Cheyenne Hancock, Direct Support Professional, joined the Rainbows’ team in June of 2020 at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. “It was all very new and nerve-racking to me,” said Cheyenne. “Everyone was having a hard time adjusting to the change, especially the kids, but during that first summer I got a lot of compliments and reassurance from my client’s family and my supervisor that I was doing an amazing job. Their support helped me feel more confident in my work and I am now a full-time DSP.”
Since that first challenging summer, Cheyenne has come a long way, professionally and personally. “By working with youth with special needs, I am now a more understanding person,” she said. “They definitely keep you honest and humble.”
A normal day for Cheyenne can be very busy and exciting. She arrives at the family’s home at 8 a.m. to help her client, Jeremiah, get dressed and ready for the day, followed by breakfast. After breakfast, they are usually off for an outing to the park. Their favorite thing to do is to go to the park and play on the swings. A large part of Cheyenne’s job consists of taking care of Jeremiah’s hygiene, dressing, eating, and leisure activities.
“I have learned about Jeremiah’s needs and behaviors,” said Cheyenne. “The best part of the job is that most of my workday consists of playing. I get to be creative by making craft kits to do with Jeremiah. I love to look on the internet for all kinds of fun crafts and activities to do and it is always rewarding to see how much fun he has doing them and how much his family enjoys his artwork. I love to bring smiles to Jeremiah’s face and hear him laugh. That is what makes the job so rewarding.”
“Cheyenne is AWESOME!” said Tiffany Graf, Family Support Services Coordinator and Camp Director. “She is always willing to learn, and she wants to add more tools to her toolbox. She truly cares about the kids she serves. Her families really love her as well. She is very dependable and sweet.”
Cheyenne enjoys writing poetry, cooking, baking, riding scooters, and watching movies. Most of all, she loves playing with her dog Cocoa and spending time with her friends and family. She is the youngest in her family, with three older brothers who all have kids, so she has many opportunities to spend time with her little nephews and nieces.
