April 2024 Issue 2

Image Description: The Center for Exceptional Families logo with 3 hearts: 1 green, 1 orange, and 1 blue heart. The hearts are interconnected and hanging off the letter E in the word Exceptional.

EARN $25!!

Who: Teens and Adults with Disabilities OR

Parents/Guardians of Teens and Adults with Disabilities

What: Earn $25 by just rating an Independent Futures That Works Checklist!

Where: View the IFTW Checklist online and fill out an online survey!

When: Right now! Don't wait!

How: Email karen.lutrick@tcfef.org to find out more!

Meet TATE, our Teen Adult Transition Expert (TATE).

TATE will give you important facts, vocabulary, and info related to Living, Learning, and Working Independently. TATE was created by a teen with a disability specifically for this purpose!

Roommate Housing Programs for adults with disabilities are shared living arrangements that help adults to live on their own with other compatible adults. Easter Seals is the newest organization to offer this program! To learn more Click Here!

TCFEF Events

Stay up to date with our events by checking out our calendar:

Click Here

Other Events

April 1st - May 31st - Spring Plant Sale sponsored by Access Group Inc in Little Rock. Click Here

April 12th and 13th - FREE Dental Clinic in Conway sponsored by ARMOM, Delta Dental, and ASDA. Click Here

April 13th - Sensory Cinema viewing of Shrek 2 in Jonesboro presented by TCFEF. Click Here

April 15th - Your Voice, Your Story, Your Future Webinar presented by Transition Discoveries. Click Here

April 26th to 27th - Self Determination, Our Life, Our Way Conference in Little Rock presented by DRA and GCDD. Click Here

May 18th - Sensory Cinema viewing of IF in Jonesboro presented by TCFEF. Click Here

June 1st - Sensory Cinema viewing of Garfield in Jonesboro presented by TCFEF. Click Here

Jun 3rd to June 5th - College Bound Arkansas presented by AR Transition Services. Click Here

Various Dates: Young Adult Social Group (ages 15-25) Community Connections Little Rock, Conway, Russellville. Click Here

Various Dates: Club Connect for young adults with Down Syndrome. Held every 6-8 weeks. Click Here

Announcement!

The Independent Futures That Work (IFTW) project is launching a Learning Management System (LMS) with various topics on transitioning to independent living, learning, and working. As part of the project, they would like to include short videos of individuals participating in the project. To be considered as a nominee for the videos, we ask that the student be in the process of transitioning from high school to independent living, learning, or working. 

Click Here to download the nomination form. Submit it to: 

transition@alabamaparentcenter.com 



Thanks for considering participation in this effort. Please share this info and nomination form with others in your network. Let’s represent Arkansas!

Image Description: Logo with the title "Independent Futures that Work. Live. Work. Learn." Logo is in blue and green. There is a person in a wheelchair, a person with a backpack on, and a person with a walking cane on a path with 3 arrows pointing in different directions.

To help more teens and young adults, TCFEF has partnered with The Independent Futures That Work Project. IFTW is a multi-state program with a goal to work together with families, schools, and other organizations to help teens and adults with disabilities plan their futures! Click the link below to learn more and connect with IFTW on their website and social media sites!

The Center for Exceptional Families (TCFEF) has partnered with schools and donors to bring families a toolkit to organize their child's school records and provide them with useful information. With the school partnership, teens with disabilities at the school are paid to put together the binders that are shipped for FREE to families.

Click Here to learn more!

If you would like to become a partner or sponsor, email: shelby.knight@tcfef.org

Thank you

School Partners!

We would like to thank Wynne Public Schools' Working for Independence Now (WIN) program. Click Here to go to the school website.

Thank you Sponsors!

We would like to thank Summit Community Care, a Medicaid PASSE that provides services to kids and adults with disabilities and behavior health needs.

Thank you Sponsors!

We would like to thank Ag for Autism, an alliance of agriculture businesses dedicated to helping local children with Autism and their families.

Arkansas Workforce Centers!

Did you know there are virtual, mobile, and permanent centers for job seekers with trainings, resources and support? Click Here for virtual services. Click Here for in-person locations!

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To see more state and national resources to help teens and adults with disabilities to live, learn, and work independently, go to our website by Clicking Here