Summer Camp Helps Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders Learn New Skills
Schererville, IN – July 7, 2012 – ASDF, a national organization that provides direct support for families living with autism, partners with Families of Autism/Asperger’s Care, Educate and Support (FACES) to help fund the organization’s annual summer camp. The mission of FACES is to provide education, information, and a sense of community and fellowship to families, friends, caregivers, and others affected by autism and Asperger’s syndrome.
ASDF’s 2012 donation will provide scholarships for 18 campers to attend FACES’s sixth annual summer camp, which is being held from July 9-13 at the Faith Baptist Church in Monroe, Georgia. ASDF was pleased to be part of FACES’s 2011 summer camp as well, contributing $4,200 so 14 children on the autism spectrum could participate in the camp’s numerous activities that include developing social skills in a caring, fun, and safe atmosphere.
Approximately 65 school-aged children will attend the FACES summer camp this year, with plans to increase participation with the continued support of the Autism Spectrum Disorder Foundation and other organizations committed to helping children on the autism spectrum. The CDC recently estimated that one in every 88 children born in the U.S. is affected by autism, an increase of 23 percent since its last report in 2009, further emphasizing the need and importance of camps like FACES.
The week-long FACES summer camp focuses on meeting the individual needs of each child and improving skills through a variety of activities and behavior strategies designed to achieve a high degree of success. Positive interactions with typical peers, adapted recreation, sensory breaks, music therapy, social skills groups, and other camp activities make FACES a truly unique and rewarding experience for children with autism spectrum disorders and their families.
The support of ASDF has provided additional opportunities for children to attend the camp. “Last year’s camp was the first time we didn’t have to turn any child away due to a lack of funds,” said Tami Burt, camp director of FACES. “Our partnership with ASDF has been a tremendous asset to our organization because it has allowed us to help more families in more ways than we could have ever imagined. I cannot say enough about how generous they have been!”
In addition to providing scholarships for FACES’s summer camp in 2011, ASDF supported FACES’s annual holiday gift card program by donating $5,500 in gift cards. “We were able to select ten families and a special volunteer at our respite program that really needed help to receive a $500 gift card,” said Burt. “There were tears and hugs and a great deal of gratitude when we delivered the gift cards, and we were all so grateful for the amazing difference the Autism Spectrum Disorder Foundation continues to make in our community.”
The Autism Spectrum Disorder Foundation will match its 2011 donation for FACES’s 2012 holiday gift card program, and looks forward to supporting next year’s summer camp as well. Find out how you can contribute by visiting FACES at www.georgiafaces.info and ASDF website at www.myasdf.org.
About ASDF: ASDF is a charity that supports children with autism spectrum disorders by providing education, information, and financial assistance to their families and relevant community service organizations. Funds donated to ASDF are used to address any and all kinds of issues in assisting children with autism and their families. Visit www.myasdf.org, email info@myasdf.org, or call 877.806.0635 for more information and to see how you can help.