Celebrating DSP Recognition Month 2026
One week isn’t enough to capture our gratitude. We are dedicating all of September to honoring the extraordinary Direct Support Professionals who bring loving care to our community every day.
This September, we’re once again extending our celebration of DSPs throughout the entire month! Instead of focusing on just one week, we’re dedicating all of September to honoring our incredible Direct Support Professionals.
All month long, we’ll be sharing stories, videos, and highlights that showcase the dedication and impact of DSPs across Bello Machre. Stay tuned and join us in celebrating the extraordinary people who make a lifetime of loving care possible.
To kick off DSP Recognition Month, hear a special message from Bello Machre President & CEO Dr. Robert Ireland as we begin a month of celebrating our amazing DSPs.
Check back throughout the month for more DSP stories, celebrations, and special shout-outs!
The Right Support Can Change Everything
For Bello Machre parent Caryn Joachim, the difference our DSPs make is something she has seen firsthand through her son, Douglas.
Since coming to Bello Machre, Douglas has opened up, built trust, and formed meaningful connections with the DSPs who support him. Hear Caryn share what those relationships have meant to Douglas and their family.
Celebrating Our DSPs: A Conversation with Board Chair Andrew Cooch, Esquire
As Chair of Bello Machre’s Board of Directors, Andrew Cooch, Esquire, has seen the important role DSPs play in carrying out our mission and providing a lifetime of loving care. We asked Andrew to share his perspective on their work, responsibilities, and impact.
What do you appreciate most about our DSPs and the work they do?
Ultimately, at the end of the day, Bello Machre is about providing care to the people we serve. DSPs are on the front lines of delivering what Bello Machre is dedicated to providing: a lifetime of loving care.
Without the compassionate service of our DSPs, the quality of life of those we serve suffers, and we fail at our core mission. To put it simply, the dedicated DSP is Bello Machre.
What’s something you think people may not realize about being a DSP?
I think people may not realize just how hard the work can be and the tremendous responsibility that comes with being responsible for the lives and well-being of others. It’s an incredibly important role and one that our DSPs take on each and every day.
Can you share a moment or example that shows the impact our DSPs have?
Bello Machre once served a gentleman who had previously lived at Rosewood. After the state closed Rosewood, he came to Bello Machre, where our DSPs began getting to know him and understanding his needs.
Our staff noticed that if someone rolled up a newspaper, he would immediately drop to the ground. It was a heartbreaking reaction that spoke to the difficult experiences he had before coming to Bello Machre.
Needless to say, his life was much improved at Bello Machre, where he was surrounded by people committed to providing him with compassionate and loving care.
What would you like to say directly to our DSPs during DSP Recognition Month?
It is through your efforts that our mission is completed. Without you providing the compassionate and loving care that Bello Machre is known for, our mission is lost.
The work you do matters tremendously to the people we serve, their families, and our entire community. Society generally, and the people we serve, say thank you!
Hear From Our DSPs!
Throughout DSP Recognition Month, we’re also hearing directly from the people at the heart of our mission: our DSPs!
In our 60 Seconds with a DSP series, members of the Bello Machre team share what they love about being a DSP, what the work means to them, and a little bit about themselves.
