Today we’d like to introduce you to Maricella Rodriguez.
Hi Maricella, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My journey really began with my son, Christopher, who has a developmental disability. He has always been my greatest inspiration and the reason I entered this field. When our family moved from New York to Central Florida over 20 years ago, Christopher was just three years old. That’s when we discovered the Miracle League of South Lake, a baseball league for individuals with disabilities. Christopher joined the team, and that experience opened my eyes to the power of inclusion, friendship, and community support. Through Miracle League, I met other families who, like ours, were navigating the challenges and joys of raising children with special needs. Over the years, I became more deeply involved, volunteering as a “buddy” on the field and helping promote inclusion through sports. Even now, more than two decades later, Christopher still plays, and I’m still right there volunteering beside him. Professionally, my background is in social services. I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from Lehman College, and an Associate of Arts and science in Liberal Arts from Farmingdale State University. I began my career in Child Protective Services, where I built a strong foundation in advocacy and care. But after years in that field, I felt a calling to work more directly with individuals with developmental disabilities the same community that had given so much to my family. I noticed that many individuals were being taken out into the community but weren’t truly engaged. I would see people sitting idle at picnic tables or waiting in cars, and I thought, if this were my child, I would want more for them. That realization became the spark for Nurturing Spirit. In 2019, I founded Nurturing Spirit, an agency dedicated to empowering adults with developmental disabilities through community engagement, life skills development, and compassionate companionship. We don’t have a facility so we bring the experiences directly to the individuals, whether that’s a trip to the park too meet up with friends for arts and crafts, a library tech session, or a Friday lunch outing. Our mission is simple: to make sure every day includes purpose, laughter, and connection. I believe that growth comes from joy and that learning happens best when people feel seen, valued, and loved. Alongside this work, I’m also passionate about animal rescue and foster kittens through the Lake County Animal Shelter. Service has always been a huge part of my life, whether it’s helping people or animals it all ties back to compassion. I was born and raised in New York City, but Central Florida has been home for over 21 years now. I’ve been married to my high school sweetheart for more than 30 years, and we have three adult sons. Every part of my journey from social work to Miracle League to founding Nurturing Spirit has been about faith, family, and the belief that even small acts of kindness can make a lasting impact. Looking back, I can clearly see God’s hand in every part of my journey, leading me to this work and this community I am so grateful to serve.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but every challenge has taught us something valuable. When I first started Nurturing Spirit, I didn’t have a roadmap or a large support network just a strong belief that adults with developmental disabilities deserved more meaningful days. Building something new from the ground up, required faith, persistence, and creativity. One of our biggest ongoing challenges has been not having a physical facility. Because our agency is community-based, we meet out in the community (at parks, libraries, and local venues). While that has given us wonderful flexibility and visibility, Florida weather doesn’t always cooperate. There are days when it rains, it’s too hot, or it’s unexpectedly cold, and we have to quickly adjust. I often find myself reaching out to community partners to see if an indoor space can be donated for the day so our participants can stay comfortable and still enjoy a full day of activities. This limitation has pushed us to become even more resourceful and creative. My team and I plan ahead, adapt on the spot, and find ways to turn any location into a fun, engaging space. Still, it’s made us realize how important it would be to have what I call a “clubhouse” a home base or pit stop. Not a place to stay all day, but somewhere participants could gather when the weather isn’t ideal, eat lunch indoors, play board games, or participate in small group activities like arts and crafts. It would allow us to maintain the balance between being out in the community and having a safe, welcoming space when needed. Aside from that, there have been other hurdles finding funding, managing transportation, and training staff who truly understand our mission. But despite every obstacle, we’ve continued to grow because of our incredible team and the love we all have for what we do. Every smile, every small milestone, reminds me why I started this journey. It hasn’t always been easy, but it has always been worth it.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At Nurturing Spirit, we provide meaningful community engagement, life skills development, personal support and companionship for adults with developmental disabilities. Our goal is to help each individual live a more connected, joyful, and purposeful life through hands on experiences and personalized care. What makes us unique is that we are not facility-based. Instead, we bring our services directly to the individuals wherever they are. This allows us to meet them in their real environments and focus on building skills that translate naturally into everyday life. A simple trip to the grocery store becomes an opportunity to practice communication, budgeting, and independence. A day at the park becomes a chance to build friendships, motor skills, and confidence. Every outing is intentional and designed to help individuals thrive, not just pass the time. Our team of Direct Support Professionals shares that same heart. I train each staff member personally to ensure they understand that our participants are not just “clients” they are people with stories, talents, and dreams. We focus on small, meaningful interactions: listening, celebrating small victories, and creating moments of joy. That’s what builds trust and confidence. I’m especially proud of how our participants have grown. We’ve seen individuals who once struggled with communication begin expressing themselves more openly, others who were shy now laughing and participating in group activities, and families telling us how much happier their loved ones have become. Watching those transformations is incredibly rewarding. We also incorporate faith, compassion, and creativity into everything we do. Being a Christian-based nonprofit, our values are rooted in love, patience, and service. We believe in nurturing the mind, body, and spirit equally through activities like gardening, art, volunteering, and even something as simple as having lunch together in fellowship. What truly sets us apart is our belief that fun and learning go hand in hand. We don’t separate life skills from leisure we blend them, because joy itself is a life skill. When people are happy, engaged, and valued, growth naturally follows. I’m most proud of the community we’ve built the relationships, the laughter, and the shared sense of purpose. Nurturing Spirit has become more than a program; for our participants it’s a family. And that’s something I thank God for every day.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I’ve learned that sometimes the biggest rewards come from the moments when you decide to follow your heart, even when the path isn’t clear. I wouldn’t describe myself as a reckless risk-taker, but I am someone who believes in taking purposeful risks those rooted in faith, compassion, and a genuine desire to serve others. One of the first major risks I took was leaving my career in child protective services to work at an Adult Day Training program, or ADT. At the time, I was a social worker with a stable job and steady income, but I began hearing some of the Miracle League baseball players I volunteered with talk about their ADT program. I was curious, so I started following their activities on social media. When I saw a job opening posted, something tugged at my heart. It didn’t make logical sense to leave a secure position for something completely new and lower paying, but I couldn’t ignore that feeling that I was being called in that direction. I took the leap of faith and accepted a position as a classroom trainer at an ADT and that’s where my true love for working with adults with developmental disabilities began. Later, leaving that job to start Nurturing Spirit was another major risk. Even though my ADT position paid much less than my social work job, it was still steady income and I was walking away from that to start something from absolute zero. There were no guarantees that it would succeed, but by the grace of God, Nurturing Spirit took off quickly and has continued to grow and sustain itself. There have been many smaller but significant risks along the way, too. I’ve personally invested my own income into building this organization purchasing supplies like arts and crafts materials, puzzles, board games, manipulatives, wheelchairs, and even a handicap-accessible van to ensure our participants could get where they needed to go safely. It hasn’t always been easy, but every time I took that step forward in faith, something beautiful came out of it. To me, risk is about trusting God, trusting your instincts, and trusting that when your intentions are good and your heart is in the right place, the path will open. The road hasn’t always been smooth, but every leap of faith has led me closer to the purpose I was meant to live.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.nurturingspiritcare.com
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/nurturingspiritcare/
