A Conversation with Zach's Mom
About Zach
Before Zach came to 210, there wasn’t much filling his weeks.
He graduated from high school in 2021 and, for a while, received therapy at home and helped prep food a couple of days a week at a family business. But by 2024, a lot of that had changed. His family found activities, but they weren’t enough to fill his days. His parents adjusted their work schedules to be at home with him and relied on his grandparents to be with him when they couldn’t.
His mom described that season pretty simply: “He didn’t have much.”
Then Zach came to 210. Not long after he started, his family began noticing changes. He was doing tasks again that had become difficult for him, and he was maintaining those skills.
But one of the moments that has stayed with his mom happened at our ribbon cutting last fall.
She walked in with family and a friend and saw Zach across the room.
“Zach was standing there with his shoulders back, his head held high, his eyes even had a special sparkle to them, and a smile that lit up the room. He was beaming with pride, and I was in tears.”
That picture captures so much of what we hope happens at 210 Collective. Not simply somewhere to go after high school, but a place to belong, a place to work, a place to contribute, and a place where our Citizens can discover what they are capable of and feel the pride that comes from being part of something meaningful. Zach is nonverbal, but his family has no trouble knowing how he feels about coming to 210. On 210 mornings, his mom says he smiles and hums while getting ready. When she asks if he is excited to go, he signs and vocalizes “yes” with a smile. And when Zach is doing well, his whole family feels it.
“Zach was standing there with his shoulders back, his head held high, his eyes even had a special sparkle to them, and a smile that lit up the room.
He was beaming with pride, and I was in tears.”
That picture captures so much of what we hope happens at 210 Collective. Not simply somewhere to go after high school, but a place to belong, a place to work, a place to contribute, and a place where our Citizens can discover what they are capable of and feel the pride that comes from being part of something meaningful. Zach is nonverbal, but his family has no trouble knowing how he feels about coming to 210. On 210 mornings, his mom says he smiles and hums while getting ready. When she asks if he is excited to go, he signs and vocalizes “yes” with a smile. And when Zach is doing well, his whole family feels it.
As his mom said, “Zach is the anchor in our family. There is nothing we wouldn’t do for him. So, when he’s thriving and doing well, we all feel better.”
Because Zach is nonverbal, his safety and future have always been a concern. His family worried whether others would understand him, protect him, and truly know him. 210 Collective has given them a new sense of hope.
“This gives me so much hope for Zach’s future now because 210 is here and is just getting started.”
That is also why this building matters so much. Our current space has allowed us to begin something really special, but we are already feeling its limitations. We have families waiting, we need more room for meaningful work, and we want to create opportunities for Citizens that simply are not possible in our current space.
When Zach’s mom thinks about a Forever Home for 210, she thinks about what it could mean for Zach and the other Citizens. She pictures them working in a storefront, interacting with customers, managing inventory, operating a register, and continuing to build new skills. She thinks about future possibilities like a coffee shop, an art program, or even a bakery. Zach loves to bake, so that one especially excites their family.
She said, “The possibilities for 210’s future are endless.”
“Being part of 210 feels like seeing one of those incredible programs on the nightly news for adults with disabilities, except now it is in our own community. For years, those programs always seemed to be in another part of the country or in another part of our state, never near us. Now I get to tell people that one of these programs is finally in my backyard, and my son gets to be part of it.”
That is exactly what we want 210 to be for this community, and we want more families to have that same opportunity. A Forever Home gives us the ability to welcome more Citizens, create more meaningful work, and build something that can continue serving families like Zach’s for many years to come. If you have already supported our Forever Home campaign, thank you. Your generosity is helping us move toward a future that once felt out of reach for so many families.
And if you have been considering making a gift, I hope Zach’s story helps you see what your investment really makes possible. It is not simply helping us purchase a building. It is helping create a place where more adults like Zach can work, grow, build friendships, and have somewhere they are genuinely excited to go. We would be incredibly grateful to have you be part of making our Forever Home possible.
Heidi Karant
210 Founder and Executive Director
