Community Connections Newsletter | |
Check out what's new in this issue!
- Mini Makers Art Series
- Let's Get Crafty Winter Hat
- Sweetheart Dance
- New Building Hours at BCBDD
- Applications Open for Learning Aid Ohio
- Understanding School-Based Services
- Transition Program Resource
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Accessing Summer Programs
January 13 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at Cincinnati Art Museum
Join recreation providers, families, and community partners to discuss what meaningful, inclusive summer opportunities can look like for all children including those with learning differences, developmental disabilities and/or sensory differences. Click here to learn more.
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Parent Group Network Meeting
Thursday, January 15 from 12:00 - 1 p.m. at the Janet Clemmons Center
During this networking session, families will be invited to share practical advice and personal experiences related to future planning. Topics may include:
• Whether you have a will and the steps you took to complete it
• ABLE or STABLE account guidance
• Creating a written plan and what that plan looks like
• How siblings are involved in the planning process
These are just a few examples. We encourage you to come prepared to share your insights and to learn from the experiences of others.
Please feel free to invite another parent to attend with you. We look forward to a meaningful and collaborative discussion.
RSVP by emailing Jenny Mann, jamann@butlerdd.org
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Mini Makers Art Series
Every Saturday from January 17 to February 14 from 9:00 a.m. - 10 a.m.
You’re invited to a 5-week hands-on art series designed especially for little makers age 2.5 to 4 years old. This series builds fine motor skills, creativity, and confidence through age-appropriate art exploration. Each week, children will explore clay, pottery painting, and acrylics through three guided projects created with toddlers in mind. It is $15 per class and $75 for the series. All supplies are included. One adult per child is required and included in registration. Adults will have a seat next to their Mini Maker and assist as needed. Missed classes cannot be made up, but materials can be passed along so you can create any missed projects at home. Register today!
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Middletown Arts Center Sensory Friendly Saturday
Saturday, February 7, April 18, and June 27 from 10:00 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Visit the Middletown Arts Center for Sensory-Friendly Saturdays! Enjoy a warm, welcoming, and inclusive space where individuals of all ages and abilities can explore art in a way that feels comfortable, calm, and fun. Stroll through relaxing art galleries, take part in hands-on creative activities, enjoy guided art projects, and meet the Art Center's friendly therapy dogs. These sensory-friendly events are completely FREE for the community. To RSVP, call 513-424-2417 or reach out via email at katyrose@middletownartscenter.com.
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Ice Skating With The Miami Redhawks
Sunday, February 8, from 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Join the Miami Redhawks on the ice for an afternoon full of fun! On Sunday, February 8, 2026, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., the Miami Redhawks will be at the Miami Goggin Ice Center on the rink, ready to ice skate with attendees! All abilities are welcome, including those with wheelchairs! It is suggested that those who RSVP should arrive by 1:15 p.m. so that they can have plenty of time to purchase skates and put them on. Skate rental is $2.50 and can only be purchased by credit card at the Goggin Ice Center counter. Every person skating, including guardians and staff who will be assisting any individuals on and off the ice, must sign up. If an individual is not capable/comfortable being on the ice alone, then a guardian/staff member will need to be on the ice with the individual. This also includes helping to get on/off the ice safely. Register on our website! The registration deadline is Friday, January 30, 2026.
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Sweetheart Dance
Thursday, February 5, from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Bring your sweetheart to dance the night away with the GE Band! The dance will take place at Redeemer Church, located at 3431 Hamilton Middletown Road in Hamilton, Ohio. Light snacks and drinks will be provided. The cost to attend will be $1 at the door. Register at https://www.butlerdd.org/events/11608-2/ by Friday, January 30.
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Urban Air Sensory Friendly Play
First Sunday of the Month from 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Join the Urban Air Adventure Park Fairfield Township team for Sensory Friendly Play! This is designed for children with Autism and special needs. During Sensory Play, Urban Air Adventure Park is transformed into a calmer atmosphere for children with special needs and sensory processing difficulties. The cost is $15.99 per child. Urban Air Adventure Park Fairfield Township is located at 3175 Princeton Road.
| | Online Events & Trainings | |
Let's Get Crafty Winter Hat
Thursday, January 8 at 1:00 p.m.
Join We Thrive Together for a craft class creating a Winter Hat craft. The supplies you will need for this are: paper, crayons/markers/colored pencils, scissors, tape/glue, cotton balls (optional), and yarn (optional). Click here to find that event and others like it.
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Understanding School-Based Services
Wednesday, January 21, from 5:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m.
In this virtual event, attendees learn the basics of accessing school-based services, from eligibility to determining specific services and supports, and leave with resources to assist in navigating the process. This event is free, but registration is required. Classes are open to everyone. Register for the event!
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Become an Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council Ambassador
Are you interested in sharing your voice and making a difference in your community? The Community Ambassador Program spotlights Ohioans with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) who share important stories from their local communities. As a Community Ambassador, you'll bring local stories forward for people across Ohio to hear. Your perspective helps others understand what's happening in our state, including the challenges, successes, and positive changes, making Ohio more inclusive. If you are interested, fill out the interest form.
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New Building Hours at BCBDD
In response to our fiscal emergency, we are actively seeking creative cost-saving solutions. To that end, we are adjusting our building hours.
Beginning January 1, 2026, the Janet Clemmons Center will be opened from 8:30 – 4:00 Monday through Thursday. The building will be closed on Fridays.
Staff will still work remotely on Fridays and our after-hours emergency line is monitored 24/7 outside of normal business hours.
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Applications Open for Learning Aid Ohio Spring Semester
Learning Aid Ohio provides funding for in-person, one-on-one learning support for students who are on an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Families connect with tutors to help students stay on track toward their unique academic goals, specific to their individual needs and based on the curriculum their traditional teachers set. Students can apply for up to $10,000 in grants over the course of their lifetime. The program runs in roughly sixteen-week semesters throughout the year (fall, spring, and summer). Enrollment is now open for the Spring Semester which runs January 10, 2026 – May 8, 2026.
This program is open to K-12 students who meet the following qualifications:
• Are learning on an IEP through their school district
• Are Ohio residents
• Have a family household income under 400% of the Federal Poverty Level
Learn more here.
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The Gifted Event
Are you looking for an inclusive barbershop or hair salon that is sensitive to your child's sensory needs? Check out The Gifted Event! Vernon Jackson, creator of the non-profit The Gifted Event, a free haircut program for children with special needs and their families, has a mission to make barbershops and salons a safe and inclusive space for neurodivergent children and their families! Vernon offers haircuts in an inclusive environment at Noble Bar and Beauty, located at 2915 Highland Ave, Cincinnati, OH. To learn more about how your child can receive a haircut from Vernon or to sponsor a haircut, visit The Gifted Event's website!
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Transition Program Resource
If you’re looking to identify a great post-secondary transition program for a young adult on the autism spectrum or with learning differences, use the following comprehensive guide to help make sure you are asking the right questions.
| | We would never be able to do all that we do without our amazing community! THANK YOU for coming alongside us in support of the individuals and families we serve! | | | | |
