An Interview With Erica Solis, Founder & Executive Director Of Poppy Life Care

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Below is our recent interview with Erica Solis, Founder & Executive Director of Poppy Life Care:

Q: For those who haven’t heard of it, what is the best way to describe Poppy Life Care?

A: Poppy Life Care is a 100% volunteer-run organization that strives to educate and empower families living with autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, anxiety and depression.

Our focus on families includes services and access to information for adolescents, so that we can also offer our younger clients the tools necessary to grow into healthier adults. Our hope is that through offering education, resources like life coaching classes and other holistic health practices such as yoga and music therapy, we can help our clients embrace their uniqueness, improve their quality of life and eliminate mental health stigmas. We’re proud to say that we believe in Empowering Difference^TM!

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Q: Can you give us insights into your programs?

A: Right now, all of our program offerings are available online in various forms. We have Virtual Yoga and a Meditation Series; both programs are free and feature pre-recorded videos plus the option to enroll in live virtual sessions. Our Life Coaching program features online, self-paced classes specifically designed for special needs families, and Poppy Life Care clients receive $50 off the enrollment fees. As part of the Life Coaching program, we are also developing virtual 1:1 consultations and life coaching sessions. Our Nutritional Program has online information as well as downloadable PDFs on nutrition-focused topics, such as healthy recipes, the vitamins and supplements to boost brain health, and more. Additional activity-based programs are offered through our partnership with Pure Game, which includes a series of fun, pre-recorded activity videos that can be performed in the home, driveway or even a small backyard.

Q: I read something about your partnership with Hoag Hospital; could you tell us something more?

A: We are very fortunate to have a partnership with Hoag Hospital, the premier healthcare provider in Orange County. Hoag embraced us as a like-minded provider of services that strives to meet community health needs, and gave us space at the Melinda Hoag Smith Center for Healthy Living in Newport Beach, adjacent to Hoag Hospital, where we offered free yoga classes before we had to transition to virtual classes because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are looking forward to returning to the Center to resume yoga classes and introduce our other wellness-focused programs to the community.

Q: What are your core values? What is your mission?

A: Our core values are:

Transparency to our donors, volunteers, employees and community

Trust the power of good in the world and be trustworthy

Integrity is the focal point of what we do every day to the very best of our ability

Healing is at the center of why we do what we do

Compassion keeps us strong, balanced and humble

Hope gives us the ability to see how we can be change agents and make a positive impact

Care for others, children, parents and families is at the top of our priorities

Love is at the core of who we are and what we want to give

Inclusion is so very important to our ability to create and be innovative

Equality for all and the opportunity to do good

The mission of Poppy Life Care is to bring that support through a variety of programs and educational tools to facilitate awareness and education while building innovative care programs alongside local communities, their businesses and people.

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Q: What are some of the main objectives for Poppy Life Care in 2020 and how do you plan to achieve them?

A: We began 2020 moving in one direction, and like many other companies, had to pivot our capabilities and direction due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our objectives now are to continue promotion of the virtual programs we’ve launched, as well as to develop additional programs and capabilities around that platform. We will continue services at the Melinda Hoag Smith Center for Healthy Living and hope to develop partnerships with other health centers, community organizations and school districts to widen our demographic reach.