Meet October’s Featured Respite Provider: Gabrielle Bloemke
Respite Providers are a vital part of caring for children and youth aged birth to 18 experiencing behavioral, emotional, medical, and/or physical challenges. This program is designed to meet specific individual and family needs while maintaining collaboration with other service providers and legal guardians. This valuable service provides families of special needs children the opportunity to balance the many challenges of life. The breaks provided allow family members time to meet their other vital family needs. Providers can be couples, single persons, or families.
As part of an ongoing series, FCC would like to introduce you to October’s featured provider, Gabrielle Bloemke!
Gabrielle has been a respite provider for a little over a year. We asked her a few questions about her experience with the respite program:
What made you want to apply to be a respite provider?
I learned about respite through a coworker at Partners in Excellence. She spoke so highly of FCC and working as a respite provider. After hearing about her experience as a provider, I was eager to apply.
What is your favorite part of being a respite provider?
My favorite part is the relationship that I’ve built with our respite kiddo! She’s become part of the family. My husband and I like to do fun activities, spend intentional time with, and get to know our respite kid better. It has been a pleasure nurturing and watching her grow.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I enjoy spending time outside! My husband and I like to go on walks and hikes with our dogs. We also enjoy kayaking and
playing sports with family and friends.
You can help support children and parents by becoming a respite provider today. For more information please contact Kelli Degenhardt at (608) 668-2229 or kdegenhardt@fccnetwork.org.
Learn more about FCC’s community respite program here: https://www.fcconline.org/service/community-respite/.
View more provider highlights from May, June, July, August, and September.
