11 Days of Giving: Annual non-profit campaign kicks off with My Possibilities
NORTH TEXAS - It's the season of giving, and CBS News Texas is partnering with Tom Thumb-Albertsons to highlight 11 nonprofits that give back to their communities year-round.
Our first organization is My Possibilities, a North Texas nonprofit that helps adults with intellectual disabilities tap into their true potential. It's a continuing education, vocational training, and job placement program.
"People don't always focus on and think of individuals with intellectual disabilities in the employment space," said Shelley Crowder, the chief program officer at MP. "We want to provide access and opportunities to our HIPsters so they can show what they're capable of."
The students are called HIPsters, which stands for Hugely Important People.
"It started with an idea that we as mothers were going to start something for our children," said Charmaine Solomon, founder of MP.
Solomon founded the nonprofit 15 years ago when her son Kyle was about to graduate from high school.
"And they were like, 'oh Charmaine, Kyle is graduating – what are you going to do with Kyle?' And I was like, 'oh my gosh, I don't know – what am I going to do with Kyle?' And that began that discussion," she said.
MP opened with just 10 students in 2008. Today, the organization serves more than 600 people.
"Just because these individuals might look different, act differently, they are just as capable," said Solomon. "They have gifts and talents. They can work. They're the best employees ever."
HIPster Jeffrey Lau is grateful for the way the organization prepared him for his current job.
"My duties are stocking drinks and computer work, data entry, and I've been working for about four years," he said.
Lau thinks the best part of MP is the friendships he's made.
"Every time I come here, three days a week, they're really kind and nice and all that," Lau said. "Always brighten my day."
It truly takes a village to help HIPsters realize their full potential.
"We need people to come and be a part of that village," said Solomon. "The more money we raise, the more individuals we can serve."
CBS News Texas got to tell MP that our friends at Tom Thumb-Albertsons want to show their support with a $1,000 donation to ensure HIPsters get every opportunity to let their possibilities shine.
MP plans to add five more buildings to its 20-acre campus in Plano, including dorms and a sports complex. The goal is to double the amount of people the organization can serve.
