Thank you for visiting my fund raising page.

Community Options is a national nonprofit organization that develops housing and employment support for people with developmental disabilities in 37 cities across 10 states. When you donate (please scroll down to click below), you are supporting housing and employment services for people with disabilities throughout Santa Fe, NM. If you are able to donate $1 or more (and every $1, ever $5 counts), we together can raise up to $5,000 - my goal - for this cause. Donating through this website is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to support our fundraising efforts. If you’d rather donate by check, that's easy, too. Please contact me (my information is on the original eMail I sent you).

This is a personal issue with me because my 38-year-old son Francisco “Frank” Maldonado was born with left brain damage. By the time he was 17 years old he was also diagnosed as borderline retarded with paranoia schizophrenia. In December 2000, my husband Stan and I moved to the Santa Fe area. In January 2001, we submitted Frank’s paperwork for his admittance to the Developmentally Disabled (DD) Program in New Mexico. This program has a ten-year waiting list! Frank was accepted into the DD program in the spring of 2011. (Until then Frank lived in a Santa Fe assisted group home for the mentally retarded.) On September 1, 2011, when he moved into his DD Community Options home, Frank’s dream (and mine) came true. Frank now lives in a BEAUTIFUL home where he has his own private large bedroom with a sliding glass door to the patio, a bathroom with tub and shower, and walk-in closet. Four clients, including Frank, reside in this Community Options home. It is staffed 24/7, with two to three employees during the day and one at night. Frank is invited to go on an outing practically every day (it’s his choice whether or not to go out). The staff or I take him for walks in his neighborhood, the malls, shopping centers, parks, the Santa Fe Plaza; he also goes to the community fitness center for swimming or playing basketball, to movie theaters and restaurants and to the library. He has a top-notch psychiatrist, primary doctor, behavioral therapist, case manager, and other needed medical staff. I was allowed to pick the professionals to work with him. I’ve been invited to attend the training meetings for the staff, and my input is always considered. Throughout the years, Frank has been through some very difficult times; and now I know we have the chance to provide him the best possible support. We are forever grateful for this opportunity.

Please help us help Frank and all the others – many who have no family support at all. Your generosity is appreciated by those of us who can thank you and those clients who cannot communicate their appreciation but will “feel your kindness” in the services and support they receive.

I’m directly involved in deciding how the money will be spent, and if you are one of my donors I will share that information with you. The Cupid Chase 5K Run is the annual COI fund raiser that was held on February 11 in 24 cities including Santa Fe. We will continue our online fund raising efforts until May 10.

Thank you for your support! I love you for caring and for remembering all the afflicted in your prayers. xxoo, :) ebj