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Real Connections, True Stories

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A man with Down Syndrome with his arm around his girlfriend

Connection looks different for everyone.

Find Love Safely exists to support safe, meaningful connection — whether that looks like friendship, confidence-building, dating, or love.

The stories below reflect real experiences from members and families who have participated in Find Love Safely. Each journey is unique, and there is no single path or timeline. These stories are shared to offer encouragement, perspective, and hope — not promises or guarantees.

Member Success Stories

Growing confidence. Building skills. Feeling seen.

For many members, success isn’t measured by relationship status — it’s measured by confidence, communication, and feeling understood.

These stories highlight moments of growth, courage, and self-discovery that members experience through matchmaking, coaching, workshops, and community events.

Examples of success may include:

  • Speaking up more confidently
  • Learning how to start and end conversations
  • Navigating dating experiences with support
  • Feeling less lonely or isolated
  • Gaining clarity about what they want in a relationship
Rowan and Peter

Rowan

Lots of Dates and a Strong New Friendship

Rowan is an active 21-year-old who learned about Find Love Safely from a friend. “I wanted to meet new people and do some fun activities,” she said. She told her mom Barb, and they decided to sign up.

Rowan and Allise

Allise

Making New Friends and Going on Dates

Allise, age 24, and her mom Treena saw a news story about Find Love Safely. Treena asked her daughter what she thought, and Allise blurted excitedly: “I want to do Find Love Safely! I would be interested in meeting friends there.”

Angela and Matthew at speed-dating copy

Angela & Matthew

From Dancing Together in Class to Dancing Together in Life

Matthew, age 25, and Angela, age 29, knew each other for years, but never thought of each other as a prospective romantic partner. That all changed at the Find Love Safely Valentine’s Day Speed-Dating Event.

Nicolas and Stella

Nicolas & Stella

A Valentine’s Day Spark Turned Love Story
Nicolas and Stella met at our first speed dating event—and instantly clicked. Now they FaceTime every night, share a love of music, and dream of a future together.

Caregiver & Family Testimonials

Peace of mind matters.

Caregivers and families often share that Find Love Safely provides something they struggled to find elsewhere: a balance between independence and safety.

These testimonials reflect caregiver experiences of:

  • Feeling reassured
  • Seeing their loved one grow
  • Having guidance instead of guesswork
  • Knowing expectations and boundaries are clear

 

"The whole thing has been extremely positive. The opportunity for her to have real-life situations where she has to take responsibility and ownership to set up the dates, carry on conversations during the dates, and do the appropriate follow-up. Having that reciprocity of relationship and responsibility has been remarkable. We have seen tremendous growth in her skill sets."

-Parent of Find Love Safely Supported member

"When our daughter joined Find Love Safely, we were hoping that it would help expand her social connections. What we have experienced is that she has been given a real-life platform to practice conversation skills, social norms, and communication reciprocity. It has managed to achieve in a few short months what she has been working on for years in speech therapy, all the while, having loads of fun and meeting new and interesting people. Thank you Find Love Safely!"

-Parent of Find Love Safely Supported member

"As a father of a daughter with intellectual disabilities, it was difficult to feel comfortable thinking about her entering the world of dating. With Find Love Safely channeling initial communications through the parents and guardians, it alleviates many of the safety concerns that I had about her participating in a dating app. I feel that she is well supported for success in finding new friends and maybe a more serious relationship."

-Parent of Find Love Safely Supported member

"It has been such a positive experience so far."

-Find Love Safely Supported member

"Thank you, I have met some really nice friends."

-Find Love Safely Supported member

"This program is a blessing!"

-Parent of Find Love Safely Independent member

"I feel like I was perfectly matched with the other parent conservator! We became instant friends without having to explain our experiences having raised great kids! Hoping our son and daughter develop a nice relationship too."

-Parent of Find Love Safely Supported member

“I would like to thank you for what you've done for this community! So many of us are looking for love and meaningful connections, and until now there hasn't really been much, if anything, to facilitate that.” 

-Find Love Safely speed-dating event participant

"Words can't describe how thankful I am for this opportunity and the honor of encountering and feeling your affectionate and loving presence."

-Find Love Safely Supported member

"[My son] had a complete blast at speed dating! He was so excited when he came home. Full of stories and happiness. He just ADORES you because you created a space for him to be safe and meet others. When you think about it, it's amazing. We both feel so fortunate to have you and Find Love Safely. This is beyond meaningful for both he and I. [My son] has this great big heart. Thanks for giving him an opportunity to grow!"

-Parent of Find Love Safely Supported member

“Thank you very much for organizing these events. [Our son] came away feeling more confident that it was a good learning experience. He said he ‘looked at them and spoke loud so they could hear me.’ It was wonderful to hear him say that he was practicing what is challenging to him and what he has been learning. We've been trying to encourage him to be more outgoing and social so even without any matches, the evening was a GREAT success for us.” 

-Parent of Find Love Safely speed-dating participant

“Both [my son] and I wanted to thank you for putting on the FLS Speed Dating event. It was so well-run and such a unique and great opportunity.

Whether a match comes from it or not, we're really grateful for all your efforts producing the event, and the chance to attend.” 

-Parent of Find Love Safely speed-dating event participant

"We have been just thrilled with this organization. It’s been something that just kind of opened her up."

-Parent of Find Love Safely Supported member

It’s given her a sense of peace and calm. Just to see her joy and happiness at having this opportunity. She has seen that there are people who are excited and interested to meet her.” 

-Parent of Find Love Safely Supported member

I am just thankful for Find Love Safely. I never thought I would find guys to date. I would go for years thinking, ‘Why can’t I have a boyfriend?’ It was just a lack of opportunity.” 

-Find Love Safely Supported member

"What a wonderful gift you and FLS have given to my family!"

-Parent of Find Love Safely Supported member

I really believe in what you guys do and I think more people should know what you guys do. Thank you all you guys do to make a path for other people and me. Just know you are making a difference.

-Find Love Safely Independent member

“I know several programs that aim to teach this community how to socialize or date, but most of them just don’t work — and more importantly, they often don’t address what comes next. Even with good training, there’s still the question of what to do when there are no people to date. What stands out about your approach is how realistic and compassionate it is about what dating truly means for them.”

-Parent of Find Love Safely Supported member

Important Note

Every journey is unique.

The experiences shared on this page reflect individual journeys. Participation in Find Love Safely does not guarantee romantic outcomes or specific results. Our commitment is to safety, support, dignity, and thoughtful connection — wherever that leads.

Curious about what support might look like for you or your loved one?

Explore our programs or reach out with questions.

Names and identifying details may be changed to protect privacy. Stories are shared with permission.