It's National Direct Support Professional Recognition Week and we're celebrating by shining the spotlight on some of our staff members. Matt Gross is the Assistant Supervisor of a residence in Port Washington. Here, he reflects on his work as a DSP and on the meaningful connections that he has made:

"Our shared humanity is our greatest strength," said Matt Gross, an Assistant Supervisor at a Port Washington residence.

I’ve held a number of jobs since I was first old enough to receive my working papers. And whether they were minimum-wage or salaried; in retail, food services, or education; been full-time or part-time; they rarely, if ever, were much more than a weigh station between more consequential endeavors or meant much more than a paycheck. 

When I first took a job with YAI it was as a part-time PM Counselor at a residence in Port Washington. I had no prior experience working in the field. I wasn’t particularly confident I would be of much help to the veteran staff, let alone the residents, who had no reason to trust or interact with me at all. But I quickly learned, trust and hospitality are YAI’s stock-in-trade. 

The speed with which I was able to form a rapport with each resident and the relative strength of those connections given the brief nature of our initial interactions was incredible. By the end of my first day I had already discovered parallels in my life with men and women several decades older than me, from vastly different backgrounds, and with distinctly dissimilar sensibilities.

It’s been over three years since I joined YAI, and though my position and responsibilities have changed since then, my enthusiasm and love for the work I do have remained as constant as that first day working as a DSP. And reflecting now on my time working here, I can say a few things for certain. 

My experience is in no way exceptional or even uncommon. I would venture to guess the vast majority of people who work for this agency do so in part, if not primarily, for the chance to make a difference in the lives of the people we serve. It is very near impossible to work in this profession without forming meaningful relationships with the guys or taking a personal interest in the issues and policies that affect their lives. 

Secondly, our shared humanity is our greatest strength. During my tenure at YAI, I have had the good fortune to view, first-hand, the spectrum of disability, each cross-section blending into the next, irrespective of the boundaries we may try to draw. We are more alike than different, regardless of any disparities in cognitive or physical ability. And it is a testament to the universal nature of the human condition that we can recognize the inherent worth and value of every individual no matter how different they might act or appear. 

Working at YAI is a job quite unlike any other. To witness the people I serve overcome obstacles and attain new skills is a job perk few professions can offer. And though playing even a minor role in those accomplishments is sufficiently rewarding, to say it’s the only benefit of the position would be inaccurate. 

Assisting in the development and growth of these diverse and vibrant individuals is more self-fulfilling than I care to admit. At best, any insight they might gain from their collaborations with me is an even trade, because I’m in equal parts impressed and inspired by their strength and adaptability in the face of new challenges. The willpower and unbridled optimism of many of our guys is astounding and a welcome reminder of the inner strength we all possess to succeed in the face of seemingly overwhelming hardships. 

In the past few years I’ve watched residents battle illnesses, hospitalizations, loss of mobility, dietary changes, and cognitive decline. I’ve seen residents struggle to adjust to new living situations, navigate family issues, and deal with interpersonal conflict. And, most difficult of all, I’ve seen a resident, and dear friend, grapple with the final stages of a terminal disease and death. But through it all I’m comforted by the knowledge that I’ve done everything in my power to ease their burdens and, more importantly, celebrate their victories. And that means much more than a paycheck.