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I felt my body’s muscles suddenly tense up as I walked into the gym. It filled up to near capacity with children running around while screaming at the top of their lungs. As the teacher instructed me to keep an eye on them while he took his break, I wondered what I had gotten myself into. Little did I know that my experience at the Janet Pomeroy Center, a place with different programs offered to individuals with disabilities, would inspire me to see the importance of looking past physical incapabilities and create genuine, lasting relationships.

My job as a volunteer consisted of being available to assist the main teachers, passing out snacks, and thinking of different art activities for the children coping with Autism and Down Syndrome. At first, I was worried that I wouldn’t find the strength to open up to them, but I soon learned that they did most of that work. Each and every child showed me his or her sweet, caring personality combined with a welcoming attitude. They weren’t afraid to be themselves with the volunteers who were complete strangers to them. As I started to develop friendships with these individuals, I found myself anxiously waiting for the 2:20 school dismissal bell because it signaled me to run over to the center. Sometimes, I brought little goodies for the children to munch on, which was always returned with a sincere, grateful smile.

What started as a hope for an easy completion of forty service hours, developed into an experience that opened my eyes to the fact that I cannot let a disability define a person. I do not remember Sydney as the child with Autism, but as the young girl who loves Dr. Seuss and chocolate-covered peanuts. Allowing myself to connect with them on a personal level gave these kids a chance to show me who they really were at heart. Once I tore down my wall of fear and distance, the notion of “us and them” also crumbled to pieces. I cultivated new friendships with amazing people, which has expanded my world greatly. Treating individuals with disabilities the same way I treat everyone else brought a miracle into my life. When I was younger, I never took the time to develop a strong friendship with my 7 year-old cousin Daniel, a boy born with Down Syndrome. I felt uncomfortable around him because I was always afraid of saying the wrong thing that held the potential to offend him. After my experience in the Janet Pomeroy Center, I now visit him more in one week than I ever have before. My appreciation of his lovable character and innocent curiosity towards the world around him only grew once I looked past the Down Syndrome.

I strongly advocate this message to anyone who sincerely hopes to make a difference. My words can only explain so much, and the only way to experience these same emotions is to meet these remarkable people firsthand. As a person truly blessed with the gift of health, I feel an obligation to make sure the disabled feel genuinely loved. Spreading this love is so important to me because it lets them feel a sense of community that allows them to achieve anything. And although this idea might just appear as a small dent of change, it’s still one change in that person’s day, month, or year. That alone is enough for me.

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Visit the Janet Pomeroy Center online, and see how you can get involved with their organization, or a similar one near you.