ACCEPTS

Facilitated Communication Skill Building Workshop
Awarded
$2,500

The Facilitated Communication Skill Building Workshop will train proficient facilitators in leadership to become coaches in FC. The seminar will help nonverbal or verbally limited individuals to communicate through typing with a goal of independence.  Facilitated communication has been a groundbreaking blessing to many nonverbal individuals, giving them a voice.

ARC Jacksonville

Scholarship for Life
Awarded
$2,500

Young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities can experience a “sneak preview” of living on their own through LIFE - Living Independently Finding Enrichment, a summer program for individuals 18-26 years of age.

Angelwood

Angelwood Summer Day Camp
Awarded
$2,500

Angelwood Camp serves 175 campers, all living with intellectual disabilities. The goals of Angelwood Summer Day Camp are the children with disabilities will experience a typical summer camp experience while their unique needs being met.

BridgeHaven Academy

Awarded
$2,500

The grant will be used to purchase a smartboard. The smartboard will be used to improve learning in the classroom.

Catholic Charities

Camp I am Special
Awarded
$2,500

Provides persons with physical, emotional and developmental disabilities life enriching experiences that promote health and wellbeing and help the campers gain independence and grow personally. The camp offers seven week-long, overnight summer camps.  Last summer, 109 of the 238 Campers had a diagnosis on the Autism Spectrum. The grant will be used to purchase 30 cushioned floor mats that will enhance the campers experience.

Equine Therapy

Special Needs Awareness Yoga Program
Awarded
$2,000

The primary mission of Haven Horse Ranch is to assist each child with special needs in reaching their full potential through interaction and therapy with rescued horses. It is a licensed Spirit Horse Therapeutic Riding Center providing Free Equine Assisted Therapy. It's the only facility in NE Florida providing full time, free, therapy, 6 days per week for those with Autism, MS, MD, Cerebral Palsy, Down's Syndrome, Traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, Learning disabilities, Developmental Delays, and at risk and abused youth.

Field of Dreams

Awarded
$2,000

Field of Dreams Baseball is a sustainable organization that provides a safe ADA certified facility where special needs children of all ages can play baseball for free and be an active part of a team. The funds will be used for capital improvement.

Flip Dog Yoga

Special Needs Awareness Yoga Program
Awarded
$2,520

The goal is to spread the word that yoga can be enjoyed and should be part of the therapy equation for every person with disabilities. The grant funds will be used to offset the cost to participants. These classes will be offered at no cost with a onetime $10 registration fee.

Great Strides was the top fundraiser at the HEAL Autism Walk @ The Zoo and received a $1,000 grant to use at their discretion.  Great Strides hosts a Comprehensive Autism Center and School serving Northeast Florida families affected by Autism and related disabilities.

HUG/Help Us Golf

Awarded
$1,500

The goal of HUG Juniors Golf Camp is to focus on teaching the game of golf to the juniors within the Autism Spectrum. The HUG program will be hosted at TPC Sawgrass and include physical fitness, history/rules, environmental stewardship and fundamentals of the golf swing. The grant will be used to offset the cost of the program.

Henderson Haven

Camp Possible 2017
Awarded
$2,500

Camp Possible 2017 will provide learning in a fun environment while promoting age-appropriate social skills. Each week Camp Possible will have a different theme, which will relate to an area of living an independent life, such as safety and/or health. Camp Possible will have volunteers and community resources to enhance the experience for each camper.

Horseplay Therapy

Hippotherapy
Awarded
$2,500

The grant will be used to provide hippotherapy session to children with ASD. The children do not realize they are working toward therapy goals, they think they are coming to the bard to plays and ride horses.

Indigo Art Therapy

Vocational Art for Autism
Awarded
$2,500

The grant funds will be used to create a sustainable vocational training program for individuals with autism. The students work will be featured in a formal art exhibit.

Jacksonville School for Autism

Summer Camps
Awarded
$2,500

The grant will be used to help support the school’s summer enrichment program, which includes piano/music, karate and yoga. Remarkably, many Autistic children have been found to have extraordinary musical and artistic talents. Other experiences include trips to the zoo, surfing lessons, dolphin experience and other community field trips.

Jericho School

Rock the Spectrum Summer
Awarded
$1,280

The grant will be used to cover transportation expenses for the summer camp field trips to an all-inclusive gym, Rock the Spectrum. The camp will provide the opportunity for children with autism a fun and motivational environment to help them in the areas of strength, movement, sensory processing, and communication.

Little Star Center

Awarded
$2,500

Little Star Center serves as both a school and Behavioral Therapy Center.  The school is offering a Summer School Program which incorporates an intense ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) but with some fun. The grant will be used to help fund some of the summer outings. These include Riverboat Cruise, Trolley Tour, Hands on Museum and more.

MOCA Jacksonville

Art Aviators Workshop
Awarded
$2,500

The Art Aviator program builds on the power of art- making activities as a means of promoting expression and social interactions among children with ASD. The purpose of the program is to give children with ASD a safe place to experiment with materials and expressions not found at home or in the classroom.

Morning Star School

Funding IXL online program
Awarded
$2,500

This site license will give all students access to four subject areas. IXL is an interactive online program that students can access through an app. It helps differentiate learning for multiple skill levels for one classroom.

Peace of Heart Community

Peace of Heart Enrichment Pavilion
Awarded
$2,500

Peace of Heart Community is a local non-profit organization supporting individuals and families impacted by autism. An innovative group home for six young women with autism will be open soon, providing them with a loving home environment that is person, community and sustainability centered.

The grant will be used to build a structure that provides protection from the elements. It will be used as a gathering place for volunteers, educational events, vocational activities, and enrichment purposes. A sensory garden will be surrounding the pavilion.

Riding the Wave of Autism Surf Camp

Peace of Heart Enrichment Pavilion
Awarded
$3,500

Riding the Wave of Autism Surf Camp was held in Neptune Beach.  25 local kids on the autism spectrum participated in the camp.  Each participant received individual instruction and the opportunity to surf, paddleboard, and ride in ocean kayaks.  Each participant also received a camp t-shirt and surf swag bag.

Special Nations

Special Nation Summer VBS/Summer Camp
Awarded
$2,500

Redeemer Church offers a Vacation Bible School June 13-17 to special needs children in the Jacksonville area. This unique camp presumes competence and encourages participation. The grant will be used to staff the camp with skilled workers with experience in autism/special needs. Funds will be used to have trained individuals help with the inclusion aspect of this unique camp.

The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens

Camp Cummer Scholarships
Awarded
$2,000

Camp Cummer is a week-long summer camp taught by full-time Museum Educators whose work is supported by the time and talent of dozens of volunteers. Camp Cummer is a fun summer camp that offers adventurous ways for children to grow by discovering art and person expression. The Cummer will have six one-week programs for grades 1 through 6. These campers will print, draw, paint, create with clay, and learn new ways to think and talk about art in the galleries and gardens. The Cummer will also offer a one-week session grades 6 through 9. These campers will learn the skills of printmaking, drawing, painting, and clay techniques while being inspired by masterworks in the galleries and the histories gardens. All the children will also spend time exploring Art Connections.

Fall

ACCEPTS

Facilitated Communication Skill Building Workshop
Awarded
$2,500

The Facilitated Communication Skill Building Workshop will offer introductory training for parents and teachers who are new to FC. The seminar will help nonverbal or verbally limited individuals to communicate through typing with a goal of independence.

Best Buddies Jacksonville

Friendship and Leadership Program
Awarded
$1,250

Currently the program runs in 8 middle schools, 20 high schools, 3 colleges, and 2 expansion schools. The program will bring together over 3,000 students in inclusive, positive, and supportive social

Bridge Haven Academy

Yoga
Awarded
$2,500

Funds Yoga two days a week. Autism is becoming described as a mind/body control movement disorder and not an intellectual disability. Research has proven to help individuals with movement and proprioception issues.

Communication Social Skills Program-Southside Estates Elementary

Awarded
$1,250

The funds will be used to enhance a sensory room that will be used by 6 Pre-K to 5th grade classrooms. The items will help students cope when they a faced with sensory overload.

Cummer Museum of Arts and Gardens

2018 VSA Festival
Awarded
$2,500

The VSA Festival provides unique museum-based, hands on opportunities for more than 2,200 children, teachers and families over a four-day period. Public students from the surrounding five county Exceptional Education Student Services program rotate through eight art stops in the in the Museum's galleries and gardens to create art, view The Cummer's collection, listen to live musicians and storytellers, and learn about art appreciation.  The Grant will be used to help fund this May 3-6, 2018 event.

Flip Dog Yoga

Special Needs Awareness Yoga Program
Awarded
$2,500

The goal is to spread the word that yoga can be enjoyed and should be part of the therapy equation for every person with disabilities. The grant funds will be used to offset the cost to participants. These are six-week classes.

Haven Horse Ranch, Inc.

Equine Therapy
Awarded
$2,500

Primary mission of Haven Horse Ranch: "to assist each child with special needs in reaching their full potential through interaction and therapy with rescued horses." A licensed Spirit Horse Therapeutic Riding Center providing Free Equine Assisted Therapy. It's the only facility in NE Florida providing full time, free, therapy, 6 days per week for those with Autism, MS, MD, Cerebral Palsy, Down's Syndrome, Traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, Learning disabilities, Developmental Delays, and at risk and abused youth. The grant will provide 100 sessions of Equine Therapy along with camp and various "horse shows" for local children diagnosed specifically with an ASD.

Hope Haven

The Discovery School at Hope Haven
Awarded
$2,000

To enhance the learning environment funds will be used to make classroom more sensory friendly.  They will purchase Cozy Cubes that provide a personal quiet space when needed. They will also purchase comfort items that will provide relief from sensory overload in the classroom.

Hope Therapy

Hope Therapy Scholarship
Awarded
$2,000

Hope Therapy is an equine assisted activity and therapy program. Grant funds will be providing four individuals with Autism two months of weekly equine therapy sessions.

Horseplay Therapy Center

PT, OT, and ST with Horses
Awarded
$2,000

The nonprofit provides hippotherapy to ASD and other children with special needs. Children with special needs don’t realize they are working toward therapy goals, they just think they are coming to play and ride with horses.


Jacksonville Miracle League

Baseball League
Awarded
$2,500

Grant will be used for uniforms and hardship waivers for participants in the inclusive baseball league. Jacksonville Miracle provides anyone with medical issues an opportunity to enjoy the joy and benefits of baseball.


Jacksonville School for Autism

JSA Musical and Visual Arts Program
Awarded
$2,500

The grant will be used to help support the school’s enrichment program, which includes piano/music, karate and yoga. Remarkably, many Autistic children have been found to have extraordinary musical and artistic talents.


The monies will be used to purchase a variety of sensory equipment to deliver stimulation to the various senses to engage and promote the students to take note of their environment.


Kids Connect Today

Social Skills Classes
Awarded
$1,000

Grant will offset the costs for an eight-week Friday Night Teen Club for special needs children. They teach social skills to the teens and integrate neuro typical peers who serve as role models.


Mayport Elementary

Independent Work Baskets
Awarded
$378.50

Monies will be used to purchase work baskets to help teach basic skills for sorting, decision making, eye hand coordination and visual discriminations. The goal is to promote and teach independence in the classroom.


Mecclenny Elementary School

Independent Wildkittens
Awarded
$800

Funds will be used to purchase classroom materials to help the ESE students become more independent.
The children need help staying on task and these bundles will help them reach that goal.


PVPV Rawlings Elementary

Sensory Room items
Awarded
$309

PVPV Rawlings has a sensory room and items need to be replaced. They also have requested funds for fluorescent light covers. They received a grant last year for the covers and it made a big impact in one of the classrooms.

Portable 12/Ridgeview High School

Teacher Uber/ Food Cart
Awarded
$2,500

Grant will be used to purchase a golf cart. The campus is very large and the ESE classrooms are a good distance from the main office and food services. The use of a golf cart will save time and add efficiency to the classrooms.


Reach Academy

Community Transition and Life Skills Program
Awarded
$1,000

The grant will be used to purchase specific curriculum, appliances, and supplies needed to conduct life skill instruction. Children with autism grow up to be adults with autism.  They need to learn Life skills while in school to maximize future success.


Ridgeview High School

Specially Designed Physical Education
Awarded
$2,000

Ridgeview High School has the highest ESE/ASD community in Northeast Florida. The funds will be used to buy a storage unit where they can store bikes and other PE equipment.


Special Nations

Fall Dance and Special Nations Friend Group
Awarded
$2,500

Special Nations will host a dance for young autistic kids, families and neuro-typical young people which offers a social time and celebration of friendship.  Friends Group is a ministry that meets every Wednesday. It is a place where people with special needs have community, belonging and meaningful communication.  Coaches receive training and is a place of inclusion.


Theatre Jacksonville

Theatre Jacksonville in the classroom at Southside Estates Elementary
Awarded
$500

Theatre Jacksonville provides programming to the special needs students at Southside Estates Elementary.  The goal is to provide a safe, comfortable environment where kids can express themselves freely, develop their imaginations and expand social skills.


Waterleaf Elementary

Waterleaf Communication and Social Skills
Awarded
$1,500

The grant will be used to enhance their new sensory room.  The school is striving to meet the students’ sensory integration needs.