Brigitte is her mother’s “sweetheart.”

Long ago, Brigitte was a happy little girl. She loved to draw. Her teachers said she showed great promise in Music and Math.

But then she was diagnosed with Autism.

By the time she was seven, Brigitte had lost her ability to communicate. Her frustration made her increasingly aggressive. By age fourteen, that aggression turned into violence.

Brigitte’s mother, Michelle, lived in fear for her safety and Brigitte’s, too. At night, she’d lock all the doors and sleep with the house keys in her pocket to keep Brigitte from running off.

Michelle desperately wanted to care for her daughter by herself. But she came to the difficult realization that, regardless of how much she loved her “sweetheart,” Brigitte needed more help than she could provide at home.

And that’s when Brigitte and her mother found hope… at The Hope Institute.

Hope’s specialists created individualized learning and behavior modification plans to help Brigitte control her aggression. Now, she can focus on learning, communicating and discovering her own unique potential.

Today, Brigitte is thriving in one of Hope’s community homes. She’s mastering self-help routines like bathing, doing laundry and cleaning up after meals. She’s even learning important job skills at Hope’s vocational workshop!

Michelle is so proud of her daughter’s progress. And she’s so relieved that her “sweetheart” lives in a community that truly accepts her and is devoted to her happiness.

Brigitte’s story is just one of the many hopeful futures for children with disabilities that your support makes possible at The Hope Institute. Your continued caring and generosity is the ultimate valentine – a loving sign of your care for children and families struggling with Autism and other developmental disabilities.

Brigitte, and all of our children, thank you for opening your heart and for bringing Hope into their young lives.

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