HEAL Monthly Meetings Monday, October 11

By Linda Carzoli

I invite you to join HEAL at our new Monthly Meetings - HEAL TOGETHER! Our first gathering begins on Monday October 11th, at 6:30. HEAL TOGETHER! is a great opportunity for our local community to connect with parents, teachers, professionals and caregivers impacted by Autism. The meetings will feature a variety of speakers and topics which are designed to educate and inspire an open discussion among attendees.

The first HEAL TOGETHER! meeting will feature Jill Fane, mother of a child with Autism and Parent Trainer, at Central Florida Parent Center. Jill will give a presentation titled; “It’s Those Wonderful Rights: Protecting the Rights of Children and Parents”. This information will benefit students, parents and those who work in the school system.

Speaker Jill Fane of Central Florida Parent Center

As a single parent raising a child with Autism, it is both important and comforting for me to connect with other parents in our community. I invite and encourage all parents, teachers, professionals and caregivers to attend HEAL TOGETHER! make a difference for our children and create autism awareness for our children and our community.

See you on Monday, October 11th, 6:30 pm at Christ’s Church, 6045 Greenland Road, Jacksonville, located off of 9A and US 1. 

Click here for a map and directions.

For more information about HEAL TOGHETHER!, contact info@healautismnow.org or (904) 285-5651.

“Surfers for Autism” comes to St. Augustine and Jacksonville Beach

On Saturday, September 25th, Surfers for Autism will ride the waves in St. Augustine for a one-day surf clinic. Surfers for Autism return to the First Coast on October 23rd to Jacksonville Beach. Surfers are provided a safe environment where two to four highly skilled and trained surf instructors carefully guide them into waves.

Surfers and their families are treated like rock stars and enjoy a day filled with a range of activities including stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, live music, face-painting, games, bounce houses, fire engine tours and much more. A catered lunch is also provided, all at no cost. This is a very special day where children with ASD interact with typical peers and wow families with their capabilities. These events are examples of inclusion at the highest level.

Visit their page on facebook page for more information at http://www.facebook.com/pages/SURFERS-FOR-AUTISM/350102134811?ref=ts

Last Chance to Register for FALL HEALing Families Support Group

For three years, The HEAL Foundation has been connecting ASD parents through their HEALing Families support groups. These are closed groups that meet in a therapeutic setting, once a week for ten weeks. The groups are led by counselor, Janeen Herskovitz, who has a 12 year old son who is severely affected by autism. One mom described the group as, “A place to share your tears and your laughs with a group of the bravest women you will ever meet.”

This ten week program will start on Tuesday, September 28th, in Jacksonville Beach at Palms Presbyterian Church. The groups are sponsored by a HEAL grant and free of charge, but space is limited. Pre-registration is required. To register or for more info, click here to contact Janeen directly at janeenherskovitz@gmail.com

Submit your HEAL Grant Application by September 27

HEAL would like to assist organizations, camps, teachers, therapists and individuals helping those with Autism living on the First Coast. Through grants, HEAL can financially assist in helping your ideas or project become a reality.

To date, HEAL has awarded over $700,000 to a wide variety of First Coast Autism programs, camps, therapists and schools. Visit HEAL’s grant page to review past grants awarded and to download the HEAL grant application (take to grant page). Grants must be submitted in triplicate by Monday, September 27th.

Be sure to use HEAL’s new grant application and take time to review the new guidelines. Click here to download.