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Take a Behind-the-Scenes Look at Connections' Life-Saving Adaptive Swim Program

Several years ago, a beloved Connections student named Alec tragically passed away from drowning at his home. To honor his life and reduce the risk of other families having to endure this heartbreak, we committed to teaching all our students and adult clients vital swim skills and began the Connections swim program.

Our unique program is designed to ... continue.

Student Spotlight: Unlocking Nico's Remarkable Abilities

When Nico started Pre-K at his local elementary school, life and learning were hard for him. Like many children diagnosed with autism, he struggled to communicate his wants, needs and thoughts, leaving him frustrated. This frustration often led to anger issues that mainstream teachers did not know how to handle. Nico struggled to pay attention in class and wasn’t learning. “We weren’t seeing any progress and it was difficult for us,” says his dad Michael. But when he came to Connections ... continue.

Your Gift Unlocks a BIG Match — Up to $50,000!

This Autism Awareness Month, we're bringing awareness to the fact that children with autism are 160 times more likely to drown than their neurotypical peers. And they acquire swim skills differently than others. That's why Connections includes adaptive swim lessons for every student and adult client.

But we need help funding these life-saving lessons, and we're raising funds through our Draw the Line on Drowning campaign that's off to a GREAT start!

Every dollar given by April 30 unlocks another dollar in a generous, 2X match up to $50,000! That means your gift will impact TWICE as many children! Please help us Draw the Line on Drowning!

Book Fair & Literacy Night Encourage Young Readers

Thanks to our amazing staff and volunteers, the 2024 Book Fair & Literacy Night were a huge success!

We all know how important reading is, but shopping for new books in busy stores can be a challenge for students with autism. Our in-house Book Fair gives students a sensory-friendly environment where they can choose from a variety of books that are just right for them.

Held in conjunction, our 2024 Literacy Night brought together our families, teachers and staff for learning and fun. Families began in their child's homeroom where our teachers and therapists shared reading strategies that are proving successful in the classroom. They showed families how to continue this work at home to reinforce the skills that students are building.

The night continued with social time and dinner from Tippi's Pizza, a local business that provides volunteer opportunities for our older students and adults who assemble pizza boxes for them.

Thanks to everyone who made these events possible and to all the families who joined us to support your children!

Come Try Your Luck While Supporting a Great Cause!

Players of all levels are invited to join us for an exciting afternoon of poker, raffles and fun while support a great cause at the All In for Autism Poker Tournament! This fun event will be held Sunday, April 21 at the Palm Beach Kennel Club. Check in begins at 11:30 a.m. and the tournament begins at 12:30 p.m.

This Texas Hold'em Tournament features a $50 buy-in, $20 re-buys, add ons and cash prizes for the top 10%! The tournament benefits local charities, including Connections. Register today and get ready for an exciting afternoon of poker!

Congratulations to Our Swimmers of the Week!

Our students work so hard in our adaptive swim classes, and we like to recognize a Swimmer of the Week. If you follow us on Facebook, you've seen these swimmers in action! In case you missed it, we're proud to recognize:

• Tyler — Being able to float on your back is an integral part of water competency and safety. Tyler is doing a great job mastering floating on his back.
• Thomas — Thomas is blowing bubbles and working toward putting his face in the water, which can be scary and uncomfortable. We're so proud of Thomas' determination and courage!

We're proud of all our swimmers and remain focused on teaching children with autism how to stay safe near water.

Thank You to PGA National's WGA for Selecting Us!

We are beyond grateful to have been the beneficiary of the 2024 WGA Charity Golf Tournament held April 18! The Women's Golf Association of PGA National generously gave us the opportunity to raise awareness about the unique needs of our students and adult clients and to highlight our nonprofit's services and needs. We are so grateful for the opportunity to raise funds and share information through this incredible event!

Follow us on Facebook to see highlights soon!

Highlights from Rooney's 5k Run/Walk!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for a FUN morning at Rooney's 5k! We had such a fun time and were grateful to be among the beneficiaries!

As an added bonus, we got to cheer for three of our team members won their age group! Congratulations to:

• Addy van Leeuwen
• Katie Wentley
• Aaron Wolke

Congrats to everyone who finished this 5k and thanks for making a difference for local nonprofits like Connections!

www.connectedpb.com