Nathan (center) has been participating in HeartShare’s Respite/Recreation Programs for over a decade. When Nathan’s not working at a local movie theater in Sheepshead Bay, he joins the HeartShare Respite Program for sporting events, Broadway plays and overnight trips to New Jersey and Pennsylvania. These activities are crucial to helping adults with I/DD develop a sense of independence. The overnight trips are often the first time program participants are away from their families. It’s also relief for those caring for a loved one 24/7. “It gets harder and harder as we get older,” said Nathan’s mother, Faye. “Between HeartShare and his brother David, I know he’s in good hands.”