Northwest Center

Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and celebrates freedom, perseverance, and progress. Today, we recognize the significance of this day and honor the generations whose courage and contributions continue to shape our communities. ❤️🖤💚

When Aria's parents started looking for preschool, several schools told them she'd be placed with younger children if she couldn't meet certain milestones.

That wasn't the experience they were looking for. "We wanted her to interact with her peers," her mom Shilpa says. "It's a huge factor in her development."

At Northwest Center Kids Early Learning, the answer was different. "Absolutely not," the counselor told them. "We want her to feel included with her peers at all times."

Born with Sturge-Weber syndrome, Aria learned and grew alongside typically developing kids in a fully inclusive classroom where her needs weren't worked around, they were seen and met. Therapies were woven right into her day, because at Northwest Center Kids, support and belonging aren't two separate things.

"Her cognition has grown so much. Her skills have grown," Shilpa says. "It would not have happened without Northwest Center Kids."

$144 million in new federal funding is heading toward special education support across the country.

That includes:

• Educational services
• Early intervention programs
• Therapy and evaluations
• Developmental resources
• Support for children, young adults, and families navigating disability services

For many families, access to support can shape educational outcomes, developmental progress, and long term quality of life.

And for years, families and educators have said stronger investment was urgently needed.

This funding won’t solve every challenge overnight.

But it represents meaningful progress toward making support systems more accessible for the people who rely on them every day 💙

Happy Pride Month! 🌈

This month and every month, we celebrate the strength, diversity, and contributions of the LGBTQ+ community.

Here’s to creating communities where everyone feels seen, valued, and included.

Alexa never stopped fighting for her daughter. Even when the systems around them made it feel impossible.

Now Royalty is making friends, finding her voice, and thriving. And for the first time in a long time, so is her mom.

Their full story is here: https://www.nwcenter.org/meet-alexa-royalty/ 💙

Last Thursday, NWC Pod Managers Madison Hagerty and Cody Ryckman, along with Regional Manager Peter Hendrickson, were at the Microsoft Conference Center in Redmond for the second annual King County Developmental Disabilities and Early Childhood Division Resource Fair, and the table stayed busy from start to finish.

More than 1,400 people registered for this event, and our Employment Services team was there alongside a wide range of community resources to connect with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, answer questions, and have honest conversations about what a path to employment can look like.

Thank you to King County DDECSD for hosting, to the Microsoft Conference Center for the space, and to everyone who stopped by to connect with our team. If you didn't get a chance to talk with us and want to know more about NWC Employment Services, send us a message and we'll pick up right where we left off!

A world that makes room for everyone starts here.

Earlier this month, our community came together for Breakfast of Hope.

Supporters, partners, and friends joined us to reflect on the impact we’re creating together and what’s possible when inclusion leads the way. It was a morning filled with connection, shared purpose, and a deeper belief in the work ahead.

Thank you for showing up, for believing in this mission, and for being part of it.

Because of you, lives are changing 💙