Empowering Possibilities
This Is Who I Am: CJ’s Story
Athlete. Advocate. Employee. Writer. CJ has found more than opportunity at Laradon. He has found confidence, connection and a place where he can proudly be himself.
In His Own Words
A Letter From CJ
Hi, my name is CJ Jones.
I attend the Laradon Career Center three days a week, and I want to take a moment to tell you what Laradon means to me.
When I first came to Laradon, I didn’t know anybody. I was shy and timid. I mostly sat on the edge of the group, trying my hardest to integrate with my peers in a new and unfamiliar environment.
But my interactions with staff and peers were amazing. I was treated with respect and dignity. Staff found ways to engage me, including what became an endless game of Uno!
Today, I take so much joy in serving my community through volunteer sites like A Precious Child, Metro Caring and Project Angel Heart.
I have made many new friends. At Laradon, I am seen as the unique individual I am. I am not afraid to show my true colors because I know that I am accepted and embraced.
Laradon, plain and simple, has changed my life.
Three words: I love Laradon.
– CJ
A Whole New World
Before Laradon, CJ says life felt “kind of dull.”
He had struggled socially for years, and during the pandemic, that isolation became even harder. His previous day program was not the right fit, and when he first arrived at Laradon, he didn’t know anyone.
Putting himself out there while navigating social anxiety was difficult. But he did it anyway.
Little by little, unfamiliar faces became friends. Laradon became a place he looked forward to coming, and CJ began discovering more about himself: what makes him happy, how to ask for help and how much he has to offer.
Finding His Voice
Today, CJ’s days look very different than when he started at Laradon. He volunteers throughout the community, competes with the Laradon Legends Special Olympics team and works at Coors Field through Laradon’s supported Employment Program.
Through those experiences, he has built practical skills like time management, being prepared for work and communicating with others. But the biggest change has been his confidence.
For CJ, Laradon has become a place where he can practice independence, build relationships and confidently say:
From Athlete to Advocate
That confidence is now reaching far beyond Laradon.
Earlier this year, CJ gave a presentation about autism at his church, sharing his experiences and answering questions from the audience. More than 100 people came to hear CJ speak.
Afterward, families began approaching him about children and grandchildren on the autism spectrum. For CJ, being able to show others what adulthood can look like has become part of his purpose.
The Next Chapter
CJ is already thinking about what comes next.
He dreams of becoming a motivational speaker and published author and is writing the story of his life. He is also preparing for Special Olympics Athlete Leadership University, where he plans to study communications and continue strengthening his public-speaking skills.
And he has plenty of accomplishments to write about. CJ is a Special Olympics medalist, a Rockies employee, a volunteer, a writer and someone who once set a goal to run across the stage at his high school graduation just 11 months after hip replacement surgery and did exactly that.
His message for the world is simple:
Empowering Possibilities
More Is Possible When You Support Laradon
Your support helps people like CJ find their voice, build their future and believe in more.
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