More Than Respite Care

Deb recently marked thirty years as a respite provider with Family Resource Network (FRN).

It's a milestone that reflects more than years of service. It tells the story of a relationship that began as a neighborhood friendship and grew into something much more.

“I can't believe that I have been with FRN for 30 years, as well as having a friendship that is still going strong,” Deb shared.

Back in the mid-eighties, Deb and her neighbor Debbie would walk their babies around the neighborhood. They quickly discovered they had a lot in common, and a friendship developed.

Years later, life took an unexpected turn for Debbie's family. Both of her children, Chris and Melissa, were diagnosed with autism before the age of seven. Like many families navigating a new diagnosis, they were overwhelmed and unsure where to turn. With no family nearby for support, they connected with a respite services agency. The help was meaningful, but finding consistency proved difficult. Providers came and went, making it hard for Chris and Melissa to become familiar and comfortable with a new caregiver.

Looking for a more consistent source of support, Debbie asked her longtime friend Deb if she would consider becoming Chris and Melissa's respite provider. Through Family Resource Network's Respite Supports Program, that became possible. FRN worked with Deb to complete the requirements needed to become an approved respite provider, allowing Chris and Melissa to receive support from someone they already knew and trusted.

What followed was the stability the family had been hoping for. Days at the library, afternoons at the pool club, trips to the park. Everyday routines became opportunities for connection and trust. Deb's own children became part of the experience too, creating natural friendships that would last for years.

Over time, the relationship extended well beyond scheduled respite hours. Birthdays, holidays, milestones, and ordinary moments were shared together. What began as respite care became something much deeper.

For Deb and Debbie, what started as a simple conversation between neighbors became something neither could have imagined. It became consistency. It became community. And over time, it became family.