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Upcoming Events
See what's happening this month.
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iCan! Programs - Register today! |
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Charge On towards SUCCESS.
Back-to-school time is here - time to start planning for a successful year. Do not miss out on our fantastic programming in partnership with the University of Central Florida for our members from 4 years old to adulthood. It is never too early or too late to develop skills for the future! Sign-up today and receive a discount on registration for iCan! Learn and iCan! Excel. Read below for a breakdown of what our programs offer by age group.
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iCan! Learn
*Register and submit payment by 8/27 to receive a $50 discount.
This program is designed for children ages 4-9 who are just entering or about to enter the school system. We partner with UCF's College of Community Innovation and Education and work with students who help our families with tools and resources focused on research based methods proven to help our children through 5 centers - STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), Reading, Math, Speech and Physical Therapy/Occupational Therapy. Through iCan! Learn we will provide more hands on learning and skills geared for the 21st Century and beyond.
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iCan! Excel
*Register and submit payment by 8/27 to receive a $50 discount.
iCan! Excel offers youth ages 10-15 the opportunity to get moving and have fun. Our participants learn mindfulness and yoga in a supportive and creative environment. The goal of the program is to teach exercise as an effective way to manage and reduce stress levels and develop effective coping strategies.
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College & Career Prep
*Receive gift card back at the end of the program based on attendance!
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This program is beneficial for those 16 and older of all abilities who want to continue to learn and develop skills that will help them be successful in the community. Participants and UCF students explore various parts of community life from navigating campus to building a budget to exploring healthy eating and exercise options. There is a presentation for the young adults as well as speakers who come to educate the parents about how to facilitate independence after high school. Check out a list of some of the amazing topics and resources in the link below!
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Wondering about our services and mission? You do not want to miss this orientation session!
Date: Thursday, August 19
Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Virtually through Zoom! Please be camera ready.
Members of The FOUNDATION, join us for a virtual orientation! During this session, you will learn about our organization's history, mission, scholarships, and more!
Attending an orientation session is required for those who will be applying for any of our FOUNDATION scholarships. If you have not previously participated in an orientation please plan to join us so you can be considered an active member.
In the orientation, you'll learn about the programs and scholarships we offer and all the different ways you can get involved! Even if you don't apply for scholarships with The FOUNDATION, this orientation will be beneficial to you! Please be sure to have your camera on for the session so we can verify your attendance and participation. We cannot wait to see you!
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When: Saturday, August 21
Time: 10:00am - 12:00pm
Location: DeLand, FL (we will send the address after registration)
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Our August play date is the perfect opportunity to get to know more families in our community. Join us at Chasity Hanners' home and enjoy a fun time for littles to splash around and cool down in her lovely backyard and more.
A special THANK YOU to Suzanne Sherrill and Chasity Hanners for helping us organize and plan our August play date!
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Lights! Camera! Action! - Afternoon at the
ο»ΏOrlando Repertory Theater.
When: Saturday, August 21
Time: 1:45pm - 5:00pm
Location: The Orlando Repertory Theater
Address: 1001 E Princeton St, Orlando, FL 32803
Details: The FOUNDATION will cover the admission to the theater. Please bring a picnic lunch for after the tour and workshop.
Our August in-person event will be held at the amazing Orlando Repertory Theater located close to Downtown Orlando. T21 members will tour this gorgeous theater, participate in an acting workshop, and explore their creative side with friends! After the tour, we will have a picnic lunch near the theater. Nothing better than a Saturday with good friends - we hope to see you then!
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Club 321 (middle and high school) |
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Paint your own masterpiece at Nailed It DIY Studio!
When: Saturday, August 28
Time: 2:45pm - 6:00pm
Location: Nailed It DIY Studio in Waterford Lakes
Address: 12789 Waterford Lakes Parkway, Suite 6
Orlando, FL 32828
Details: The FOUNDATION will cover the cost of Nailed It DIY Studio and pizza!
Join us for a fun afternoon of painting with friends! Nailed It Do It Yourself (DIY) Studio will allow your creativity to fly as you paint your very own unique work of art. After we are done creating, we will enjoy pizza! We cannot wait to see you, click the link below to register.
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Family Skate Night, APD & ABLE United Sign Up Event |
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If your child is 3 or older and is not enrolled with APD or ABLE United, this is an event you don't want to miss!
Date: Monday, September 20th
Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Location: Astro Skate
Address: 866 S Goldenrod Rd. Orlando, FL 32822
The Down Syndrome Foundation of Florida invites you to bring your entire family and join us for a FREE family night at Astro Skate! Come join us for some fun and get informed about the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) and ABLE United!
We will provide pizza and volunteers will be on-hand to help anybody who doesn't know how to skate as well as help while mom and/or dad fill out papers for APD and open an ABLE Account. Even if you are already signed up with APD or have an ABLE Account we hope you will come out and join us for some fun anyway!
You and/or your loved ones do not have to have any experience skating. Part of the purpose is to give our loved ones an opportunity to learn a fun skill. Astro Skate also has PVC "skate mates" that anyone can use to help them skate. The skaters love using them to skate independently and it's much easier for Mom and Dad! We hope to see you there!
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Down Syndrome Awareness Celebration! |
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β« "Celebrate good times, come on!" β«
Date: Friday, October 8
Time: 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Winter Park Community Center
Address: 721 W New England Ave. Winter Park, FL 32789
Let's celebrate the lucky few while moving and grooving at our annual Down Syndrome Awareness & 2022 Bowl-A-Thon Kick-Off celebration! Join us for an unforgettable night for our members and their immediate family of music, dancing, food, and more. Join the party and get to know other amazing members in our community while cutting a rug! Be sure to mark your calendars, this is a party you do not want to miss.
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Camping Jamboree 2021
ο»ΏNovember 5th - 7th
REGISTRATION IS OPEN
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Life is great - camping out and having fun!
Registration is open, join us for a fantastic weekend.
What: Camping Jamboree 2021
When: Friday, November 5th - Sunday, November 7th
Where: Jetty Park Campground, 9035 Campground Circle,
Cape Canaveral, FL 32920
Camping Jamboree is one of our most anticipated events of the year! It is a GREAT way to spend time with family and enjoy the outdoors. We go to Jetty Park (where the cruise ships go out to sea) and camp for the weekend! The FOUNDATION will provide breakfast on Saturday and Sunday, and dinner on Saturday night. We rent beach chairs, umbrellas, boogie boards and kayaks and have a fantastic time. This is the perfect way for you to get some beach time with loved ones while making new friends and memories! Register today!
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Fall 2021 scholarships are open! |
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Psst, did you hear the good news? Fall Scholarships are now open until August 20!
The Down Syndrome Foundation of Florida believes when POTENTIAL is given OPPORTUNITY the outcome is SUCCESS. We are very proud to announce that our scholarships for the fall are now open! Be sure to apply for this fantastic opportunity today, scholarships close in a few weeks on August 20.
We are offering scholarships for the following areas:
- Community
- Swimming
- Education
- Speech
- Behavior Therapy
It is our goal to provide opportunities throughout the community for individuals with Down syndrome to be involved and included - not just because it is the right thing to do, but because we know EVERYONE will benefit from it! The more opportunities any individual is given the greater the likelihood of their success. Click below to learn more and apply today!
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DRIVING FOR A CHANGE - Join our charity golf committee |
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The FOUNDATION is looking for "Pre-Parr-Tee Committee" members for this upcoming fundraiser event!
This is another fun way to fulfill "active member" status while also supporting our iCan! Work program. We cannot believe this event is right around the corner! A special thank you to Florida Paints for hosting this inaugural Tour of Champions Golf Tournament at Isleworth Golf and Country Club with all proceeds benefiting The FOUNDATION.
The tournament will include a small high-end auction and we'd love for YOU to help us procure items! We've started a wish list but we are open to your suggestions as well. The sponsorship brochure and auction wish list can be found on our website.
If you have experience running a golf tournament or auction, or would just like to help with this inaugural event, we are looking for Pre-Parr-Tee Committee members to help us make this event a success! Please contact Robin at robin.longley@dsfflorida.org or at (407) 538-3537 - Thank you!
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Looking for Bowl-A-Thon Committee members! |
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Roll with us! Be part of The FOUNDATION's largest fundraiser of the year by joining our 2022 Tour of Champions Bowl-A-Thon committee. Our first meeting takes place in a few weeks! See details below.
Date: Tuesday, August 24
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Boardwalk Bowl Entertainment Center
Address: 10749 E Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32817
Being part of this committee only requires a few hours a month between now and our Bowl-A-Thon in February! This is a great way to get involved and fulfill "active member" status with us. If you are interested in joining, please email Camille at Camille.Gardiner@dsfflorida.org.
Are you creative? Do you love event planning? Want a role in helping our mission? We cannot wait to hear from you - contact Camille today!
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Meet Nkosi Watts!
The Down Syndrome Foundation of Florida's new Marketing and Social Media Intern.
Nkosi is a junior at Stetson University majoring in psychology and minoring in French and computer science. She has a passion for digital and web design with an interest in digital marketing. Sheβs volunteered with organizations such as Give Kids the World and UCP of Central Florida.
One of her roles as an intern is to get to know YOU! She will be capturing stories, experiences, and perspectives from volunteers and families alike. Let's give Nkosi a warm welcome to The FOUNDATION family!
If you are interested in sharing your story and possibly being featured on our social media channels for Down Syndrome Awareness Month, please email Nkosi at nkosi.watts@dsfflorida.org
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Promoted! Carla Machado is
The FOUNDATION's new Community Engagement Specialist.
Carla has had quite an exciting year so far! We are happy to announce she has joined The FOUNDATION full-time following her graduation from college. This past May she earned a Bachelor's degree in political science with a minor in media analysis from Arizona State University. Recently, she was promoted from her part-time position as Marketing and Programs Coordinator into a new challenge as our Community Engagement Specialist!
In this new role, Carla will spearhead volunteer recruitment, iCan! programs in partnership with the University of Central Florida, iCan! Work job placement program, Partners In Education, advocacy projects, some digital marketing, and much more with the goal of supporting our mission and taking it to new heights. Keep up the great work, Carla!
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Virtual Zumba with Elyse! |
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When: Select Tuesdays
Time: 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Location: Virtual meeting using Zoom - can be found below, on our private Facebook page, Meetup, or by emailing:
Elyse Mundelein will be teaching a virtual Zumba class! We will post the Zoom information of the event below or on our private Facebook page. No experience needed, just get ready to dance and have fun!
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Upcoming dates:
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- Tuesday, August 10
- Tuesday, August 17
- Tuesday, August 24
- Tuesday, August 31
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Join our Club 321 virtual meet-up for middle and high-schoolers!
When: Every Wednesday
Time: 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Location: Virtual meeting using Zoom - can be found below, on our private Facebook page, Meetup, or by emailing,
This is a great opportunity for our middle and high school group to socialize, engage, and connect with each other. We'll have something new and different each week!
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Upcoming dates:
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Wednesday, August 4 - Workout with The FOUNDATION
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Wednesday, August 11 - Karaoke
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Wednesday, August 18 - Trivia and Scavenger Hunt
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Wednesday, August 25 - Yoga and Relaxation
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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 below, on our private Facebook page, Meetup, or by emailing,
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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Upcoming dates:
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Thursday, August 5 - Jeopardy
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Thursday, August 12 - Bingo!
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Thursday, August 19 - Dance Party and Karaoke Sing-A-Long
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Thursday, August 26 - Drawing 101
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F^3 : Fantastic Foundation Friends |
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When: Select Fridays
Time: 4:00pm - 4:30pm and 4:30pm - 5:00pm
Location: Virtual meeting using Zoom - the link can be found below, on our private Facebook page, Meetup, or by emailing,
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.
Schedule:
August 6
4:00 pm- Girls ages 11-14
4:30 pm - Boys ages 11-14
August 13
4:00 pm - Girls ages 15-18
4:30 pm - Boys ages 15-18
August 20
4:00 pm - Women ages 19-25
4:30 pm - Men ages 19-25
August 27
4:00 pm - Women & Men ages 25-30
4:30 pm - Women & Men ages 31+
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Get to know 15 apps for your smartphone or device that will get your family hooked on learning!
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Seamlessly learn new skills, ideas and activities right from the comfort of home. Get back into learning as summer comes to an end with the help of one of these highly-rated, family friendly apps. Tap below to learn more.
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Let's get social!
Follow us on social media for more information and to stay up-to-date on our upcoming events.
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