Who We Are
An advocate for the growth of our clients,
our employees, and our community
About Us
Building Promising Futures Together
Martha J. Morrissey,
Founder
Promising Futures Inc. was founded through a personal journey of a mother navigating life with her daughter, Tiffany, who was diagnosed with autism at a time when few understood the condition. Driven by love and a determination to help her daughter thrive, she immersed herself in a journey of learning, and exploring therapiesβgaining hands-on experience and building a fifty year foundation of knowledge in behavioral support and individualized care.
Over time, her work in private schools and developmental programs exposed her to both effective practices and deeply troubling care systems. As her daughter grew older, so did her urgency to create safe, nurturing living environmentsβespecially after witnessing firsthand neglect, overmedication, and abuse often found in institutional settings and small living environments. Fueled by these painful experiences and a desire to ensure that vulnerable individuals who need protection, would find safe living environments and that model of protection is implemented throughout Promising Futures Inc. residential homes and day treatment programs.
With encouragement from mentors and guidance from her faith, she applied for and was awarded a grant to open the first Promising Futures homeβdespite initial doubts and the challenges of starting from scratch. A powerful moment of spiritual clarity and confirmation gave her the strength to move forward. What began as a motherβs mission has grown into a thriving organization that has served families challenged with developmental disabilities for over 40 years.
Through Godβs faithfulness and inspiration, He built three homes, the last home to serve individuals her daughters age. Faithful donors, dedication of remarkable staff and the support of the community, have made it possible to provide a rich environment of learning, experience the dignity of independance and the satisfaction of a jobwell done, while maintaining safe environment with compassionate care that enriches lives and empowers people every day.
Our Mission
Promising Futures mission is to deliver premier, person-centered services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with a focus on behavioral needs. Through Individualized programs, we foster independence, dignity, life skills and meaningful community inclusion, empowering every individual to reach their fullest potential.
Our Vision
To build a thriving, inclusive community where individuals with disabilities live full lives, families feel supported, staff feel inspired, and every person is empowered to reach their highest level of independence and belonging.
What We Stand For
Empowerment
We focus on each personβs strengths and help build the skills to bring out their full potential, cheering them on along the way.
Personalization
With a 1:3 staff-to-client ratio, we give each person the personalized support they need to thrive.
Inclusion
Everyone is welcomed and respected, with opportunities to participate in ways that feel safe and comfortable for them.
Meet Our Dedicated Team
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Gina Parra
Executive Director
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Jennifer Valencia
CIA Director
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Tanner Harvey
Art Director
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Alex Watson
CIA Program Administrator
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Makaila Jenkins
QIDP
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Johnny Lopez
Director of Finance
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Sherry Pendray
Director of Human Resources
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Ashley Gondek
Transportation Coordinator-Support Specialist
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Elizabeth Guth
Administrative Assistant
Changing Lives, One Step at a Time
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βI am externally grateful for the purpose and meaning Promising Futures provides for our daughter Sonja. Knowing that she is productive and enjoying her days brings us peace and joy and allows me to work with the knowledge she is safe and having a great day. Best ay program ever!β
Mom & Dad Reiner
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βColin has been part of the Promising Futures family for 20+ years. Within 6 months we saw a difference in Colin, and today at 40yrs he is a productive/happy/content guy always with a smile. The personalized support, specialized teaching strategies, and patient, knowledgeable staff helped him grow in confidence and ability. A large part of his success is due to the caring and nurturing staff at both the home and day program, as well as the overlapping IEP development and consistency. Promising Futures absolutely made a difference in our journey. It was a hard decision to put our faith in Promising Futures, but it did not take long to know we made the right decision. Colin has found his niche in the world because of Promising Futures.β
The Gilley Family
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βWe are incredibly grateful for the support and care provided by Promising Futures for many years now. The staff is exceptionally patient and kind and ensures that Kier is engaged and challenged in the program. He is always treated with dignity and respect. The staff knows what Kier likes and incorporates those preferences into his program, making his experiences enjoyable and fulfilling.
Our family benefits greatly from the several hours of respite most weekdays, allowing us to refresh and better care for Kier. The staff keeps Kier safe, and the training and education program for him is structured and well-executed.
Thank you for making such a positive impact on Kier and our family.β
The Williams Family
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βPromising Futures is an organization providing services for adults with various disabilities comprising of a residential and day program. Our son is fortunate to be a participant in both programs. We appreciate the daily exchange of communication between the programs. Clients are treated with dignity and taught to be independent to the best of their abilities. During our sonβs time at the programs, we have seen much growth and improvement. We are relieved to have found this gem of a program. We feel at ease to travel knowing our son will be in excellent hands. This program offers hope for families looking for peace of mind.β
The Eng Family
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βPromising Futures was already started when we desperately applied to place our daughter Staci. Both Mom and I had to work in order to pay the bills and try to keep Staci in school. She was a handful, and the special ed teachers at the time, did not have the skills to deal with Staciβs rants, physical confrontations, and meltdowns. When Staci was accepted and moved out of our home and into a new home, and shared her new shelter with 5 boys, Mom and I had mixed emotions. Promising Futures changed all of our lives as it brought Staci a safe place to live with regulations put into place that brought Staci special medical attention and care, a learning place to mentally grow and deal with everyday life. Promising Futures also brought us as parents, peace of mind when it comes to Staciβs well being.β
The Wismont Family
Commonly Asked Questions
Do I have to pay for any programs?
No. Weβre a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and our programs are supported through funding from the San Diego Regional Center, as well as community donations.
Do I have to be a resident to participate in the CIA?
No, the Center for Independent Achievement (CIA) day program is open to both residents and non-residents. Participants must be a client of the San Diego Regional Center in order to partake. Many participants live at home or in other supported settings and attend CIA during the day.
Letβs Stay Connected!
π VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! π¨π
Help us bring our Turn the Page Art Show to life as we celebrate 40 years of Promising Futures! Weβre looking for volunteers to lend a hand with event setup, event support, activities, and breakdown on October 17th.
Whether you can help for part …of the day or stay for the full event, weβd love to have you be part of making this celebration special for our members and community! β¨
Interested in volunteering? Contact us at socialmedia@promisingfutures.org for more information!
π Come be part of 40 years of growing, creating, and connecting!
#PromisingFutures #TurnThePageArtShow #VolunteersNeeded #ElCajon #GrowingWithPromisingFutures
Thereβs always something fun happening at PFI! ππ
Our members enjoyed a variety of activities while sharing laughs, staying engaged, and spending time together. We always make an effort to include everyone and create opportunities for each member to participate in a way they …enjoy.
No matter what our day looks like, we love taking a moment to come together as a group, connect, and have some fun! π
#PromisingFutures #GrowingWithPromisingFutures #Inclusion #Community #FunTogether
π¨β¨ SAVE THE DATE β OCTOBER 17TH! β¨π¨
Weβre turning the page on 40 incredible years of Promising Futures, and we want YOU to celebrate with us! π
Join us for our Turn the Page Art Show, an afternoon dedicated to showcasing the creativity and talents of our PFI …members while bringing our families, friends, and community together.
π¨ Member-created artwork
ποΈ Paint & Sip
π¨ Face painting
ποΈ Raffles
β VIP Experience
πΈ Live Music
π΄ Food & more!
π
Saturday, October 17, 2026
β° 2β6 PM
π 145 E. Lexington Ave., El Cajon, CA 92020
ποΈ FREE community admission!
Thereβs so much more to come, so mark your calendars, RSVP, and invite your friends and family!
We canβt wait to celebrate the past 40 years β and the exciting next chapter of Promising Futures β with our community. ππ¨
#TurnThePageArtShow #PromisingFutures #40YearsOfPromisingFutures #ElCajon #GrowingWithPromisingFutures
βοΈ A great Friday morning connecting with our East County community!
@sdeccc
Promising Futures was excited to attend the East County Chamber of Commerce September First Friday Breakfast, hosted at Cuyamaca College! π
@cuyamacacollege
We spent the morning meeting …and connecting with fellow Chamber members, local businesses, and community partners while sharing more about Promising Futures, our members, and the work we do throughout San Diego County.
One of the best parts of the morning was having our PFI member Colin join us as an ambassador! Colin enjoyed meeting members of our community, representing PFI, and helping us share a little bit of what makes Promising Futures so special. π
We also brought a little PFI creativity with us and raffled off artwork created by our talented members! π¨ It was such a fun way to share their creativity with our community and give a few lucky attendees a piece of PFI art to take home.
Of course, we couldnβt leave without inviting everyone to save the date for our upcoming Turn the Page Art Show, where there will be even more opportunities to meet our artists, experience their work, and help us celebrate 40 years of Promising Futures! ππ¨
Thank you to the East County Chamber of Commerce and Cuyamaca College for welcoming us and creating opportunities for our East County community to connect. Weβre excited to continue building new relationships and getting PFI even more involved in our community!
β¨ Stay tunedβmore Turn the Page Art Show details are coming soon!!
#PromisingFutures #GrowingWithPromisingFutures #EastCountyChamber #TurnThePageArtShow #40YearsOfPromisingFutures
A huge THANK YOU to the San Diego Zoo for generously donating two admission tickets to our Turn the Page Art Show Raffle! π¦πΌπΏπ¨
The world-renowned San Diego Zoo is home to incredible wildlife from around the globe and is dedicated to creating a world where all life thrives …through wildlife conservation, education, and meaningful connections with nature.
We are so excited to give one lucky raffle winner the opportunity to enjoy a day exploring one of San Diegoβs most beloved attractions!
We are incredibly grateful to the San Diego Zoo for supporting Promising Futures and helping us make our Turn the Page Art Show raffle even more exciting. π
@sandiegozoo
Thank you for investing in our community and supporting Promising Futures!
#SanDiegoZoo #TurnThePageArtShow #SanDiego #PromisingFutures #GrowingWithPromisingFutures
ππΊ Dancing our way through the day! πΆ
Our members got moving, grooving, and having fun during dance time! From practicing their favorite moves to simply enjoying the music, itβs always a great opportunity to stay active, express ourselves, and share some smiles together. …π
Every day at Promising Futures brings a new opportunity to move, connect, and have FUN!
#GrowingWithPromisingFutures #DanceTime #PromisingFutures #MovementMatters #FunAtPFI
π₯π± Fresh from the garden! Our Garden Group had the chance to harvest carrots they helped grow right here at Promising Futures!
Thereβs something special about seeing all that care and patience turn into something you can finally pull from the soil. π Another hands-on opportunity… for our members to learn, grow, and enjoy the fruits (or veggies π) of their hard work!
#GrowingWithPromisingFutures #GardenGroup #GardenToTable #HandsOnLearning #PromisingFutures
A huge THANK YOU to the USS Midway Museum for generously donating four guest passes to our Turn the Page Art Show Raffle! βοΈβοΈπ¨
@ussmidwaymuseum
The USS Midway Museum is one of San Diegoβs most iconic attractions, offering visitors the incredible opportunity to step …aboard the historic USS Midway aircraft carrier and experience decades of U.S. naval and aviation history. Guests can explore the massive ship, see restored aircraft up close, and discover immersive exhibits and interactive experiences throughout the museum.
We are so excited to include this unforgettable San Diego experience in our raffle and incredibly grateful to the USS Midway Museum for supporting Promising Futures and our community. π
Thank you for helping make our Turn the Page Art Show even more special!
#USSMidwayMuseum #TurnThePageArtShow #SanDiego #PromisingFutures #GrowingWithPromisingFutures
π A Special Recognition for Our Promising Futures Team! π
In honor of National Nonprofit Day 2026, our Promising Futures staff were honored to receive Certificates of Recognition from San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson!
Our team was recognized for their compassion, …continued dedication to individualized care and community wellbeing, and commitment to creating an accepting environment for those we serve.
At Promising Futures, everything we do is a team effort. Every day, our staff show up for our membersβencouraging independence, creating meaningful experiences, building connections, and providing opportunities for each person to learn, grow, and thrive. π
We would also like to give a very special thank you to Jesus, a representative from Supervisor Joel Andersonβs office, who took the time to personally present these recognitions to our staff and spend time meeting our team and our PFI family. We truly appreciate you helping make this recognition even more meaningful!
Thank you to Supervisor Joel Anderson and the County of San Diego for recognizing the dedication of our incredible staff. We are so proud of the people who make the mission of Promising Futures possible each and every day.
Congratulations, PFI Team! This recognition is so well deserved! ππ
#NationalNonprofitDay #PromisingFutures #GrowingWithPromisingFutures #TeamPFI #SanDiegoNonprofit
A huge THANK YOU to Meadiocrity Mead for generously donating a Tasting Experience for Two to our Turn the Page Art Show Raffle! π―π₯π¨
@meadiocrity.mead
Based right here in San Diego, Meadiocrity Mead creates award-winning mead made with raw honey, using a unique Bee-to-Bottle …approach and working with local farmers and ranchers to showcase the incredible flavors our region has to offer. ππ―
We are so grateful to have the support of local businesses like Meadiocrity Mead that help make our Art Show and raffle even more special.
Thank you for supporting Promising Futures and our community! π
#MeadiocrityMead #TurnThePageArtShow #SupportLocal #SanDiego #GrowingWithPromisingFutures
Sometimes the best part of the day is having a space to slow down, explore, and just enjoy the moment. πβ¨
Our members love spending time in our sensory roomβa calming and engaging space filled with different sights, sounds, textures, and activities that encourage sensory …exploration, relaxation, and fun. Whether theyβre taking a quiet break or discovering something that catches their attention, the sensory room gives each member the opportunity to enjoy the space in their own way.
At Promising Futures, every day brings different opportunities to learn, explore, connect, and grow. π
#PromisingFutures #SensoryRoom #SensoryExploration #PersonCenteredSupport #GrowingWithPromisingFutures