International Philanthropic Project of ESA
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Easterseals/Capper makes a difference for clients throughout the state of Kansas, providing outpatient physical, occupational, speech, and behavioral therapy services to children with a wide variety of developmental delays and disabilities. Many of their pediatric therapists are specially trained to evaluate and provide individually designed interventions to address feeding and swallowing disorders. Some of the feeding challenges they address include oral motor and swallowing difficulties, mealtime routines, tube feeding weaning and transitioning to solid foods, oral aversions and defensiveness, and failure to thrive. 80% of children with special needs will have some type of feeding and swallowing disorder, compared to only 20% of typically developing children. Capper Foundation’s feeding program uses the SOS Approach (Sequential Oral Sensory) to help expand the variety of foods a child will eat, and to decrease their sensory issues that may interfere with their willingness to try new foods. Parents are trained by the therapist to learn how to implement these strategies at home.
Kansas ESA can make a significant difference for these children. The therapists have identified that they need a specialized chair for their children in feeding therapy. Many of the children in feeding therapy cannot support themselves in regular high chairs. The specialized adapted activity chair provides support for the child while allowing the therapist to help the children learn to feed themselves. This includes children with low muscle tone, poor posture and poor head control, poor oral motor control, and children who are easily distracted with their surroundings.
The cost of the chair is $3740. Note the picture of the chair along with a cost-breakdown of the various elements of the chair. I am encouraging chapters and districts to pledge funding for all or part of a specific element. (i.e.” XYZ chapter will fund x% of the Hi-Lo Base” or “ABC chapter will find the Small Tray with armrests”). Send me a note stating your pledge. I know that ESA Kansas can meet the goal of funding the entire chair.
Send donations to the Easter seals Chair. Make checks to Easter seals and include a GIF form. DO NOT send donations directly to Capper Foundation or Easter seals, because your donation might not be credited correctly. (posted by Joy Thornbrugh) Epsilon Sigma Alpha has partnered with Easter Seals to help meet the needs of children and adults with disabilities in communities nationwide.
Members of Epsilon Sigma Alpha have generously raised funds and provided volunteer services to help assure that Easter Seals can continue to deliver services that help people with disabilities and their families live better lives. Easter Seals is the only national organization to serve people with disabilities—from birth throughout the lifespan—with emphasis and expertise in:
Remember that Kansas has an Easter Seals facility in Topeka: Capper Foundation. Capper Foundation is proudly “Celebrating 95 years of Building Abilities”! Check it out at the Easter Seal Website link to the left. Make plans to come and see the facility. Along with fundraising activities, members of Epsilon Sigma Alpha will be donating Gift Cards for Capper’s Veteran’s Count program to assist in groceries and fuel during our 2016-2017 campaign. Please feel free to contact the chairman if you have questions about Easter Seals. "iCan Bike" is a unique 5-day summer program experience to give individuals with disabilities the self-confidence to learn to ride a two-wheel bicycle. Using specialized equipment, coaching and encouragement, children will "lose the training wheels!" For individuals with disabilities, learning to ride a bicycle has many benefits, such as increased confidence and self-esteem, inclusion with peers, independent transportation, and most important, increased quality of life through recreation. Easter Seals Capper Foundation provides exceptional individualized services to ensure that people with disabilities and their families have opportunities to live, learn, work and play in their communities. During the 2016-2017 year of “Making A Difference”, ESA will be “Taking a New Look at a Lifelong Friend”. Our fundraising will help purchase a Pacer Dynamic Gait Trainer. Assistive devices are just one of the many expenses families with a child with special needs encounter. Capper Foundation Honors The Kansas State Council
What an honor! KS State Council of ESA was recognized by the Capper Foundation (November 2015) with their Founder's Award for our support and find raising for Easter Seals. President Angie Dawson Fairbanks presented them with a check from our August Board meeting which was in addition to the stuffed animals collected. Great job ESA!
The ARTSTAR Camp needs the following items for the kids to do their artwork. Designer Mats/Frames: Black with spring loading brackets on the back: Fundamental Form brand; 16 by 20 for vertical or horizontal; cost is $8.00 Total of 20. Smaller sizes could be used as well. Mats: 16 by 20 with an 11 by 14 opening; some white and some black; cost is $8.00. (Total of 20) Smaller sizes as well. Paint: Acrylic Paint; Craftsman brand; 8 fluid oz in plastic jars; basic colors (red, yellow, green, blue, purple, orange, black white); cost is $2.29. (Total of three jars of each color) The money or the items can be donated at any time
Another program is Camp Hope. Camp Hope is a fundraising campaign designed to provide camping opportunities for children of military families. A specific way ESA can help is through the "Each One, Reach One" campaign where each chapter commits to sponsor at least one camper. This would require that the members of each chapter collectively contribute or raise $600 to provide a week at camp for a deserving camper. A second program is with Guideposts Magazine. When you subscribe or give a gift subscription, your $20 goes to Easter Seals. This might be a great Christmas idea for that person who is always so hard to buy for! . |
