emphasizes that Javi’s family instilled strong values in him. The team helps him practice manners and social behaviors to build positive relationships with his friends.

Connecting Friends

Javi and Sandra are frequent participants in Jubilee’s activities for people who do not attend day programs. “Javi is an active participant and he brings ideas to the group that result in fun for all,” said Community Engagement specialist Corey Coby.

Support Behind the Scenes

Back at the Jubilee office, our team keeps things running smoothly for the 200 people who rely on Jubilee to live independently.

Helping Javi maintain affordable housing is Maria Martinez’ role. She works to recertify Javi every year for his apartment and housing voucher. She helped the family open an ABLE account for disability expenses. Maria also stays on top of eligibility for utility and SNAP assistance, which help reduce some of the financial stress associated with living independently.

Securing Medicaid funding is crucial, and Dominique Clark takes lead on that task. She also meets with him to identify life goals that he can work on throughout the year with Sandra. 

Strong relationships like the ones between Javi, his family and his support team are the gold standard at Jubilee. Recruiter Brandon Bell works hard to make quality matches that last between frontline staff and the people they support. The staff then receive training through the Academy at Jubilee.

Jubilee employs five full-time nurses to help manage the complex medical needs of our community. Nurse Carol Sowu trains staff on Javi’s medicines. She also works directly with Javi on making healthy choices and self-management of his medications.

“We realized the importance of preparing Javi for a future when we are not here anymore,” said Raquel. “Other parents told us about Jubilee, and we did our own research. I feel that the spirit of Jubilee is to help people and that they have good ethics. The education Jubilee provide the staff helps set it apart and creates a wonderful environment for Javi.”