Community programs have become a big part of Benji and Giulietta's lives, especially since they are no longer in school. When school ended, we knew it wasn't enough to simply fill their schedules. We wanted them to continue learning, building relationships, contributing to their communities, and developing the skills that would help them lead meaningful and independent lives. Over the years, community programs have helped create that foundation. For Benji, this has included o

For Benji and Giulietta, employment has never been about simply filling time or having somewhere to go during the day. Work has become an important part of who they are. Like everyone else, Benji and Giulietta want to be involved in their communities, contribute in meaningful ways, and have responsibilities that matter. Employment provides opportunities to do all of those things while continuing to build confidence, skills, and independence. For many individuals with developm

For Benji and Giulietta, communication has never just been about speech. It has always been about finding ways to be understood in everyday life. Communication is one of the most important foundations of independence, choice-making, and community participation, and for both of them it has also been one of the most complex areas of support. Benji and Giulietta live with Phelan-McDermid Syndrome and childhood apraxia of speech, which impacts the ability to plan and coordinate t

Over time, health became one of the most important foundations in Benji and Giulietta’s lives, not because it stands alone, but because it directly shapes how they are able to participate in everyday life. When people think about independence, health is often seen as separate from learning, communication, or community involvement. For Benji and Giulietta, it is what makes all of those things possible in the first place. Health is not something separate from daily life or trea

What Benji and Giulietta needed was not another isolated service. They needed a way of thinking about life where communication, employment, recreation, education, life skills, social opportunities, and community participation all worked together instead of being separated into different programs and schedules. That shift changed everything. Instead of life being shaped around appointments and service calendars, the focus moved toward everyday life. Real environments, real rou

Before there was a program, a framework, a Microboard, or a Circle of Care, there were simply two children named Benji and Giulietta. Like many parents, their family started with hopes, dreams, and expectations for what the future might look like. What they could not have predicted was the journey that lay ahead, or how much creativity, persistence, and determination it would take to build a meaningful adult life for both of them. Benji and Giulietta live with Phelan-McDermid

Make-A-Wish is a nonprofit organization that grants wishes to children who have been diagnosed with a critical illness. The wish is meant to give the child and their family an experience that brings hope, strength, and joy during a difficult time. For our family, Benji, Giulietta, and Sisi were each granted a wish, and all three trips became some of the happiest memories we have. Giulietta’s wish was originally scheduled for May 2020, but when COVID shut down all travel and w

Camp Greenacres Summer Camp When Benji and Giulietta were younger, they had the chance to attend several summer camps, each offering meaningful experiences that supported their growth and confidence. Summer is such an important time in a child’s life, not just for fun and adventure, but for forming friendships, discovering new interests, and building a sense of independence. For Giulietta, camp became a space where they could explore, learn, and feel included alongside their

School trips at MJDS have always been planned with inclusion in mind, and Benji and Giulietta have been active participants in every outing. From local excursions to trips to Montreal and Quebec City, the goal has always been for them to be fully involved alongside their classmates. Teachers, support staff, and peers at Montessori Jewish Day School (MJDS) worked together to make school activities accessible and engaging for every student. Classmates played an important role i

For quite some time now, Giulietta has been an active part of the Yachad program, an inclusive space where individuals build friendships, develop social skills, and participate in meaningful group activities. Yachad has truly become a community for Giulietta. Building Confidence Through Connection Each session at Yachad begins with an hour of free choice. This is one of Giulietta’s favourite parts of the evening. During this time, Giulietta is encouraged to communicate using

Because Giulietta is non-verbal, traditional resumes and interviews don’t highlight her strengths or the way she communicates. A visual resume allowed us to show her abilities in a clear and accessible way. When it comes to hiring, traditional resumes and interviews often focus on verbal communication and standard qualifications. But some people communicate differently or non-verbally and have so much to offer. Giulietta’s story shows how creativity and a fresh perspective ca

Giulietta has always loved music. She lights up whenever she hears a guitar, ukulele, or piano, and she’s happiest when there’s music playing around her. Whether it’s a live band at a festival or someone strumming a tune at home, she’s completely captivated by the sounds and rhythms. Music brings her so much joy, it’s a big part of who she is. Giulietta developed a deep love for music from an early age and enjoyed listening to anyone play the guitar and her mom play the piano

Shown here is a standard example of a pre-programmed Proloquo layout. Finding Her Voice: Giulietta’s Journey to AAC Giulietta was diagnosed with verbal apraxia and received extensive speech therapy, including early intervention with the PROMPT method, but made no measurable progress. While her receptive language skills were strong, she was unable to produce verbal speech. At age five, her communication goals transitioned to focus on AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communica

Exploring Therapies: Giulietta’s Journey Giulietta's low muscle tone was present at birth. By 3 months of age, an OT was consulted, and craniosacral therapy began. Craniosacral therapy is a hands-on technique that uses light touch on the skull, spine, and sacrum to release tension and support the nervous system, potentially helping babies with developmental delays improve comfort, mobility, and overall function. Giulietta did not benefit from this approach. OT was also sought

Giulietta developed gross motor skills while building strength, confidence, and enjoyment of sports and exercise. By 6 months of age, it was clear that Giulietta, like Benji, also had gross developmental delays with evident low muscle tone. Given Benji's poor experience with traditional PT modalities until he started MEDEK®, Giulietta began MEDEK® at 6 months of age, helping her learn to sit, stand, and eventually walk by the time she was 3 years old. Like Benji, Giulietta ha

Giulietta is thriving as a valued member of the PC Express (PCX) department at Loblaws, where she helps fulfill online orders for customers. She works two hours a day on Mondays and Fridays, a schedule that allows her to combine her passion for food with meaningful work while developing independence and life skills. Journey to Employment Benji and Giulietta have long been familiar faces at Loblaws in North York, first as customers. Their early visits provided opportunities to

To support Giulietta’s communication development, we use structured modelling sessions where a support worker demonstrates how to use the iPad to communicate. These sessions give Giulietta the chance to observe, learn, and practice responding in meaningful ways. Basic Communication Modelling During everyday interactions, we model simple, functional communication without speaking out loud. We either use a separate iPad to communicate with Giulietta or use her iPad to show and

Giulietta is working on expanding her vocabulary on the iPad to include small words, connecting words, and vocabulary related to daily activities. This allows her to create more meaningful sentences across all areas of her life, at home, during social interactions, or in community settings. Identifying Vocabulary Needs A key first step is helping Giulietta recognize the vocabulary that is most meaningful to her. We guide her in locating and identifying these words on her iPad

Giulietta uses her iPad to express her thoughts, needs, and interests, and our goal is to help her use it more independently. By practicing in everyday situations, she can move beyond single words to full sentences, build confidence, and communicate more clearly with the people around her. Becoming Familiar with the iPad Layout Through Practice and Memory Games We start by helping Giulietta become familiar with the layout on her iPad, exploring the different folders she can u

Mealtime is more than just eating, it’s an opportunity for Giulietta to practice meaningful communication and express herself. Giulietta is encouraged to share details about her day, request additional food items, and form full sentences on her iPad. This approach helps Giulietta expand her communication skills, express her needs more clearly, and build independence in real-world interactions. Encouraging Mealtime Conversations Mealtimes provide a natural and meaningful oppor