August 19th, 2026
A Cup of Confidence: Small Steps, Big Wins
By: Trena Barnes and Megan Tadman, Community Participation Services – Ground & Grow Facilitators
For most people, ordering a coffee is routine. For others, it can be a significant personal milestone. Through Extend-A-Family Waterloo Region’s (EAFWR) Ground & Grow (G&G) program, one community member transformed what once felt impossible into a moment of independence, confidence, and pride.
When we arrived for an intake meeting with him and his mother, he refused to come out of his room, but he demonstrated that he was actively listening to the conversation through vocalizations and simple comments that we could hear from around the corner. We built rapport by taking short walks, exploring their community through trails and museums. He would also help us with finding street parking when we would visit him.
His confidence continued to grow, and eventually, he started going to a specific Tim Horton’s where he tried coffee for the first time. It turns out that he loves coffee! Through practice, and building his confidence and social skills, he has learned how to order a large, two cream, one sugar decaf with a sleeve. He uses his own cash to pay and now he chooses different places for us to go. At first, he would tell his mother what he wanted us to do. Now, he speaks to us directly. This is a wonderful demonstration of the growth he has experienced through G&G.
Small goals are big wins, especially when people remain kind and curious out in our community. You never know if you could be making a huge difference to others by just being kind!
Ground & Grow supports individuals in building confidence, independence, and meaningful community connections at every stage of life. If you or someone you know could benefit from this kind of support, we invite you to connect with EAFWR to learn more.