TRI-CITIES, Wash. – The Columbia Ability Alliance (CAA) has been a vital part of the community for over 60 years, working to connect adults with physical and mental disabilities. This month, CAA launched a new initiative, the Nexus Youth Club, to further support the community.
Janel Miles, the Chief Financial Officer at CAA, shared her excitement about the new program. Miles’s son, who has autism, is one of the first participants in the Nexus Youth Club.
She explained the importance of the program for her son. “And one of the things that he struggles with is social connection. So this really gives him a safe space to make friends feel like part of a community,” said Miles.
The Nexus Youth Club aims to provide a safe environment for youth with disabilities to socialize and develop skills outside of school. “So it’s great to come and have, you know, our professionals that work here, help him engage and give him tools and, you know, push him to communicate and make friends,” Miles said.
As a working mother, Miles appreciates the peace of mind the club offers. “I don’t have that time after school to help, you know, help him create those skills,” she said.
“But the Guardian knows that their loved one is being taken care of and that they can kind of have that mental break for a bit.” said another CAA employee.
The Columbia Ability Alliance continues to make a difference in people’s lives by providing essential programs like the Nexus Youth Club.
