Allen Smith, Washington State Winner

(Seattle, WA) Residential Support Specialist Allen Smith spent Thanksgiving in Hawaii. It was a dream come true for a person Mr. Smith supports who has limited mobility and increasing physical needs. But for this person with special needs to go meant Mr. Smith had to sacrifice the holidays with his family to accompany the individual on a trip of a lifetime.

For this and other instances of Mr. Smith’s selfless devotion to people with disabilities, ANCOR named him Direct Support Professional (DSP) of the year in the state of Washington.

Mr. Smith “again and again looks outside his job description for ways to better the lives of those he supports,” Marci Swindell, director of residential services for Creative Living Services said.

Another time, Mr. Smith took a person he supports who is visually impaired on a tour down the Washington and Oregon coasts.

In addition to keeping in mind each person’s dreams and choices, Mr. Smith also helps the seven individuals he supports lead safe and healthy lifestyles. At one point he saved a man’s life by administering the Heimlich maneuver when the person was choking.
Mr. Smith “is not only invested in the daily lives of those we support, but in their whole lives.”