Learning from Human Supporters
This DSP Week and all year long, we can learn from our human supporters, our team of professionals who work on the front lines, providing direct support care, education, case management services, and clinical or therapeutic services.
September 9, 2025
Celebrating the Selfless
By Rich Bobby
It’s “a calling,” – that’s how many describe it. A calling to do something more profound than caring for oneself. The ability to be selfless and dedicate one’s life and career to service. Serving people who may not be independent enough to care for themselves physically, emotionally, or behaviorally. Caring for people who may not always be able to say, “thank you.”
This DSP Week and all year long, we can learn from our human supporters, our team of professionals who work on the front lines, providing direct support care, education, case management services, and clinical or therapeutic services. Their job title may be a Direct Support Professional (DSP), a paraprofessional, a case manager, or a therapist in many different therapeutic modalities. But job titles can be limiting, as they do not fully describe the long-lasting, positive impact these professionals have on individuals’ lives.
Other human supporters include our other staff, volunteers, donors, elected officials, corporate sponsors, Board of Directors, and families.
Regardless of the job title or role someone holds at Little City, everyone plays a part in contributing to the organization’s mission and vision. The core aspect of these supportive roles is a shared commitment to building meaningful relationships with those they assist. And one fundamental principle unites them all; they bring the gift of meaning.
We can all learn from those who dedicate their lives to supporting and empowering others. Human service supporters do not question the belief systems of those they support, what political party they belong to, where they grew up, who raised them, their life choices, whom they love, or their identity. They focus on what they do best: support, empower, and give the gift of meaning. In return they receive back the gift of meaning themselves.
Who can we support and empower today? Most especially, who can we lend a hand to whether through the gifts of our time, talent, or treasure? Who can we help without expecting or asking for anything in return, other than the most profound gift of meaning?