As we get closer to the start of a new school year, remember to afford your children, teachers, administrators, and especially YOURSELF with extra grace. |
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We will be continuing with our weekly virtual programs - details below! If there is anything else we can do to support you, please don't hesitate to reach out. We're here for you.
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Staying positive is one of the most important things a person can do. During this Covid-19 pandemic every person has been affected in some aspect. Our work forces have been cut, our schools have closed and even our churches have shut their doors. I personally lost my on campus classes, my job was put on hold and my church was closed. I felt a sense of loss.
I continued my college classes online and eventually my employer scheduled me for some hours but not what I had been getting. I was able to return to church. I have tried to stay positive in all this by keeping busy. I sew and quilt. I have continued to work at my craft and enjoy just being at home. I am not going to tell you that I do not miss my friends on campus. I do miss the campus life.
I encourage you to find something you enjoy doing and do it. Stay busy and you will make it through this pandemic time we are in. Tomorrow is a new day.
-Faith-Christina
Faith-Christina is one of our inaugural Post-Secondary Scholarship recipients. For more information on how to apply, click here.
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August
- August 12 - Mom's Night In - Special Edition (8:30pm)
- August 13 - Amigas de la Fundación (9:00pm)
- August 20- Parent Informational Meeting
- August 24- Bowl-a-Thon Kick-Off
- Mondays - Lunch and Learns (1:45pm)
- Mondays - Virtual Mom's Night In (9:00pm)
- Tuesdays - Virtual Zumba with Elyse (4:00pm - 5:00pm)
- Wednesdays - Virtual Club 321 (4:00pm-5:00pm)
- Thursdays - Virtual Playdates (10:15am-11:00am)
- Thursdays - Virtual T21 Social Network (18+) (4:00pm-5:00pm)
- Fridays - F^3: Fantastic Foundation Friends (3:00pm) and (4:00pm)
November
- November 6-9 - SAVE THE DATE - Camping Jamboree
Don't want to miss out on our events?
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iCan! Bike proved to be a successful and exciting experience for the ninth year in a row! Over 70 volunteers worked together to change the lives of 40 riders. As we look back over last week, countless success stories emerge.
We watched our riders arrive on Monday feeling scared and unsure of themselves while some of the parents were wondering why they ever thought their son or daughter could actually ride a 2-wheel bike. The volunteers were excited and ready to encourage and serve each family and rider. Over the course of five days, hesitant participants transformed into confident riders, parents discovered a renewed hope in what their son or daughter can achieve, and volunteers gained a greater understanding of their peers. It was a WIN-WIN-WIN experience!
This event takes so many committed individuals and organizations - iCan! Bike would not be possible without each and every one of them!
THANK YOU
to the amazing staff from iCan Shine for caring about each of our riders.
THANK YOU
to the families and riders for letting us be a part of your journey.
THANK YOU
to our volunteers -- without you bike camp wouldn't be possible!!
A huge thanks to Camille Gardiner and her entire family for making this event possible.
Thank you for believing in our riders and for being a part of our effort to change lives and change expectations!
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Special Thanks to our AMAZING partners: |
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Florida Freewheelers cycling club once again provided the beautiful, brand new bike helmets to our riders!
They personally and professionally fit everyone again this year. You can find out more about the Florida Freewheelers club at their website: floridafreewheelers.com
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And a special THANK YOU to Chris and Nik Nikic for inspiring our riders and parents at our orientation meeting! Chris learned to ride at iCan! Bike Camp and is now preparing for his first Iron Man competition! |
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A feature from Channel 13 |
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Fall Scholarships due soon! |
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For our scholarships, we ask YOU to find something that your son or daughter would like to do, sign up (with that organization) and then apply for our scholarship.
Scholarship applications will be accepted for Educational, Community, Swimming, Speech, Behavioral (ABA).
*Applications will close on August 7th, but we will be flexible due to Covid.
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Can you believe it's already time to start planning our one fundraiser of the year?! We need YOUR help to make this year a success. Our Bowl-A-Thon funds all of our programs and scholarships for the year so it's imperative that we come together as a community to reach our fundraising goals. Join our Bowl-A-Thon committee to help us plan the event, procure auction items, and brain storm exciting incentives! If you would like to be part of this absolutely essential team which puts on our ONLY FUNDRAISER for the year, please email Camille.Gardiner@dsfflorida.org
It is a short-term commitment that only requires a few hours a month between now and our Bowl-a-Thon.
Our first meeting is virtual through Zoom on Monday, August 24th at 7pm.
https://zoom.us/j/98786344847?pwd=a0pDVEVocWdSZm91elFEcTVsc2l6Zz09
Meeting ID: 987 8634 4847
Passcode: 959519
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Save the DATE! - Camping Jamboree |
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November 6-8 at Jetty Park! |
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Where: Jetty Park Campground - 9035 Campground Cir.
Cape Canaveral, FL 32920
When: November 6-8
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Check out our 2019 Camping Jamboree recap! |
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Moms Night In: Special Edition |
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When: Wednesday, August 12th
Time: 8:30pm-9:30pm
Location: Virtual meeting using Zoom - can be found on our private Facebook page, MeetUp, or by emailing Erin.goding@dsfflorida.org
Do you have a son or daughter that struggles with communication or has a dual diagnosis? Have you attended an event with other families that have a child with Down syndrome and left feeling like your child doesn’t don’t fit in. If so, you are not alone! We’d love for you to join us to connect with other families.
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Cuando: Agosto 13
Hora: 9:00pm
Lugar: Conferencia virtual via Zoom - para más información favor de verificar nuestra página privada de Facebook, nuestro portal de MeetpUp ó enviando un correo electrónico a karmarie.maldonado@dsfflorida.org
¡Únete a nuestra conferencia solo para madres!
En estos tiempos tan volátiles todas estamos tomando decisiones sobre el regreso a las escuelas. Para ayudarlas, estaremos discutiendo diferentes métodos y consejos en cómo manejar la educación desde la casa o “home-schooling”. En adición, déjenos saber si tienen alguna pregunta sobre nuestros programas y becas para discutir durante la charla virtual – ¡estamos para ayudarlas!
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Back to School:
Neurodevelopmental
Program Tips for Learning Success
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When: Thursday, August 20th
Time: 7pm-9pm
Location: Virtual meeting using Zoom - can be found on our private Facebook page, MeetUp, or by emailing Erin.goding@dsfflorida.org
Topic:
Back to School: Neurodevelopmental Program Tips for Learning Success
We are pleased to welcome Kay Ness back for a presentation about Neurodevelopmental techniques that can be used at home to supplement any educational plan. We know that returning to school is overwhelming for many of our families. Regardless if your child will be attending school, doing virtual learning or homeschooling, this program will provide parents with practical exercises you can be doing at home. Consider them your supplements for success! Kay's presentation will be geared towards ALL learners. The FOUNDATION provides scholarships to see Kay which allow you to have a personalized learning program developed for your child. This presentation will give you an idea of what you can be doing to help your child now, as well as give you a taste for what she offers in her ND program. You will walk away with useful ideas, exercises and tips that you can implement at home to improve the academic / learning achievements for your child this year.
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When: Every Monday
Time: 9:00pm
Location: Virtual meeting using Zoom - can be found on our private Facebook page, MeetUp, or by emailing Erin.goding@dsfflorida.org
Every Monday at 9pm we're providing the opportunity for moms to share some time together !
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Virtual Zumba with Elyse! |
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When: Every Tuesday
Time: 4:00pm
Location: Virtual meeting using Zoom - can be found on our private Facebook page, MeetUp, or by emailing Erin.goding@dsfflorida.org
Elyse Mundelein will be teaching a virtual zumba class! We will post the zoom information in the event for details to log in. No experience needed, just get ready to dance and have fun!
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Join our Club 321 virtual meet up for middle and high-schoolers! |
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When: Every Wednesday
Time: 4:00pm-5:00pm
Location: Virtual meeting using Zoom - can be found on our private Facebook page, MeetUp, or by emailing Erin.goding@dsfflorida.org
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When: Every Thursday
Time: 10:15am-11:00am
Location: Virtual meeting using Zoom - can be found on our private Facebook page, MeetUp, or by emailing Erin.goding@dsfflorida.org
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We'll sing songs, read stories, and have fun - all through Zoom! |
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Virtual T21 Social Network (18+) |
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When: Every Thursday
Time: 4:00pm-5:00pm
Location: Virtual meeting using Zoom - can be found on our private Facebook page, MeetUp, or by emailing Erin.goding@dsfflorida.org
This is a great opportunity for our adult group to socialize, engage, and connect with each other. We'll have something new and different each week!
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F^3: Fantastic Foundation Friends |
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When: Every Friday
Time: 3:00pm-3:30pm and 4:00pm-4:30pm
Location: Virtual meeting using Zoom - can be found on our private Facebook page, MeetUp, or by emailing Erin.goding@dsfflorida.org
POWER UP!
This program will provide opportunities for small groups to form relationships and friendships in a virtual environment. Sessions are capped at 5 participants to allow for deeper engagement and a more personal experience. We'll build conversational skills and independence with the goal of forming true friendships over time. Each session will be offered to different age groups. Ex: Girls aged 11-14 for one session and boys aged 15-18 for a different session, women 25-30, etc.
August 7 at 3pm: Men 19-24
August 7 at 4pm: Women 25-30
August 14 at 3pm: Men aged 25-30
August 14 at 4pm: Women 31 and older
August 21 at 3pm: Men 31 and older
August 21 at 4pm: Girls 11-14
August 28 at 3pm: Boys 11-14
August 28 at 4pm: Girls 15-18
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We want to give a big THANK YOU to Jacie, our Spring Event Intern. Jacie was a huge help in preparing for and executing our Annual Bowl-A-Thon as well as a few our monthly events. While we wish we were able to get together more in person in the spring and summer, Jacie quickly adapted to planning and hosting online programs. She meets every challenge with a smile and is always eager to help however she can! We wish her all the best in her future endeavors. Thank you, Jacie! |
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Welcome to the team Avari! |
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Let's all welcome Avari Mallonee as our new Social Media Intern!
Avari is an upcoming senior at Orlando Science High School. Her hometown is right here in sunny Orlando where she has lived her entire life. She's always been very interested in business and marketing and is the business lead of her school’s robotics team. Avari has also been a member of Future Business Leaders of America for 4 years.
In the past, she's volunteered at iCan! Bike Camp and has run a Club 321 STEM event alongside her robotics team. Avari is incredibly excited to be a social media intern for The FOUNDATION and hopes to learn more about the world of online marketing. She is also glad to be interning for an organization that she deeply cares about.
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Global Down Syndrome Foundation |
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The FOUNDATION is working hard to continue to provide life-changing programs and services to individuals with Down syndrome and their families.
Earlier this summer we applied to the Global Down Syndrome Foundation for a COVID-19 Emergency Relief Global Grant. We are pleased to share that The FOUNDATION is one of 42 Down syndrome organizations to receive the Global Grant, and that we were included in GLOBAL’s national news coverage! The funds have already been dispersed to make an impact in our families' lives!
You can read more about the grants and the critical assistance that was provided by clicking the button below.
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Technology Tip and Tricks |
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Many apps are introducing parental control tools for iOS and Android devices that can help limit screen time and phone usage while also filtering the kinds of websites children can access when surfing the web.
You may want to consider the Google Family Link app, which is a completely free tool parents can use to control what apps their children download on their devices, how much screen time they’re allowed to have each day, and what content they can purchase. It works on both Android and iOS.
You can also check how screen time is being used with an iPhone under settings --> screen time.
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Let's get social!
Follow us on social media for more information
and to stay updated on our upcoming events!
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