Felicia Guzman’s idea of a nonprofit to support parents and families of children with Autism and other neurodivergent disabilities came to her at an unexpected place: an NFL game.

Yes, you read that right. 

Guzman, a mother of three and a nurse, surprised her husband with tickets to a Rams game —a rare night out for the parents of young children. However, she was unable to enjoy herself as she spent the entire time worrying about her son Adrian, who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at three years old.

Like many parents of children with special needs, the thoughts kept rushing: Is Adrian having a meltdown? Will the sitter be able to calm him down? Is he upset that I am not there?  

“You can’t enjoy the moment because you are thinking about your child, said Guzman. “I thought, how many parents are overwhelmed with thinking about the well-being of their child?”

She identified the need in her community to create a safe space for special needs children and their families to enjoy events, outings and life, just like everyone else.

In 2018, Adrian’s World was born. It first served as a resource for parents to learn how to advocate for their child and continues to grow each year.

The Ontario-based nonprofit hosts inclusive events for families with neurodivergent and special needs children, parent training, advocacy resources and monthly food distributions – providing access to basic needs for hundreds of families a month. 

“In our first year, we worked with 15 families on their journey of navigating care,” said Guzman. “Now we are serving 600 – 800 community members a month.” 

However, the team is most proud of the Parents Night Out program, which goes back to the heart of Adrian’s World. It’s an opportunity for parents and caregivers to be themselves again and reconnect with their spouse, partner or friends while feeling safe and supported and knowing that their child is well cared for. 

Guzman and her team of volunteers believe that when parents feel safe and at ease, their children will have a better quality of life.

Like many grassroots organizations in the Inland Empire, Adrian’s World immediately started serving the community while building bridges and relationships with civic and business leaders. However, Guzman recognized that the team didn’t have the proper training and knowledge to scale up the organization and better serve their community. 

So, when Guzman heard that they had been selected for the first cohort of the Collaborative Capacity Building Grant, she was once again overwhelmed with emotion. 

“When we got the call that Adrian’s World was selected, I just broke into tears,” she reflected. “It wasn’t about the money; it was the idea of someone believing in us.” 

Through the 10-course business operations training, Guzman and 29 other nonprofit leaders from across San Bernardino County gained essential skills in budgeting, management and board development. 

Additionally, Adrian’s World received a $5,000 general operations grant, which was used to pay for CPA services and purchase event registration software to streamline the check-in process at their community events and limit the time neurodivergent children have to wait in line.

Guzman never stops thinking about her families – they are at the center of every business decision. “Our families and our communities don’t have time to waste. So, when my families spend some time with me for an event, I consider it an honor.” 

Even though Adrian’s World has been operating for five years, it seems to be on the precipice of the next phase: expanding its reach and services. 

With the additional knowledge and training she received, Guzman hopes to continue strengthening business operations and transitioning her mighty team of volunteers to paid staff. However, the big dream is to have a physical location to provide a safe and worry-free environment for children with special needs to enjoy while parents take some much-needed time for self-care.  

Even though the work at Adrian’s World of planning, producing and hosting events while serving as a trusted resource for families is labor intensive, Guzman doesn’t see it that way. 

“It’s not work when I’m making a difference in my community.” 

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Adrian’s World, one of our many Champions for Vibrant Health, is dedicated to its community by creating a safe and inclusive space for all children and their families to live healthy and joyful lives. Learn more about their programs here.

You can become a Champion for Vibrant Health by interacting with the Foundation at various touchpoints, including but not limited to attending an IEHP Foundation event, subscribing to our newsletter, accessing our meeting spaces or applying for grants. Help us make the Inland Empire a vibrant and healthy place to live, work and thrive!