About Us
Mary & Friends, Inc.,
began in the summer of 1995 by serving thirty-four families with the first Extended School Year (ESY) session in Whittier, California. Since the 1970's our founder, Christine Rico, came to understand that her students and their families had a need for additional support outside of a classroom setting. Christine used her past experience as a special education teacher to develop her program design. Over the years, we have seen tremendous growth.
We are often asked, "Who is Mary?"
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Mary was a remarkable and inspirational young lady who faced many challenges of autism. Although she was non-verbal, Mary expressed in her unique manner how much se looked forward to the ESY program where she developed friendships with her peers and staff members. On September 22, 2011, Mary passed away while living among her friends in a Salem Christian Home in Chino, California. We will always have a special place in our hearts for Mary and her family.