As an independent production we are so grateful to work with sponsors that totally get us. Partners that are aligned with our values. Heartfelt thanks to our sponsor Prism Creative. Many of you will recognise the voice of this episode’s guest because we followed his journey here on #impact podcast ever since 2017. The first recording we did at a coffee shop, before his charities had their official status and offices, then we met a few years later at one of his first community centers. We often ask our community, who they would want to hear from again and his name is always on top of that list. Jeff Rotmeyer  Jeff Rotmeyer is originally from Vancouver Canada and has spent his last 17 years in Hong Kong. He founded two different charities on the same day. He started the charity ImpactHK which supports individuals experiencing homelessness with a fully holistic approach that has helped nearly 500 individuals off the streets into shelter. Jeff is also the Founder and CEO of Love 21 Foundation, a charity supporting the down syndrome and autistic community with sport and nutrition programmes. Love 21 supports over 350 families with a holistic programme that strives to give the neuro-diverse community the very best opportunity to reach their full potential. Jeff is dedicated to living a meaningful life through social work and is passionate about making a positive impact for those in need. We could not think of a more suitable guest to kick off our Season 6. Season 6 is all about community – how we grow them, how we nurture them to drive the impact we want to make with our work. Jeff lives and breathes community and has built communities around both of his charities from scratch. How does he do that? Even when he faces heartbreaking setbacks surrounding loss. In this episode he shares it with us. Photo from Impact HK “They taught me a lot about vulnerability and the importance of true kindness” Rarely seen and often misunderstood Photo from love21foundation.com LOVE 21 is a charity dedicated to empowering the Down syndrome and autistic community in Hong Kong through sport, nutrition, and holistic support programmes. Since the launch of our comprehensive nutrition programme in 2021, they have provided one-on-one nutritional support on top of the sports classes that they offer. They have also expanded into providing counseling support for the parents of their community. “We have to understand that people with down syndrome are very well aware that people are staring at them like they are less. I find that so heartbreaking. We are talking about a community that are not disabled, they are differently abled – as I am, as we all are.” Jeff Rotmeyer 360 degree holistic support “We have seen very clearly how by providing extra support and care for the parents, guardians and other family members has directly benefited our individual members. We aim to provide a 360-degree holistic support programme for all families.” Carmel Armstrong, Love 21 COO Start listening to challenge your own misconceptions surrounding Down syndrome and autism as you hear Jeff’s personal stories of triumph and resilience, challenging the preconceived notions that often shroud these communities.