As we mark Direct Support Professionals Week, we wanted to show what makes our DSPs so special, so we asked the people who know them best: Job Path participants.

Salsa lessons, museums, restaurants, karaoke. The Museum of Ice Cream, movies, holiday parties. Jacob W. and Self Direction DSP Maria Mercado have held quite a packed schedule since they started working together in 2022.
He says he loves that she’s always up for an adventure. “Maria guides me with scheduling and engaging in fun activities,” Jacob says. “In addition, she is kind, and one of my role models because she handles situations well and she’s caring, resilient, and also she’s someone I can share a meal and my feelings with.”Jacob and Maria at what looks like a Halloween party where Maria is wearing fairy ears and growling. When asked what he appreciates most about Maria, Jacob breaks into song, quoting the famous line from the musical West Side Story – “Maria/I’ll never stop saying Maria,” before adding: “Her empathy, her kindness, and also we understand each other.”

Shawn R., who works as an office assistant for a nonprofit in Midtown says she is “honored, happy, and blessed” to have her DSP job coach, Kateryna Korobkina, who works in the Employment Program. Shawn, seen here on the right, has been supported by Job Path in a variety of office roles since 2012 and has been at her current job for three years. Kat has been with Job Path for almost a year and a half, and the two hit it off immediately. “Kat is super supportive of my work, and happy for me and for all the important work I have done at my office,” Shawn says. “I am still so happy to be with Kat these days, as she is still my new partner at my job site. Kat is supportive and encouraging as I continue to perform all my jobs individually.”

Since Leroy J. and DSP Gideon Helf started together in Job Path’s Community Connections in April 2024, they’ve explored dozens of different neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs. One day they walked from Astoria, Queens to Williamsburg, Brooklyn. 20k steps in a day is routine.
Leroy (seen in the photo walking in front) says that during their journeys they talk about music, movies, everything they see along the way. They also play basketball and go to the gym. A man of few words, when asked what he thinks about Gideon, Leroy smiles and says, “He’s all right.”
“From Leroy,” Gideon says with a laugh, “that’s high praise, and I appreciate it. Thanks Leroy!”

Not all people communicate with words. Nina G. is one of them, but it’s not hard to understand how she feels about Job Path DSP Neaneh Stephens. Nina, seen here on the left, has lived in one of Job Path’s Supported Living apartments for more than 20 years, and Neaneh has supported her for the past seven.
As soon as Neaneh walks through the door, Nina smiles, rocks, and giggles. (She stomps or groans when something displeases her.) She takes Neaneh by the hand to lead where she wants to go. In addition to the routine rhythms of daily life – eating, dressing, self-care – they celebrate holidays with Nina’s roommates, and explore the city when the weather is nice. They listen to her favorite radio station – Lite FM – or Neaneh reads to her, usually with Nina lounging on her favorite recliner.
Recently their reading list included a romance novel, and memoir written by a man who was a nonverbal child. They also read the Oliver Sacks book “Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain,” which explores the beautiful and mysterious connections between music and all the complexities of the human condition.

Jose G. works with Anson Chan in our Community Connections program and they’ve developed a special bond over Improv lessons, financial budgeting sessions, and just hanging out.