The BIG North Florida program is a unique community serving adults (ages 22-older) diagnosed withAutism in Northeast Florida. The program provides much needed and meaningful work, social, andrecreational opportunities for our members.
Our program launched in August of 2022 and has gotten off to a tremendous start! Our vocational operations have already seen orders and requests for business. At this time, we are seeking specific funding to purchase required technology and materials for our products – both in the development and ready for distribution phases. Our program requires the technology to take, track, and manage orders, communicate with customers, and schedule our workflow. Our community members are making soaps, candles, fragrances, crafts, screen printed items, and our newest enterprise – cutting board resign pours! The small business ventures serve as meaningful, part-time work opportunities / job training for program participants.

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The BridgeHaven Communication Clinic provides Facilitated Communication and Spelling 2Communicate coaching for non-speaking individuals diagnosed with Autism in the Jacksonville area.The clinic provides ongoing training, coaching support, and typing sessions on a daily basis to nearly20 families at this time.

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BridgeHaven Academy is a small, non-profit private school in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL serving non-speaking high school aged students diagnosed with Autism. BridgeHaven utilizes FacilitatedCommunication and Spelling 2 Communicate within the school environment to provide an enriching, age-appropriate education to our students. We believe in presuming competence and every individual’s right and ability to communicate.

BridgeHaven Academy is seeking grant funding to support our wellness / recreation initiatives. Many of our students struggle with motor control and intentional movement, and therefore often do not have the opportunity to participates in games and sports. Grant funds will be utilized to purchase much needed game/sports equipment, which will provide our students with the opportunity to learn new games and develop new skills. Benefits will include increased motor control; purposeful movement; gross and fine motor skill development; socialization; and wellness.
Additionally, BridgeHaven Academy is seeking grant funding to further support online and technological initiatives within the school. We are in need of new laptop computers for use in classrooms on avariety of academic topics and interactive lessons. Grant funding will also be used to purchase iPad stands and letter boards to be used in classrooms for our spellers and typers.

Leading a balanced and fulfilling life can be a daunting prospect for individuals with IDD. Faced withisolation and exclusion, people with IDD often avoid social environments that most young people freelyembrace. Attending school functions, participating in sports teams, or simply making a friend can be anearly impossible prospect for someone with special abilities. Students with IDD may sit alone in thecafeteria or hide in the back of any setting where socialization is required to avoid mistreatment. Arecent study revealed that many subgroups of students with disabilities report higher levels ofperpetration and victimization than do their peers without disabilities (Rose, Simpson, Moss, 2015).Best Buddies is committed to creating an environment of inclusion and support to ensure people withIDD are empowered to participate in everyday activities without the fear of being ostracized or bullied.

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Funds will be used to provide 3 days of instruction of golf to up to 16 junior golfers. In addition, wehave daily lessons from the Golf Course Maintenance team and even do a nature ride on course to seethe wildlife in their habitat. We start each day with physical warm ups like stretching and jumping jacks.

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Provide music therapy for our residents utilizing outsourcing to a professional organization, MusicTherapy Services. They provide music therapy one day per week onsite to include bringing varying instruments, music, song selections and engagement opportunities with the residents.

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Our Enrichment Program was founded to give individuals living with autism purpose and opportunity fora more fulfilling life. The Peace of Heart Enrichment Program creates a sense of belonging for individuals, so they know they are loved, valued, and supported. We believe that they can accomplish amazing things with the right understanding, acceptance and atmosphere. Our farm allows us the opportunity to enrich the lives with autism through sustainability, organic gardening, and farming.

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Smile Camp is a week-long day camp run by Girl Scouts, for 40 children ages 5 to 11 with autism and other physical and intellectual differences including cerebral palsy, TMH (trainable mental handicaps),EMH (educable mental handicaps), spina bifida, and visual and hearing impairments. Smile Camp offers campers, who might not have the opportunity otherwise, to experience a week of new friends, outdoor adventure, and a sense of belonging in an inclusive environment.

Smile Camp will take place at Northeast Florida School of Special Education, an ADA compliant campus designed to foster and support each child’s unique abilities.

Campers engage in themed activities that include music, art, and outdoor adventures. Smile Camp gives children living with autism and physical and intellectual differences a break from their day-to-day routine and brings them to camp for an entire week of new experiences. The camp also provides much needed respite care for the camper’s parents and caretakers.

The camp is run by as many as 40 Girl Scouts who are trained counselors ages 14 to 18. Supporting them is a team of up to ten Girl Scout directors ages 16 to 18 and Girl Scout adult volunteers including two adult advisers, a registered nurse and a chef. Depending on the intensity of care needed, counselors are paired 1:1 or 1:2 per camper.

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Mainspring Academy's "Full STEAM Ahead" Summer Camp is a 4-week program which will foster interests in science, technology, art, engineering, and math, relevant to our unique population of students with intellectual and developmental differences through activities, crafts, and community outings. Week 1 "Strange Worlds" will focus on exploration of the human body, the ocean, and emotions of the human brain. Week 2 "Innovation Invention" will focus on primitive simple machines, modern innovations, and conservation. Week 3 "Toymakers" will focus on the engineering behind today's toys (aerodynamics, magnetism, and lever/fulcrum). Week 4 "Math Magic" will focus on shapes, patterns, probability, and physics. Each subtheme will be introduced to students through a specificDisney film in order to create foundational relation to the STEM concepts to be learned for the week.For example, during Week 2 "Innovation Invention", students will view "A Bug's Life" in which Flik, the main character (a clumsy inventor ant) inspires the ant colony to construct a fake kite-like bird to wardoff deadly predators. During this week, students will learn about aerodynamics and aeronautics by flying a kite, then constructing their own flying paper airplanes and replicating primitive inventions, and end the week with a trip to the Museum of Science and History to view examples of primitive inventions. According to AutismConnect, STEM concepts foster systemizing, analyzing, logical and creative ways of thinking, teamwork/communication, and the synthetization of details into innovative ideas. Amin Clinics notes STEM is an appropriate fit for visual, verbal, and pattern thinkers.

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Connecting Thru Music (CTM) has provided music therapy and enrichment for children and young adults with Autism and related disabilities since 2019. The program was founded in 2016 at NeptuneBeach Elementary School as a music enrichment program. In 2019 realizing that we needed a data-research-based program, we added board-certified music therapists to the program and now serve over400 students in 24 sites aged 0-30.

CTM provides services primarily in Duval County because of available funding. However, the vision is to provide services through Northeast Florida.
The majority of the students that we serve are after school and during the summer, thanks to a 4-year grant from The Kids Hope Alliance.

CTM provides music therapy and music enrichment for student with special needs. Music therapy is provided by board certified music therapists who have a minimum of a 4 year university degree, 1200intern hours and are board certified. Music therapists utilize music to reach non musical developmental, communication and learning goals. Because music is the only modality which affects the entire brain, music is especially effective in reaching students with disabilities in a way that other therapies and learning modalities may not.

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Special Nation’s goal is to provide social, recreational and therapy activities throughout the summer for individuals of all ages in the community with autism and their families. Our activities will include:regular Wednesday Night Friends Group gatherings at Redeemer Church and other locations throughout the community including Peace of Heart and Bit of Faith Ranch. This is a time for families to fellowship together, enjoy community and enjoy a Bible Study/Lesson with adapted curriculum. Once a month, we celebrate Birthdays and have a Karaoke Night celebration. Additionally, we provide respite on Sunday mornings for parents to attend on-site services. Special Nation (partnering with Bit of Faith Ranch)hosts an At the Movies event once a month for up to 50 people to gather to see a current movie in a sensory-friendly private theater. We also partner with Bit of Faith Ranch to organize monthlyMoms/Caregivers Meetups and now a new Dads/Caregivers Meetup! We offer a monthly SecondSunday Special Praise which is a family-friendly, full church service including worship, a sermon, and communion for all abilities. This is a very special intimate time for the individuals we serve and their families to go to church where they find total belonging and acceptance. We will be hosting five sessions of Music/Art Therapy over the summer. These once a week sessions will be available by signup for those impacted by autism and related disabilities. Special Nation plans to have a summer social gathering as a back to school dance/event for the entire family. The grant funds will be used to fund these activities, which are open to the community, and provided at no cost to families.

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Let’s Get Working
1. PossAbilities Plus' programs strive to build on the talents and successes of our participants and to avoid the stress and anxiety that can plague them in the work environment. We seek to match our program-trained individuals with work experience opportunities. Our job coaches will work closely with each participant and employer to help develop the skills and natural supports needed for success during an eight week period. The amount of time spent on the job site will be determined per individual, but the average amount of coaching for each participant for an eight week period will be 32 hours maximum. This model provides significantly more support than job placement models currently being used in Duval County. Effectiveness of the training and progress towards goals will be evaluated every two weeks.
2.Growing in the Garden
We are seeking funding to expand our Secret Garden job experience project this summer by adding a small greenhouse and hydroponic growing system. Our current garden program provides opportunities to cultivate our butterfly garden and vegetable garden. With additional funds, we will add a greenhouse to protect the germination of seedlings and propagated plants as they mature. This will allow participants to grow plants from seeds and propagate cuttings to put in our garden as well as to sell.The hydroponic growing towers will allow participants to learn new systems of growing. The towers will be used to grow lettuces and herbs for our tearoom and to sell. Working in the garden provides our individuals the opportunities to build new skills and confidence as they grow towards greater independence. Selling the produce will provide opportunities for participants to build relationships with customers as they learn to market their products.

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Summer Fun at the Ranch will include Summer Adaptive Riding Season, Open House, Movie Outings and Caregiver Respite Events.
Summer Adaptive Riding Season: Participants will have equine assisted sessions which include grooming and riding with support of a team of volunteers. Mustang Volunteers for high school age and up, utilize equine assisted learning to develop social, life and work skills.
Open House:
Open to the entire community (including participants, their families, potential riders, donors
and other local autism community groups). All are invited for a fun relaxing evening at the Ranch.Activities include dinner, horse grooming, golf cart rides, fun and games.

Movie Outings: Partnering with Special Nation, we host a monthly private movie showing for 50participants and their families. Our guests are comfortable to enjoy the movie however they want (walk around, make noises, even dance). It's a great opportunity for our participants to experience movies - often for the first time. This remains one of our most popular programs so we remain committed to continuing this opportunity.

Caregiver Respite Events: Hosting a mom/care giver retreat weekend which enables them to get away to
rest, refresh and rejuvenate. Additionally, we host monthly gatherings for mothers with children/family members impacted by autism or related disabilities. This affords moms the opportunity to gather with fellow moms facing similar parenting challenges and being with others

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who “get it.” We are now happy to host a new dads/caregiver meetup.

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HEAL Summer Scholarships will provide group art therapy scholarships for young adults and teens with autism. Group art therapy sessions are created to support individuals with developing social skills, cultivating self-care routines, navigating life transitions, and cultivating creative self-expression.

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Licini, Inc. is a clinic setting to provide exceptional Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy to children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).  The benefit of a clinic setting is your child will have access to an enriched learning environment while gaining access to peers to foster their social skills.  

Licini, Inc. provides ABA services to children birth to 18 once they have been diagnosed with ASD.  

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“REACHing Out” is Reach Academy’s Transition and Life Skills program. Designed for our olderstudents, aged 15-21, REACHing Out teaches and supports self-sufficiency and workplace skills neededfor independent living into adulthood. This summer REACHing Out will be hosting a STEM camp thatprovides students hands-on experience with a variety of STEM careers including computer coding andvirtual reality. We will partner with the Equitable Learning Technology Lab (ELTL), part of the UF Institutefor Advanced Learning Technologies. They will provide curriculum and instruction while our REACHingOut staff provides individualized student support that will help make the instruction accessible to all students.

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The introduction  of play is extremely important to autistic children who are often isolated  and have a desire to be alone. This may be the first time they are in a  structured educational setting and we need to work on interactions with  others and one way we can do that is by different types of play. We have  varied student levels and want to be able to introduce several types of play  to see which type the student may respond best to. We request funding to  allow us to purchase new materials to develop this  program.

Assistive  Technology Services evaluates, trains, and implements technology for students  with disabilities in gaining access to their curriculum. Assistive Technology  refers to any "product, device, or equipment, whether acquired  commercially, modified or customized, that is used to maintain, increase, or  improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities."  With the invention and development of the eye gaze, we can help students with  a wide variety of challenges. We are able to evaluate and trial new  applications the device that target communication challenges (i.e.  Proloquo2go or TD snap)  On average we  assess over 10 students a year for eye gaze as well as have on average 10  students who using eye gaze in the district each year.  Assistive Technology can be an equalizer  for students with disabilities and we hope to continue to narrow the gap.

Our  goal is to provide after school and weekend activities throughout the school  year for individuals with autism and related disabilities. Our activities  will include:    Regular Wednesday night Friends Group gatherings at Redeemer Church and  other locations throughout the community including Peace of Heart, and Bit of  Faith Ranch. This is a time for families to come together and enjoy  community, music and Bible devotions and seasonal celebrations. We utilize  tailored curriculum and object lessons during weekly meetings. Once a month  we will also celebrate the birthdays for that month and have Karaoke  night.      Special Nation at the Movies (partnering with Bit of Faith Ranch) - Third  Saturday of every month up to 50 people can gather at the movies in a sensory  friendly, private theater.    Second Sunday Special Praise - full no hush church service with worship,  sermon, and communion. This is a very special intimate time for the  individuals we serve and their families to go to church where they find total  belonging and acceptance.    Winter Social Event – a community invited social gathering and dance for  the entire family.

The  purpose of this project is twofold: First, this project is near to my heart  due to the love for animals that my students have.  Over the last two years, we have had two  hamsters in the classroom as pets and the students have absolutely fallen in  love with them.  We started this school  year with four chickens and their response to this has been amazing!  All of my students have been diagnosed with  Autism and very often become overstimulated when in unusual or unexpected  situations.  The goats will be  beneficial in helping my students calm their anxiety.  And secondly, I want my students to gain  life skills such as animal care and basic responsibilities.  This project will provide my students not  only employability skills, but also emotional skills such as empathy,  compassion, and building confidence.   My hope is that my students will be able to hold a job after high  school and work with animals; skills that they would have gained through our  class project.

Access Career Preparation and Access Unique Skills

I teach vocational skills in our Community Based Vocational Education program  at the school. I currently have 38 students on my roster with Intellectual  Disabilities and Autism. We learn about the workforce through our curriculum  and on-site job opportunities. Students are working in various settings  within our school district and operating various microbusinesses.    One of our microbusinesses we currently have on campus is the selling of  plants. I have an operational greenhouse that students get to help grow  plants that will be sold in the spring. Plants are purchased when they are  plugs and students replant the plants and nurture them to plants that will be  sold to our faculty and staff on campus. Students are involved in the organization  of the greenhouse, the repotting of the plants, marketing of plants, the  sale, and the maintenance of the greenhouse.

Ridgeview  Panthers Transition Program is a transition program for Autistic and  Intellectually Disabled young adults. They have all graduated but have  deferred receipt of their diplomas to participate in this program. They can  stay until the age of twenty-two. In my program we offer students adult  living skills such as cooking, gardening, safety, and other things they will  need for adult living.    Young adults with autism spectrum disorder can have sensory issues and  communication needs. Students introduced to various forms of art can help  with sensory and communication needs. A student can learn to communicate by  using art to tell what they are trying to say.     I would like to show my students the ways of self-expression through art.  Weaving, drawing, painting, crafts, rug making, and so much more. I feel this  would be great for this program by giving our students a chance at art.       I remember the first time I gave my  autistic students paint and told them to put their hands in it, they were  hesitant until I and put my hands in the paint and made the first handprint.  Before long they all put their hands in the paint and then on a wall leaving  their handprints. When the handprint dried, we would touch our prints and  feel the ridges and bumps of the paint. After that if we had a painting  project, we had to do handprints. It was awesome. First was sensory then came  individuality.

Building Better  Job Skills through Music Therapy is an adaptive job training program/therapy  created by PossAbilities Plus and Connecting Through Music. This three  module, nine week program, provides support to develop skills in  communication, executive functioning, reliability and responsibility. The  program is offered twice a week in the afternoons to allow for small groups  as well as after school participation. This program is geared for individuals  fourteen and older to prepare them for a job setting. Building Better Job  Skills reaches an under-served population in our community. Typically,  individuals who have aged out of the school system have little to no access  to programs which develop and enhance skills to support independence.

Our enrichment  program is a way for autistic individuals from our community to come with a  caregiver and work and learn on the farm. POHEP provides a safe environment  for them work in our organic garden, learn new skills and work alongside  their peers!

This fall we want  to "exchange experiences"! We want the community to learn about  each resident and expose them to individuals with autism. We also want our  residents to learn and experience everything the world has to offer. We want  to begin by music, art and culture. By exposing them one on one to these  different places we can learn more about our residents and focus on  extracting their desires and passions.

Our program is  comprised of the use of percussion, vocal singing and accompanying musical  instruments to reach largely non-musical goals, such as social skills,  emotional reciprocity, non-verbal communication skills, behavioral  self-regulation, and motivation. We design and facilitate strategies to  create paths for neurodiverse children and teens to become contributing  members of our community. Research-based music interventions in which our  students themselves are the performers, not merely audience members,  illuminates the benefits of inclusivity. Private schools for those with ASD,  senior living communities, group homes/private homes, as well as outside  events are the venues for these performances. We wish to expand this specific  program within our organization through the acquisition of high-quality  musical instruments, such as a variety of types of drums, and string  instruments (autoharps, ukeleles).

Mainspring  Academy respectfully requests a grant of $1,563.33 to enhance our sensory  room to improve outcomes for our 55 special education students. A review of  2022 Mainspring Academy student data shows Mainspring serves one of the  highest rates of students with moderate to severe diagnoses in Jacksonville.  80% of students are nonverbal, language impaired, or have a diagnosis of  mixed receptive-expressive language disorder. 74% of Mainspring students have  a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). 58% of students have dual  diagnoses. 14% of students have a diagnosis of intellectual of developmental  delay (IDD). 14% of students have a diagnosis of cerebral palsy or muscular  disorder. 12% of students have a learning or anxiety disorder. 10% of students  display aggressive behaviors and abide by a clinical behavior treatment plan.  More than 80% of students at Mainspring have been removed from, or previously  attended, one or more public or private programs that did not foster progress  in their independent and functional learning goals. For many students,  Mainspring Academy is the only school in Jacksonville that provides the tools  and experienced staff to meet their unique needs. A fully interactive and  integrative sensory room with a variety of proprioceptive, kinesthetic,  auditory, tactile. and vestibular tools tailored to our students’ unique  needs will not only provide our students with school-based enrichment  experiences, but will also help teachers address self-regulation, motor, and  social-emotional development goals defined in each child’s learning plan, by  providing evidence-based input which will allow the child to increase  participation across multiple settings.    

Kids Connect  today offers social skills classes & clubs for children, teens and young  adults.

There’s  a generation of students enrolled at Jacksonville School for Autism (JSA) who  are quickly aging out of the more traditional school-based services of  academics and classroom curriculums, finding themselves transitioning into  new life circumstances, as young adults who suddenly have no official  financial support and/or professional services that they’re able to fully  rely on. By the age of 22 most assistance-based programs and scholarships are  no longer available, creating an alarming issue for these newfound young  adults, who are now dependent on their immediate families and caretakers for  getting the supports and services they desperately require.     Away from the halls of JSA and within the autism community at large there  is an entire generation of young adults without programs able to facilitate  the services, supports and/or placement they need as they begin aging out of  more traditional school-based services. This creates a tremendous demand for  systems and programs that can utilize the unique abilities that individuals  with autism possess, while establishing vocational enterprises that can  create systems which provide structure, purpose & much needed resource  for them to thrive.     At JSA we are attempting to do just that, by growing our program along with  the growth of our students and their unique needs, constantly adapting and  developing our services to fit their individual requirements. One way we’re  facilitating this growth is through ‘On Campus Enterprises’, one of such is  as an agro-business model we are developing that will allow their current  gardening therapy sessions to blend seamlessly into a vocational model which  will give them more access and control over their futures. The older students  will focus their gardening sessions on product development and tailor the  styles of gardening and growing that’s being facilitated to fulfill the  products that are being created. This on campus enterprise within the  gardening program will not only consist of weekly therapy sessions, but  monthly markets, workshops, trainings, community engagement & so much  more. It will focus on the vocational development behind production and  bringing products to market, including but not limited to, growing & harvesting,  cleaning, preparation and production, packaging, labelling, order  fulfillment, deliveries and shipping, stocking & preservation, etc.

We are  league that provides opportunities for    children and adults with disabilities/special needs to play baseball. The  players and the organizers get great joy and benefit from participation in  our    league. We play in the spring and the fall. We are    looking for funding for trophies and medallions.

HorsePlay  Therapy Center is the only nonprofit organization in Northeast Florida  offering a medical model of hippotherapy (physical therapy, speech therapy,  and occupational therapy on horseback) for children with special needs who  have diagnoses that include autism, down syndrome, cerebral palsy, traumatic  brain injury, sensory processing disorder, and genetic disorders.  Hippotherapy provides multiple benefits for children with special  needs  that include balance and  postural control, sensory input, and respiratory support for speech  production, just to name a few. The emotional connection that the horses  provide lead to improved confidence and social-emotional well-being in both  our children and veterans alike. Our innovative therapy for children and  veterans enhances traditional therapy by allowing participants to experience  a special connection- sensory and physical- with their horse and the nature  that surrounds them as they work towards their goals.     Should we receive the HEAL foundation grant, this money would go to  continued scholarships for our low-income families to participate in  hippotherapy services. At HorsePlay Therapy Center, no veteran or child is  denied the use of horses in their therapy services due to ability to pay.

Henderson Haven  is seeking funds to support our Free 2 Be Me School and After-School  Enrichment program and outdoor recreation activities.

We are  Private School located in Orange Park that work and teach students that  struggle in the public school system. We also provide Behavior therapy  supports to help students work through their daily struggles. We have noticed  a need to get these kids interested in outdoor activities and crossing the  midline can be a struggle. Giving these students access to physical education  and different sports, including the fundamentals, will broaden their days and  teach them how important physical activity is in our lives. Our goal is to  get each student willing to participate in a daily form of physical  activity.    "Together we can change world"

Connecting  Thru Music has been providing music therapy and music enrichment for children  with Autism and related disabilities since 2019. We are requesting funding to  start a program at Landmark Middle School ESE program. We would like to start  in the PLA classroom which has 6 of the most severely handicapped students.  These students have primarily moved on from Neptune Beach Elementary School  (NBE) and have demonstrated great success and growth with the support of our  program which is evidenced by the data that we collect and feedback from  parents, teachers and administrators.

The  BridgeHaven Community Day Program is a new, pilot program serving adults  (ages 22-older) diagnosed with Autism in Northeast Florida.  The program will provide much needed and  meaningful work, social, and recreational opportunities for our  members.    Our program launched in August of 2022 and has gotten off to a tremendous  start!  Our vocational operations have  already seen orders and requests for business.  At this time, we are seeking specific  funding to purchase required technology and materials for our products – both  in the development and ready for distribution phases.  Our program requires the technology to  take, track, and manage orders, communicate with customers, and schedule our  workflow.  Our community members are  making soaps, candles, fragrances, specially designed coffee mugs / wine  glasses, and screen printing.  The  small business ventures serve as meaningful, part-time work opportunities /  job training for program participants.       Many of our adults struggle with regulation and enjoy working on tasks to  help keep their mind focused and body engaged while participating in  educational sessions.  Moreover,  individuals with Autism are often challenged with motor planning/control,  fine motor skill development, and hand-eye coordination.  Since opening the program in August,  identifying and implementing effective task engagers has been a focus and a  need for our program participants.  At  this time, we are seeking funding to purchase task boxes which help to  stimulate engagement and focus for our program participants, as well as  develop fine motor skills necessary for advanced vocational tasks.

School  Year Programming at the Ranch will include our Adaptive Riding Seasons, Open  Houses, Movie Outings, and Caregiver Respite Events.     Our School Year Adaptive Riding Seasons:    Current participants are invited to ride    during the school year months during our scheduled weekend and after school  programs.    Participants will have an equine assisted session which includes grooming  and riding with the assistance of a volunteer horse lead and sidewalker(s).  Our budding equestrians gain skills and confidence with every session.    Open Houses: This is open to the entire community which includes all  participants, their families , and potential riders, and other local autism  community groups. All are invited for a fun relaxing evening at the ranch.  Dinner served, horse grooming, golf cart rides and fun and games.    Movie Outings: Partnering with Special Nation, we host monthly private  movie viewings for our participants and their families. Up to 50    people will share one theater. Our guests are comfortable to enjoy the  movie however they want. Free to walk around, make noises, even dance if they  would like. It's a great opportunity for the population we serve to  experience movies    for perhaps the very first time. The cost has increased to $498 each time  because we would like to move to a bigger theater to serve more individuals.  This is one of our most popular    outings so we are committed to continuing this    opportunity.    Caregiver Respite Events: We have monthly gatherings for mothers who have  children/family members impacted by autism or related disabilities. We  alternate monthly between an evening out and a lunch. This is an opportunity  for moms to get together with other moms facing some of the same parenting  challenges. They can let their hair down and just enjoy being with others who  “get it.”

We are a  Pre-K/early intervention site through Duval County Public Schools.  We currently have 67 students enrolled in 7  classrooms that service children between the ages of 3-5 with diagnosis  consisting of language impaired, ASD, and developmentally delayed.  We recently received SMART interactive TVs  to better assist with academic learning and are consistently in need of  supplies to support the need of our students.   We utilize visual supports as well as the most current research to  improve communication , although we are in need of more.  The grant will immediate effect the  teaching strategies, behavior modification, and overall growth of our  students.

Our request is for Scholarship funds for our autistic patients who can not afford the cost of care.  Hope Therapy started as a dream shared by Marianne and Rebecca (Becky) Davenport, a mother-daughter team with a desire to help others. Marianne, a pediatric nurse practitioner, and Becky, an occupational therapist, both with extensive horse experience, founded Hope Therapy in 2001. Their commitment to high quality services and excellent programs led Hope Therapy to become the only Premier Accredited Center in Northeast Florida by meeting the high standards set by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.). Throughout the years, they have maintained this accreditation by continuing to meet the standards and passing on-site inspections.

Nestled in Middleburg, FL, the farm is a serene 12-acre property with a wheelchair accessible mounting ramp, outdoor riding arena, and a sensory trail for our clients. In our riding arena, you will find colorful cones, a basketball hoop, letters, and a ring-toss game. The sensory trail has ground poles, barrels, and many hidden surprises, waiting to be found by our clients. To best set our clients up for success, we have adaptive equipment, such as loop ladder reins and activity boards. We also have picnic tables and Adirondack chairs for our client’s families to enjoy as they watch their family member’s sessions. Sessions are individualized and typically one on one with our occupational therapist or therapeutic riding instructor.

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Mainspring  Academy respectfully requests the consideration of HEAL Foundation of a grant  in the amount of $2,030 for its Science Technology Engineering Art Math  (STEAM/STEM) Summer Camp program.  Your  grant will enable us to provide four weeks of hands-on STEAM programming to  help support the self-advocacy and social-emotional development goals  specified in the individualized learning plans (ILPs) of each of our students  with autism (ASD) and intellectual and developmental disabilities  (IDDs).    Since 2015, Mainspring Academy has sought to provide quality,  individualized education in a safe learning environment where children with  intellectual and developmental differences can thrive. Research findings from  various studies found in academic publications such as the Watson Institute,  and Preventing School Failure, the Institute of Education Sciences; as well  as empirical evidence from classroom-based music programs STEM Power! and  STEMfinity on the application of STEAM curricula and activities to the  learning plans of youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and IDDs indicate  significant improvements in the areas of motor skills, communication, social  skills.     The purpose of Mainspring’s STEAM Summer Camp is to help support and foster  progress in the self-advocacy and social-emotional development goals  specified in each student's ILP. By the end of  summer, the objectives of incorporating  four weeks of STEAM activities to all camp groups are to: increase the  average rate of student participation; increase self-advocacy and  social-emotional development; decrease the average frequency of aggressions,  elopements, and interruptions during lessons; and increase the frequency of  reciprocal interactions. STEAM activities incorporating science, technology,  engineering, art, and math serve a host of benefits including the development  of soft skills such as creativity, problem solving, and perseverance, and  collaboration; increasing engagement and motivation; and personalizing  students’ learning experiences.     Mainspring teacher’s assistants and registered behavior technicians (RBTs)  will consult with the school BCBA and teachers regarding baseline data and  student goals, collaborate to develop a full hands-on STEAM curriculum, and  construct evidence-based interventions STEAM projects, crafts, activities,  and experiments specific to the developmental levels of each of our students.  Observational data will be measured before, during, and after program  implementation to determine progress in the project objectives, as well as to  incorporate any necessary adjustments for continuation in future  Intersessions and Camps.    Mainspring Academy is the only school in Jacksonville that serves a high  and diverse population of nonverbal students, language-impaired students, and  students with moderate to severe profound diagnoses. Students in the STEAM  summer camp program will have hands-on access to different building,  problem-solving, and creativity projects which will promote stress  management, improved communication, mobility, and social interaction.     Grant funds will support one major camp-wide project per week in the STEAM  Summer Camp program.

Kids  Connect Today offers social skills classes for children, teens and young  adults. We serve ages 3 years old to 30 years old. Kids  Connect Today would like to use grant funds to offer scholarships to families  who would benefit from our classes but cannot afford them.

Henderson  Haven, Inc is seeking funds to support our 7 week Camp Possible and its  FunDay Friday activities - experiences often overlooked for our students in a  fun environment while promoting age-appropriate social skills.  During camp, students will work on targeted  social, academic and life skills.  We  will utilize community resources and volunteers to enhance the  experience.    Our summer programs will give us the chance to reach more kids and families  and help them begin this fun and amazing journey to ignite passions for  recreational fun that carry over into the rest of the year.  Programs will be available for students ages  3 to 22 years old.

Growing  Together Behavioral Center Mandarin is a non-profit school for children and  teens with autism and other developmental disabilities.  At this campus located in the heart of  Mandarin, we have our hands-on functional and pre-vocational program for  teens who have autism ages 13 - 22.   The goal of this program is to prepare our students for their place in  this world as adults, and to help them become the most active participants in  our amazing community that they can be!       This summer we will begin our horticulture therapy and Farm to Table  learning!  The entire summer will  revolve around getting our hands dirty in the earth, planting, watering,  growing, cooking, sharing and eating!   For some this will be a new sensory experience and fun activity  outside in the fresh air and in our beautiful kitchen, for others it may be  the blooming of a future career interest in horticulture or culinary  arts!  Being able to expose our  students to theses two amazing arts/therapies will be the beginning of a new  pre-vocational project at GTBC, one we plan to keep going into the upcoming  school year!

At our  original Growing Together Behavioral Center campus we are honored to be  entering our fifth school year in August.   At this location we have been gifted with many amazing donations  through these years, but one area where we still struggle through our hot  months is our backyard.  We have a  fenced backyard with swings and other playground equipment, but you can't  spend more than 10 minutes out there without overheating from the direct  sunlight and lack of shade.

Primarily  we are seeking funding to expand our program in two ways. Foremost to  increase the number of individuals we can serve and secondly, to diversify  the types of experiences we can offer in both the social and experiential  realm. Goal  #1: Increase the number of individuals that we serve by 50%.    Goal #2: Increase the program offerings to our young adults with  disabilities by incorporating a visual arts and other media program, an  ongoing theater arts program, and a dancing program. We would also like to  expand enough to include woodworking or other industrial arts.    The overarching goal is to reach as many individuals as possible, despite  the ability to pay and provide them with social experiences with other clients  their same age as well as provide job skills that will guarantee them some  self-reliance and independence in their lives.    To expand our offerings, we will need to partner with Atlantic Beach  artists to teach painting, or art using 3-D media, continuing to have an  ongoing relationship with Jax Players by the Sea, and work with local dance  studios to introduce various types of dancing.     We will need to connect with a nutritionist (to include mind/body  connections) and other individuals to start a woodworking and industrial arts  class.    As you may know, our individuals progress at a rate that is difficult to  measure in a very constrained timeline. We look for improvement in behavior,  overall independence, a willingness to take directions, competency, and self  confidence. All of which are difficult to quantitatively measure. However,  once awarded the grant, we will collect job placement statistics, feedback  from employers through surveys and interviews, as well as anecdotal evidence  from parents and students on how PossAbilities Plus helped them improve their  lives and the lives of their families.    **Since many of our programs are volunteer-based, we want to consider the  realistic sustainability of this model. We will need to solicit people that  are willing to work for us long term on a salary basis. on a salary  basis.    Also, our programs utilize other programs that may rely on volunteers as  well. We would have to pay for experts in dance, art, etc. to run these  programs for us at a considerable cost that may not be met by thrift store  sales or tea room reservations.

During  our Intensive Summer Program we want to provide the opportunity for our  'campers' to engage in physical activities which will promote and provide  motivation for them to become more physically fit and more active. To  increase their strength, balance and movement, sensory processing ability,  communications skills, social interaction skills, and self care skills as  well as provide a tool to be used for positive behavior modification, we want  to utilize the physical activities available to all at the "We Rock The  Spectrum" gym. This location provides numerous ways for our 'campers' to  become more active and hopefully this will carry through to their everyday  life as well. New challenges will be available which promotes motivation to  complete these activities at a high level which also increases our  participant's confidence and feeling of accomplishment and well-being.  Everyone likes to hear praise and "Good Job" and these activities  will promote these opportunities.

Grant  funds will help cover the cost of camp for parents in need of a reduced  weekly rate. This will allow families to sign up for camp and/or for families  to enroll in more weekly camp sessions.

Jacksonville  School for Autism (JSA) requests grant funding to provide students and their  siblings the opportunity to experience a broad range of summer enrichment  programs. In past years we have been gifted the opportunity to provide  experiences including piano, music & art groups, zoo trips, movie  experiences, and other community field trips.     For most children on the autism spectrum, the abrupt change of a schedule  that transitions from school to summer can be a challenge.      To facilitate comfort in regards to this transition, JSA offers an  intensive learning continuum along with a focus on physical activity and  social fun during the summer months.

Connecting  thru Music, Inc is a 501c3 established in 2018 for the purpose of providing  music therapy and music enrighment for children with special needs in NE  Florida. Currently CTM is providing service at over a dozen schools and  settings thanks to both grant and community support. We have identified a  critical need for our services in the DCPS Extended School Year (ESY) for  children with special needs. We know that without repetition and  reinforcement, this vulnerable population is subject to learning loss over  the summer.  Our goal is to provide  music therapy support the foundation of learning and address developmental  needs. DCPS is not able to provide funding for art or music during summer  sessions. The  funds will be used to provide music therapy by board-certified music  therapists and music experiences by music teachers. This occurs for 30  minutes, three times/week for groups of 8 students at up to 4 sites: Neptune  Beach Elementary, Mandarin Oaks Elementary, Oak Hill Elementary and Palm  Avenue which all serve ESE students and are holding ESY sessions this summer  for 4 weeks.    A grant of $5000 would provide 100 music therapy sessions, impacting up to  80 students.

The  BridgeHaven Community Day Program is a new, pilot program serving adults  (ages 22-older) diagnosed with Autism in Northeast Florida.  The program will provide much needed and  meaningful work, social, and recreational opportunities for our  members.    Our program will launch in the Summer of 2022, and we are working to secure  funding to support all facets of our operations.  Specific funding is needed to purchase  required equipment to begin our small business ventures.  The small business ventures will serve as  part-time work opportunities / job training for program participants.  We are hoping to purchase machines,  supplies, and technology through a HEAL Grant.    Many of our adults and students struggle with social interaction.  We are creating a social media platform for  them to share their thoughts, dreams, and visions with the world like so many  neurotypical individuals are able to do.    Since autism can be very isolating, our adults are going to plan and  implement recreational opportunities for the autism community like dances,  game and food truck nights, etc.

This  year we will have our 2nd Breeder's Cup Summer Camp for 10 kids with ASD as  well as other disabilties. Each camper will pay $300/week to participate in  daily activities 3 days/week that are run by our clinical team of PT's, OT's,  and speech therapists. Camp will run from 8:30-12pm, and  activities will include hippotherapy, horse  grooming, circle time to include literacy companion activities and melodic  language processing activities, sensory play with arts and crafts, snacks,  and games.

3 day junior golf camp  July 11, 12 & 13 from 9am - 12pm each day while juniors  learn the basics of golf from putting, chipping and full swing. We also spend  time learning about Golf Course maintenance and the nature we see on a golf course. We think it is important to incorporate fun activities for both  social and physical well being.

Peace of Heart Home is licensed for 6 residents, and offers respite for teens and  young adults.  Respite services provide  us the opportunity to serve up to 3 community members daily.  POHH has partnered with various internship  programs and volunteers to help educate those from our community.  The volunteers and participants express the  program’s mutually beneficial design, as meaningful, lasting friendships have  been formed.

Farm  Enrichment Summer Camp will provide three 3 days a week camp in first week of  the month for the months of June, July & August.  Summer Camp will have 10-12 participants  from the community to gather, share, socialize and experience field trips to  themed camp weeks & destinations.   So far, we have confirmed 100% participation of 11 special need  individuals from our local community. Peace of Heart Farm Enrichment Program will use grant funds to expand the current  operations of the Vocational Enrichment Program.  The grant will allow accessibility to three  3 week, 3 day summer field trips to themed destinations to include shared  transportation, supplemental staff support and supplies needed for successful  camps.   The Farm Enrichment Program is  currently offered at no or limited cost to participants, and with the  assistance of the HEAL grant, the program can offer a dynamic Summer Camp  program offsite to further enrich the lives of those young adults in our  community with autism.

Smile  Camp is a week-long day camp run by Girl Scouts, for boys and girls ages 5 to  11 with autism and other developmental and intellectual disabilities  including cerebral palsy, TMH (trainable mental handicaps), EMH (educable  mental handicaps), spina bifida, and visual and hearing impairments. Smile  Camp offers campers with disabilities, who might not have the opportunity  otherwise, to experience a week of new friends, outdoor adventure, and a  sense of belonging in an inclusive environment.     Smile Camp 2022 is being held at North Florida School for Special  Education, a site designed to be an accessible and safe space for Smile  Campers. Smile Campers will have access to the barn and animals at the school  for a farm themed day, as well as the playground, gym equipment, and outdoor  spaces.     Each day at Smile Camp has a new theme with corresponding activity  rotations, including games, crafts, music, and outdoor activities. Smile Camp  gives children living with autism and other disabilities a break from their  day-to-day routine and brings them outside for an entire week of new  experiences. The camp also provides much needed respite care for the camper’s  parents and care takers.     The camp is run by as many as 40 Girl Scouts who are trained counselors  ages 14 to 18. Supporting them is a team of up to ten Girl Scout directors  ages 16 to 18 and Girl Scout adult volunteers including two adult advisers, a  registered nurse and a chef. Depending on the intensity of care needed,  counselors are paired 1:1 or 1:2 per camper.

CampAbility  is a recreational and educational summer program for school-aged children  with Autism and other intellectual/developmental/physical disabilities being  provided in a fun and safe environment. We have 2 camps that happen for 6  weeks through the summer: kids camp for elementary students and youth camp  for 6th - 12th graders. We also offer summer camp sessions to the  elementary-aged siblings. This is in order to help alleviate the burden on  parents by keeping their children in one location, as well as provide  familiarity to the camper with special needs by having his/her sibling nearby  and give the sibling(s) companionship with other siblings who understand what  it’s like to walk in their shoes. The  funds will be used to obtain reusable supplies for both camps, offset costs  for local field trips, and two ESE facilitators who have professional  experience with ASD as the lead teachers. It will also be available for  qualifying families for scholarships.

Since  we do not currently charge for our riding participants, the HEAL grant will  help fund our summer season which includes program, horse and instructor  fees. Open House funds will be used for food and facility fees. The movie  outing is now $600 each time which we will split the cost with Special  Nation. Funds for the Caregiver Respite Events will be used for food,  activities, and gift bags.

Our  goal is to provide activities throughout the summer for individuals with  autism. Our activities will include:    Regular Wednesday night Friends Group gathering at Redeemer Church and  other locations throughout the community including the beach, Peace of Heart,  and Bit of Faith Ranch.   This is a  time for families to come together and enjoy community and learning about  being followers of Christ. Once a month we will also celebrate the birthdays  for that month and have Karaoke night.       Special Nation at the Movies (partnering with Bit of Faith Ranch) - Third  Saturday of every month up to 50 people can gather at the movies in a sensory  friendly no hush private theater.    Second Sunday Special Praise - full no hush church service with worship,  sermon, and communion.  This is a very  special intimate time for the individuals we serve and their families to go  to church where they find total belonging and acceptance.    Two Social Gatherings – a dance for the entire family and a back to school  event. The  grant funds will be used to pay for half of the movie outings over the  summer, gifts for birthday parties and special occasions, food, sensory  items, supplies and staff for events and social gatherings.

Grant funds will be used to provide art therapy scholarships and art supplies for summer programs.

Mandala  Family Wellness is a clinic that focuses on joining all disciplines of  therapy to create a combination of innovative wellness and evidence-based  practices to help each client achieve optimal health and well-being. The  clinic partners with clients, family, teachers, physicians, and other  community members to meet the needs of each client. Through individual  child/adolescent/ adult therapy, family therapy, marital counseling,  mediation, psychological testing, and parent education, Mandala demonstrates  compassionate care through enrichment programs and services.     Mandala is seeking to continue our sensory integration experiences for all  clients and their families. These include our sensory garden, coping skills  pathway, musical exploration and social games for this upcoming summer.  During the summer, clients are encouraged to continue services with no  disruption between school and summer scheduling. Activities are planned to  focus on social skills, adaptive and community-based skills, functional  living skills, communication skills, self-advocacy and self-esteem skills, as  well as meet all individual sensory needs.     Multi-sensory and physically engaging materials allow our learners to  explore independently and with others, building personal confidence and  building play and social skills with peers. The funds will be used to  purchase materials and equipment that will aid in all students further  developing and participating in social skills, play skills, and adaptive  skills. Additionally, included are stepping stones for a mindfulness pathway  to allow students to individualize and create a stepping stone. These  stepping stones (concrete forms the students can decorate and imprint with  their hand print) will create a pathway for the students to utilize outdoors.  Students can use the mindfulness pathway for sensory breaks, self-regulation,  and coping skills. Below are links to materials that aid in facilitating  hands-on materials that are necessary for students to increase exposure to  new resources and manipulatives.

We are  league that provides opportunities for children and adults with  disabilities/special needs to play baseball.   The players and the organizers get great joy and benefit from  participation in our league. We play in the spring and the fall. We are  looking for funding for trophies and medallions. The  grant will be used to purchase trophies and medallions.  Medallions are given out at our opening day  ceremonies and trophies are given out at our end of season banquets.

Our  program will be designed to inspire children and/or teens on the autism  spectrum through immersing them within safe, intimate, small group sessions,  aimed at focusing on their innate strengths. By drawing from each  individual’s musical and non-musical strengths, and meeting them where they  are emotionally, socially and developmentally, each of their areas of need,  such as social skills, communication, behavioral self-regulation,  sensory-motor impairments, speech/language skills, and attempting new skills,  will be addressed.  All sessions will  be facilitated by a Music Therapist and a Music Educator. We will be engaging  the participants in bucket drumming ensembles, bongo, frame, vibrational,  conga & tongue drums, singing protocols, Prodigy Bells curriculum  (teaches & reinforces the musical element of “pitch”), piano/keyboard  skills, movement/dance, song writing/composition, improvisation and reading  rhythmic notation. Pictures and videos of each child/teen will be taken and  shared with their parents/guardians. Sessions will be two hours in duration,  giving their parents an opportunity for either respite or to join in on our  groups.  Siblings will be welcome. We  have partnered with several different ABA centers, and families (private  homes) affected by autism, throughout Duval and Clay counties to ensure a  safe space for our sessions to unfold. Grant  funds will be used for provider implementation and facilitation of the 8  weekly sessions for two separate groups; one in the Orange Park/Ortega area,  and the other in the Mandarin area (subject to change).  All musical instruments and relevant  equipment will be supplied by the Music Therapy Services, Inc., and/or their  staff members.  Securing funds for this  program will provide professional Music Therapy sessions, conducted by highly  experienced staff, at no cost to parents, many of whom are single parents,  have more than one child in their home on the spectrum and/or medically  fragile, and lack financial security. These parents have very limited  personal time, and many of them are homeschooling their child(ren), for a  variety of reasons.  We hope to enrich  the lives of families affected by autism by involving children/teens in  success-oriented, inclusive music-based sessions, while gifting their parents  the chance to experience some much needed personal time.

Best  Buddies Citizens Friendship program is an adult friendship program for  individuals with IDD and those without who are 18 years old or older.  One-to-one friendships include matching an adult with an IDD with a peer  without an IDD. This buddy pair develops a friendship like any other and  promotes a more inclusive world for adults with and without disabilities.  Citizen members in North Florida currently participate in a monthly activity  that includes a social outing, professional and personal development  training, and a fitness-related activity.   Citizens also equip participants to become leaders in our community. Grant  funds will directly impact the continuation of the Citizens Program, which  was launched in September 2021.   Support will also empower the growth of the current Citizens Program  by increasing program activities and training this year.  We are actively recruiting new members with  and without intellectual and developmental disabilities who are 18 and older  to join this program. Citizen members will then be matched in one-to-one  friendships between someone with and someone without IDD.

We are the home to 7 Pre-K CSS classrooms.  All of our students are between the ages of  3-5 and for some it is their first experience in school.  All of our students are language impaired,  and exhibit varying exceptionalities such as ASD, DD, and EBD.  We utilize a visual schedule and  continually pair visuals with verbal requests.  Our program is unique as we are one of the  only schools to have an all CSS Pre-K program.  We currently have over 70 students amongst  our classrooms and would greatly benefit from any funding and  support available.  We are a Title 1  school and district funding is limited. Funding will be  specifically used to purchase materials that will assist in the lamination,  printing, and securing visual aids that increase communication, attention,  and language.  In addition the funds  will be used to develop a new housekeeping area that is up to date and  inviting to the students.  Finally the  remainder will go towards light up led light toys, and  classroom materials such as paint, sensory bottles, and fidget toys.

Funding for the cost to print memory books/yearbooks. Throughout  the year, we capture many memories and the memory book/yearbook is something  every student looks forward to at the end of the school year. The yearbook is  not only a memory book but a communication tool for the students. Students  who are non-verbal can communicate the school they are from, their teachers,  friends and all the activities they were apart of throughout the school year.

The grant is in support of a space to feel at ease and reap all of the benefits of breathing in the  outdoor air. We currently do not have a place near our room that can host us  safely to do so. Research has shown that spending time outside can reduce  stress and improve attention and motor skills. Grant funds  will be used to create a welcoming and comfortable outdoor oasis for the  students. This will create an area to play to relax, unwind, and enjoy  nature.

iPads/technology for three classrooms.

Jacksonville  School for Autism (JSA) is requesting funding to obtain the Livox  Communication Software. Livox is an award-winning artificial intelligence  alternative communication app to give voice to people with disabilities.  Created by a father for his daughter who has Cerebral Palsy, Livox is the  first intelligent alternative communication app that uses technology to allow  people with disabilities to communicate and learn. Livox created software for  tablets and smartphones that allows communication and learning for  individurals with speech disorders. Livox’s users have motor, cognitive, and  visual disabilities due to Down’s syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, multiple  sclerosis, lateral sclerosis, stroke, and other disorders that prevent them  from communicating orally. Livox’s innovation lies in how the software  applies intelligent algorithms to interpret the user’s finger movements on  the tablet surface and different algorithms that make the software adjustable  to a wide range of disabilities.

   This software is equipped with Artificial intelligence. Livox can “guess”  what a person with a disability is trying to say; natural conversation –  activate Livox by saying the name of the person and then, ask a question!  Livox helps them to answer according to the context. Livox’s platform  provides opportunities for users to communicate, learn, and grow. Learners  can communicate 20 times faster with Livox and the Livox Store allows  educators and professionals to create and publish content for different  disabilities, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in minutes.

   Users can adapt the content of the app based on the profile of the person’s  disability. The app holds 25,000 images to choose from and users can also add  photos, record songs, and create icons and descriptions. Lesson plans can be  shared online as a form of crowd-sourcing between students and caregivers.  

   It is our hope that by integrating the Livox Software into our non-verbal  classrooms, our students will gain multiple ways to communicate and learn and  feel overall more empowered! The grant funds  will be specifically used to help purchase the Livox software, Amazon Kindles  & the web-based support.

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I teach 12  students with Autism in the self contained setting.  My students are extremely hard workers and  have earned an area outside the classroom to relax and unwind after  completing their work.  With that being  said, I would like to continue to make their outside area more appealing and  relaxing. Grant funds will  be used to spruce up the outside of the classroom with plants, mulch, pots  for plants, and possibly a sandy area.

We are a League  that provides opportunities for children and adults with disabilities to play  baseball, regardless of their abilities. We cannot change or cure the medical  issues life has dealt them. What we can do is provide them with an  opportunity to experience the joy and benefits that come from playing  baseball. We believe Every Child Deserves A Chance To Play Baseball.  Jacksonville's adaptive baseball league. Grant funds will  be used towards team uniforms.

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Kids Connect  Today offers social skills classes for children, teens and young adults.

The Arc of the  St. Johns community campus is a public special education charter school that  serves students in St. Johns county with intellectual and developmental  disabilities (I/DD), individuals on the autism spectrum, individuals with  down syndrome, and individuals with other unspecified exceptionalities. We  strengthen the individuals served their families, and the community by  providing the opportunity for hope, for growth and for change; the  opportunity for everyone to become a valued, contributing member of our  community.

Half of the funds disbursed will be used to purchase  a system used to provide discrete tactile prompts to individuals to reduce  instructional interruptions in the classroom, increase social interactions,  to reduce dependency on prompting from behavior therapists and  paraprofessionals, and to teach self-monitoring skills. The other half of the  funds approximately will be used to purchase sensory equipment for the  sensory classroom to provide the individuals with access to a rich sensory  environment.

It is our goal with Procreate that our students will create original  digital artwork and designs relevant to REACHing Out, Reach Academy, and the  advocacy and acceptance of those with autism.   These designs could be used on items such as apparel,  stickers/magnets, stationery, and housewares.   These items would then be sold by our REACHing Out students, to teach  fiscal management and small business operation.

Art created in any medium is always encouraged among our students, but  digital art can be encompassing for different abilities.  For example, the iPad allows for zooming in  on a specific section of the art piece.   This would be helpful to someone with a visual impairment or for  someone who would like to include enhanced detailing in the art piece.  The digital design space, and its tools and  components, are contained within the iPad.   This could be helpful for someone with sensory sensitivities who  doesn’t want to handle messy mixing of paints and liquids to find the color  needed. The app eliminates the physical cluster of brushes or markers for  someone who prefers a tidy, organized workspace.  The iPad itself, coupled with the Procreate  app, are both intuitive to touch, so a student with physical or fine motor  limitations would still be able to create art.  With digital art, there is no “waiting for  paint to dry”, and it is easy to just “undo” a mistake without having to do  the entire piece all over again.

Ridgeview High  School has the largest ESE/ASD population in Northeast Florida and meets the  academic, physical, and social needs of over 140 student’s grades 9-12.  Within the Exceptional Education department  there is a Performing Arts ESE class where students are exposed to many of  the facets of the Fine Arts.  With the  grant money opportunities to be creative and express oneself through art will  be made possible.  The students will  also be engaged in and a part of brainstorming and creating props and  decorations for their annual ESE Prom and hallway Homecoming decorations.

By  providing the students multi-sensory instruction these students develop  creativity, patience, and are given the opportunity to express themselves.  Creativity is incredibly important to foster and hone, as it can be applied  to just about every aspect of life—problem solving, everyday writing,  projects (business or otherwise), etc. Additionally, for those who are  non-verbal this is an avenue to convey inner emotions and thoughts.   A large portion of these classes are  filled with Autistic students who show their creativity while being in a  safe, calm environment.  Many Autistic  students have been found to have surprising artistic talent.  This Fine Arts class affords students the  chance to learn to work with others and understand their contribution to the  bigger whole. Our RHS ESE art classes allow the students to engage and  express themselves in ways other classes do not have the resources to  offer.   We strive to nurture and mold  our students to become self-sufficient, self-advocating young adults who will  be able to make the transition from school and contribute to their  communities.
   
Being a county school program, our  budget line is very strict.  We strive  to be as cost efficient as possible and make great efforts to get the most  out of supplies purchased with allotted monies.  It is a known fact that the allotted monies  do not go as far as desired, therefore we find ourselves having to look  towards and within the community for business/organization that are willing  to help out financially.  Know that any  assistance is immensely appreciated for it affords us to go that extra mile  to improve student outcomes. This art program affords us occasions to teach  life skills, inspire students, and allow them to experience the world in a  different way. Through Ridgeview’s art program we strive to build a lasting  bond, allow opportunities to grow, develop one’s imagination, expand social  skills, and express oneself freely as these students with Autism and other  disabilities learn about the world of Art and prepare for life after their  secondary education.

Dell Chromebooks for Mrs. Yancey's classroom: I have 14  students and we are doing internet research, creating slide presentations,  using academic websites.  I can't book  a computer lab because they are always full of students taking standardized  tests.  

The  Greenwood School currently serves 195 students in grades sixth through  twelve, the majority of whom have diagnosed learning differences and/or other  difficulties that impact their learning. Some of the learning differences  include—but are not limited to—high-functioning autism spectrum disorders,  dyslexia, dysgraphia, developmental delays, attention deficit/hyperactivity  disorder (ADHD), delays in visual and auditory processing, visual/motor  integration, short-term memory deficits, etc. Our staff use a variety of  multi-sensory approaches and teaching methods to allow students to  successfully engage with the curriculum. Sixty-four percent (64%) of the  students make up our high school and all graduates earn a traditionally  tracked diploma. The curriculum is guided by the Florida Standards, and  Greenwood is fully accredited by the Florida Council of Independent Schools  (FCIS).

   We recently completed ADA accessible walking trails through the 10 acres of  protected wetlands that Greenwood School is lucky to be situated in. These  trails provide a space for our students to take walking breaks and learn in  an environment that is not a traditional classroom. Teachers use the Wetlands  area to immerse students in multi-sensory learning, using the natural  environment and the creek that runs through the property for science  experiments, art projects and more. We also use the sensory aspect of the  Wetlands as a place of calm for our students who need breaks from a  traditional classroom setting. The Walking Classroom is a perfect addition to  our already interactive program.

The  Walking Classroom is a 501c(3) non-profit organization that provides  educators with a resource to take students outside to walk while listening to  a 30 minute podcast covering a specific topic within the English Language  Arts, Social Studies or Science curriculum. Staff then have the opportunity  to use that material back in the classroom. This resource will complement our  multi-sensory approaches to learning already in place, and will offer  teachers another resource to use with our students. We find that having  students move while learning increases their success in the classroom and is  a technique that Greenwood uses throughout the day.

    Due to available resources, only a  selection of our student population takes part in PE classes each day. This  resource will allow more students to participate in 30 minutes of exercise  and improve their physical, emotional and academic health.

Our  therapy area fencing is safe and secure. However we are in urgent need of  secure fencing to ensure pasture safety for our 11 therapy  horses.   Unstable fence posts are a danger to the horses, who use them to  scratch themselves.  If the horse  pushes the post hard enough it will lean precariously or fall down.  When that happens, fence wire is pulled down  creating a tripping hazard.  Horses can  also get their hooves caught in tangled or inadequate wire.  Some of the current fencing is held  together with hay bale twine, which is no match for a horse! Additionally, if a horse gets loose, nearby traffic poses danger of an  accident. Tearing down the old fencing and installing a secure new fence will address  these needs. The safety of our therapy horses is essential.  Current fencing jeopardizes our amazing  therapy horses.

Detailed  Description - The Project:  Safety for  the horses and stable management considerations are primary objectives. The  project plan prioritizes strength, chore and therapy session efficiency,  pathways and gates.  The new fence  design accommodates nearby vehicle traffic, water access for horses,  equipment movement and routes for supplies. All features are designed in  appropriate relation to buildings and other permanent features on the  farm.  The plan also allows easy access  to pastures and does not limit performance of stable chores. Gates are  designed to be easy to operate with only one hand so the other hand is free.  The new fencing will allow easy movement of groups of horses from pasture to  housing facilities and lanes connecting turnout areas to the stables.

Horses will test fence strength deliberately and casually. They often reach  through or over fences for attractions on the other side, which makes sturdy  fencing essential.  Loose fence posts  and worn-down wire are dangerous for our horses.  Twenty years of eleven horses leaning and  scratching on existing fenceposts have loosened foundations in the farm’s  sandy soil, creating a hazard for both horse and rider.

Highly visible fences can actually prevent playful horses from accidentally  running into them. Because a startled horse may still inadvertently hit a  visible fence, a sturdy, forgiving fence is required to contain the horse  without injury. Because wire fences alone are the weakest and least visible  option, standard 3-rail fencing with no-climb wire has been selected.

At  Hope Haven’s Discovery School for preschool, we operate our program with a  low 1:5 teacher/student ratio, and limit total enrollment to 30 students or  less. Students are taught under a certified ESE Teacher.

This year, enrollment in Hope Haven’s Discovery School has increased. A  smaller cohort environment is sometimes an important feature for the needs of  students with sensory, academic, behavioral, emotional, and other special  needs. With this value in mind, we have opened an additional preschool  classroom to serve Discovery School’s youngest learners, allowing us to  maintain low student to teacher ratios. As exciting as this growth is, we  have identified the need for additional classroom supplies for this age  group. Things like larger manipulatives, art supplies, and updated books are  all needed to help us better enhance our classroom for learning and further  equip our teachers with the tools they need to provide educational  opportunities for our students. Funds  from this grant will go towards purchasing new, large manipulatives for ages  3-5, new books for the classroom, updated classroom art supplies, felt board  story kits, and additional classroom materials suitable for ages 3-5.

1st grade CSS  self-contained classroom. The funding will help with communication systems,  flexible seating, and sensory needs.

Bit of Faith  Ranch would like to purchase additional adaptive and safety equipment to  create the best experience possible for our equestrians. We recently began  our second year offering free or minimal cost equine assisted and other  recreational activities to contribute positively to the cognitive physical  emotional and social well being of individuals with autism and their  families. Individuals will participate in adaptive riding sessions or ground  activities on an ongoing basis with the aid of sidewalkers and horse  handlers.  We also have social and  recreational events for participants and their families including a horse  show/family day, movie outings and Moms Roundup.  Riding. Recreation. Respite.

Special  Nation has use of a new portable at Redeemer Church.  We request funds to outfit the respite  building with sensory items, games, activities, and storage to create a  warm, comfortable, inviting space for the families we serve.

BridgeHaven  Academy students  and Communication  Clinic clients have created every part of our SOAR program! This project is a  3 tier project that incorporates social/business aspects, inclusion, and  community service. Our students will start a business  that sells items like jewelry, t-shirts, books, etc. that they have actually  created online in order to fund our community service projects and some  activities.  Our occupational therapist  is on board to help the students work through motor planning issues with the  students as well as support them with their selections.

We are very interested in how we can give back to our community, so we have  already completed a collection and donation drive for hurricane victims, and  are super excited to team up with the Ponte Vedra American Legion to redesign  and maintain the memorial garden there to honor the fallen soldiers and  deceased veterans.  Our students will  clean out the area, design a new garden space, purchase the plantings and  decorations, make and design stepping stones to honor the fallen soldiers and  deceased veterans, and maintain it once completed.

Socialization is so important for  people with communication challenges, so our students are going to plan 4  after-hours events that provide social opportunities for inclusion with  neurotypical peers.  They will plan the  activities, dinner or refreshment menus, themes, crafts, etc. This projects  really allows our students and communication clinic clients to become active  participants in life instead of bystanders.

Specific  needs are materials and supplies for student learning in the areas of  cooking, baking, landscaping, gardening and creating garden structures and  barriers. We plan to use the funds for gardening and landscaping skills.

Immediate  benefits of incorporating flexible seating into classrooms can include:  Better health. Reduced risk of disease. Less stress. Strengthened mental  health. Improved physical fitness. Effective learning. Better cognitive  performance. A flexible seating option may not be the primary classroom seating  situation. In other words, it may be the best situation for the classroom  learning to occur in traditional desks. Flexible seating in the classroom can  be provided for supplemental learning, small groups, independent reading, or  other similar activities.  Some of our  kids learn better in the non traditional seating options. We will utilize  alternative seating for behavior and learning strategies as well as for  students who need to move more or cannot sit still to focus.

We  would like to purchase some new items to update our sensory room. Some items  are to replace items that have broke and others are to update the room with  new things the kids enjoy. Additionally, We got a new fenced in play area for our students. We are  trying to make this into a sensory garden similar to the one at Conner's  Amazing Acres. We listed a few things that we would like to purchase for  that, but we would also need raw materials to make things like a music wall  and ball drop.

We recently had  to part ways with an older playground equipment and we would like to purchase  additional pieces for kids to enjoy outside. Additional funding for a nice large  swingset and slide combination is on our list

Peace of Heart Home works with an organization called Music Therapy Services who  comes to the home and provides music class one day per week for one hour to  residents and enrichment program participants.  Participants work in a group, learn new  musical tunes, listen to music, interact and utilize musical instruments and  are able to experience group activity by bonding with each other, while  utilizing new motor skills and sensory skills.  

Peace of Heart Home is working on a fitness therapy program which will  allow residents to either participate in a personal training session with  Hildervat creator at their gym located in a local church and/or join the YMCA  under a group rate so that staff can take residents into the community and  workout with others, while increasing their motor skills and fitness levels.

Peace of Heart  Enrichment program has hired an independent contractor trained in Facilitated  Communication to come to Peace of Heart Farm one time per week and host a  Social Typing Circle where friendship and conversation between enrichment  program participants take place.  There  are various subject matters each week, but the priority is for those with non  verbal autism to have the opportunity to speak their hearts, discuss various  topics and communicate to each other in a safe, beautiful and nurturing  environment.

Pine  Castle provides skills training and employment opportunities for adults with  autism and intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD) in on-campus  workshops, and through partnership with local businesses, and city and state  employers. Our program fills a critical gap in day training for adults with  differences in the Jacksonville area. But even meaningful activity in the  various workshops can prove stressful for adults with autism and I/DD,  leading to “sensory overload.”

We are now working on the sensory space in Workshop #12 and request HEAL funding to outfit this area with the items we’ve found successful in our  other workshop sensory areas – calming diffusers, special lights, calming  music, and a bubble machine. Grant funds will  be used to purchase diffusers, diffuser oil, special lighting, calming music,  and a bubble machine.

Connecting Thru Music, Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 2018 for the purpose of providing music experiences and music therapy to children with special needs  in Northeast Florida.  Currently CTM is  providing services in-person at nine different locations. Although Covid has presented a challenge,  we were able to utilize some virtual session and also produced videos in  partnership with the Cummer Museum and the TAG Museum in St Augustine.

Our program  consists of student who have Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual  Disabilities. This program was started 3 years ago for student who have  graduated high school but remain in school until they turn 22.  This program offers students an opportunity to learn additional adult living skills. The funds will be  used to enhance our school garden.  The  benefits of a school garden allows students to learn how plants grow from  seed to flower.   They will benefit  with the time outside in the fresh air and sunshine.  Through a PEC system student will be able  to distinguish various plants.  For  fine motor skills we will make on crafts using some materials from the  garden.

As a result of COVID-19, our traditional summer camp is now becoming a family affair and we're hosting Family Weekend Getaways! From July 9-11, we are offering our kids with epilepsy and their families time to connect away from home as individual family units at Camp Boggy Creek. Most of our camp attendees with epilepsy also have autism and there is an established association between the two.

Family weekends are designed for families to enjoy CampBoggy Creek's 232 acres of fun as individual family units in a safe, socially distant and unique way. Games, projects, arts & crafts, Archery, Miniature Golf, and a multitude of outdoor and nature activities will all be available free of charge to our families.

Camp Boggy Creek was created by Paul Newman as one of his famous Hole in the Wall camps as a non-profit medical camping center located in Eustis, Florida, specifically designed and equipped for kids ages 7-16 who have chronic or life threatening illnesses. The camp’s on-staff medical teams and volunteers ensure the environment is physically safe and medically sound. Because of the substantial emotional and financial toll that falls upon families dealing with childhood epilepsy, EFL helps covers the cost for children (and now this year, their families!) to attend summer camp.

The Bells of Angelwood is a handbell choir that was formed in 2017. The ensemble is a performing arts initiative at Angelwood’s Career Development and Education Center. The bell ensemble offers individuals in the group an opportunity to develop musically, perform, and give back to their community. The ensemble has visited nursing care programs to both perform and to show residents how to use chimes. The participants increase their skill development in a group setting and build confidence during practices and while volunteering their time to playing in the community. The group has had the opportunity to perform in the community in public and private concerts. In 2019 The Bells of Angelwood participated in a holiday concert in collaboration with the Brooks Rehab Clubhouse Chimers and the North Florida School of Special Education, in addition to a daytime holiday performance at the Jessie Ball duPont Center in Jacksonville.

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This grant request is for the development of a horticultural therapy program using hydroponic growing technology to benefit children and adolescents receiving residential mental health treatment services at the Daniel Belfort Rd.campus. These vulnerable young people face significant challenges that require intensive mental health treatment services, including psychiatric care, targeted therapy modalities, life/social skill development, and academic services. On any given day, 36 youth, ages 5-17, are in residence for a period of four to six months. The average annual census is 85. Residents attend school on-site through the Duval County Schools hospital homebound program.

The agency seeks to continuously develop and implement innovative program components in the effort to increase engagement and to expose children to new and exciting experiences. We know that literature reviews detail the benefits of gardening and nature for children with emotional/behavioral problems attributable to stress and trauma. This evidenced-based modality involves the use of hands-on growth of edible plants and related educational activities as tools to promote healing and to promote healthy diet choices and a life-long passion for sustainable, organic gardening. The hydroponic garden will produce greens and herbs that will be planted, harvested and consumed by the residents!

ESY stands for Extended School Year. It is a program for students who are at a critical point in instruction or whose education was impacted by COVID-19 to help fill in the gaps and provide a safe and stable place for learning during summer. The program is 6 weeks long this year.

The funds will be spent buying supplies for the CSSTeachers that teach ESY this Summer. In order to reduce the risk of exposure we are trying to purchase enough materials for each classroom to have their own set. Supplies include art crafts, snacks, and general classroom supplies.

POH Enrichment Program is a program where persons with special needs especially those affected by autism are invited to participate in volunteer activities on Peace of Heart Farm. They partner with the Enrichment Team staff and learn vocation skills such as farm driven outdoor tasks, enhance their motor skill development and learn daily outdoor living skills such as lawn mowing, operating equipment with supervision, animal care and small construction projects. In addition, they participate in a weekly MMA training camp on the farm to teach coordination and endurance. Our program is person centered and community inclusion focused.

POH Enrichment Adventures Camp will provide summer long weekly activities in the community to families and persons with autism at no charge to the family. The adventures will begin with offsite outdoor activities and feature hands on and educational eld trips such as a weekly surf camp, fishing lessons, local community farm visits, museum of science and history and more.

Smile Camp is all about putting smiles on the faces of FirstCoast children with disabilities for nearly 50 years.

Elementary school children with autism, cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities, and vision or auditory impairments are invited to attend this week-long day camp outdoors atCrystal Springs Elementary School in Jacksonville, FL.Activities will focus on sensory and creative play such as painting, writing, drawing, dancing, and singing.

Smile Camp is planned and staffed by rising 9th-12th grade Girl Scouts. Counselors receive hands-on, intensive training and are paired with a camper each day, allowing counselors to get to know the specific needs of their camper and allowing campers to feel comfortable with their counselor.

Our organization continues to take safety seriously, especially in light of COVID-19. That is why camp will follow the guidelines of the CDC for a safe camp experience for all those who attend.

Growing Together Behavioral Center is one of Jacksonville's premier schools for children and adults with Autism and Developmental Differences. We pride ourselves on being a school of high integrity where each child is treated as an individual, and educational plans are tailored to their personal needs.

We are currently enjoying our third school year at our Southpoint location, and are thrilled to have opened our new location in Mandarin in January 2021. We have students age 3 - 12 at in Southpoint and students ages 3 - 22 in Mandarin. Summer camp at Growing Together is a more relaxed experience but will still include academics and behavioral therapy. We continue to work toward our mission of advancing language, play skills, social skills and more in a safe and nurturing environment.

Our upcoming summer camp will run Monday, June 7through Friday, August 1, 2021. Summer camp is open to ALL children diagnosed with Autism and otherDevelopmental Differences, even if they do not currently attend GTBC. Our summer camp is currently full, with a waitlist.

Funding will support purchasing all required materials to engage in exciting summer activities for Summer Camp2021, including sensory items, art supplies, reinforcers, and outdoor materials.

Many individuals with autism have lower fitness skills compared to other people. These skills include balance, body coordination, visual-motor control and other mobility skills. Here again, we were encouraged to find that many types of physical activities improve skill-related fitness for youth with autism. Many kinds of physical activities – and the social opportunities they afford – require what we call “fundamental motor skills.” These basic skills include running, throwing, catching and so on. Analysis has showed that youth who participated in physical activity programs designed for individuals with autism showed significant gains in their social and communication skills. When designed appropriately, physical activity programs can provide a fun, safe setting for interacting with other children. In other words, they can offer excellent opportunities for practicing social skills. The funding for this grant will be utilized to purchase the proper and specialized equipment for children with autism to explore gross motor develop this summer.

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We provide physical, occupational, and speech therapy on horseback to children with special needs. Currently we serve 54 children with Autism, as well as another 50 children with a variety of other disabilities including cerebral palsy, downs syndrome, genetic disorders, spinal bifida, sensory disorders, and developmental delays.

We are a team of 10 clinicians, 17 volunteers, and 7 horses who work together to improve the lives of the children we serve. We have been fortunate in being able to provide financial assistance to all who need it to participate in our program. We are on our 5th year as a non profit organization, and we are continuing to grow and expand, thanks to foundations like HEAL!