Greater Fort Myers Chamber Of Commerce: Family Initiative December Newsletter

Fort Myers FL

08 December, 2021

10:21 AM

Description

Press release from Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce: 2021-12-07 Hello , As 2021 comes to a close, we find ourselves overwhelmed by the love and support of this community, the families we have the honor to serve, and the generosity of people like you who make the work we do possible. The last 12 months have been a time of incredible growth for Family Initiative! Lizbeth Benacquisto Autism Support Center We were beyond thrilled to open Cape Coral's first and only Autism Support Center during Autism Awareness Month in April. The Center is not ours, it is yours – it belongs to every child that walks through the doors and to every parent who has called us to ask for help. It's a space that has housed endless laughter, learning and love. It's Kirby's Dreamland. We have been blessed to have built the Center alongside so many of you to ensure every inch of it meets the needs of our families. Expansion of Services We grew the work we do in child welfare this year, supporting hundreds of foster families and maintaining children in homes with loving families. In January, we were awarded a contract to work as a partner of Citrus Family Care Network to provide Trust Based Relational Intervention training and support to families in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. Similar work is being done by our amazing team in Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties in partnership with the Safe Children's Coalition. Boundless Support We rounded out the year with some incredible fundraisers and activities! With your help, we hosted our first All in for Autism Casino Night in October, which raised over $175,000, giving us the funds needed to hire an additional clinician and immediately bring 10 families in from our growing wait list of over 100 families in need – this is a huge deal for our community as wait times for autism services can be over 3 years. Generous companies across southwest Florida have also stepped up to make the holidays brighter for so many of our families, a special thank you City Tavern, Sellstate Reality, United Way, and FineMark Bank! These are only a few of the great things we accomplished together this year, and we aren't even close to being done yet! 2022 is slated to be another incredible year for Family Initiative and our families. We have several innovative programs to support families we will be rolling out in the new year. All of this is possible because of the support, love, and encouragement of all of you! Thank you for sticking by us and cheering us on through another wild year. We wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season – and rest up…2022 is going to be busy! Sincerely, David & Anjali Founders Donate December Events Family, Parenting & Love Community Conversations Join us for Family, Parenting, & Love Community Conversations designed to offer parents, community stakeholders, and professionals a free educational series to support families. These free monthly conversations are presented on the first Tuesday and Friday of each month and are centered around different topics. Conversations are held simultaneously online and onsite. Tuesday, December 7 | 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Sensory Systems Holiday Cheer & Beer! TONIGHT! Monday, December 6 | 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. This holiday season City Tavern is partnering with Family Initiative, an autism and child welfare community services organization based in Cape Coral, to sponsor a special family through the holidays! Join us at the month-long fundraising campaign kick-off party and contribute to making the holidays magical by bidding in the silent auction, drink specials, and picking from the gift tree! Sensory Santa with FineMark Bank and United Way United Way and FineMark Bank join forces to celebrate the holiday season with Family Initiative with Santa, his elves and some very special therapy dogs. Programs ASD Teen Hangout Group Every Wednesday | 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm Family Initiative Autism Support Center 734 SW 4th Street | Cape Coral Teen Group is designed for teens with autism and is a six-week cycle focused on specific social skills areas using an evidence-based approach through peer engagement and scenarios to apply the principles. Next cycle will begin in 2022. ASD Social Skills Playgroup Every Saturday | 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm At Christ Community Church 4050 Colonial Blvd | Fort Myers Playgroups support the social development of children with autism, helping kids fit in, progress, make friends and be happy. This is a one-of-a-kind program unparalleled in the US and hosted weekly in Fort Myers. Fee per group is $20 and paid at check in. Virtual Saturday Playgroups Join us for weekly themed virtual adventures! Virtual Saturday Playgroups are open to any child within the child welfare system in Family Initiative service areas. Learn more by emailing [email protected]. Legislative Update Advocating for Our Families In November, David Brown and Anjali Van Drie traveled to Tallahassee with Family Initiative board member and autism advocate Jessica Van Hart, her husband Joe Van Hart and their son Kolby. They visited with members of our local delegation including Representative Jenna Persons-Mulicka, Representative Mike Giallambardo, Representative Spencer Roach, and Senator Ray Rodrigues and were recognized from the floor of the Florida House of Representatives. Family Initiative spoke to legislators about the needs for children, teens, and young adults on the Autism Spectrum, and shared input from families regarding services and supports available across our community. News CDC Announces New Autism Data Data released last week by the CDC is suggests the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children is now 1 in 44. Previously, the CDC data sets suggested that number was 1 in 59. The good news is children are now 50% more likely to be diagnosed by age 4 – early detection and intervention is key for ASD. Understanding and navigating an ASD diagnosis can be overwhelming, but our Autism Navigators are here to help. Simply call 239-910-0712 and we'll help you find the right support for your child – even if it's not with us. Family Initiative is excited to announce two additions to our Board of Directors! Jessica Van Hart Jessica Van Hart, together with her husband Joe Van Hart, owns and operates J Van Hart Provisions, a family-run full food service distribution company located in Fort Myers, Florida. Born and raised in Maine, Jessica currently resides in Cape Coral, Florida where she passionately volunteers her time to support the schools and hobbies of her five wonderful children: Madison, Andrew, Kolby, Joey and Emma. "Family Initiative is truly like an extension of our family," said Jessica, whose middle son Kolby, 24, is on the autism spectrum. "They love our children like we love our children and make decisions based on what is best for our kids while keeping the parents involved in every step of the process. I want all the Kolbys of the world to get to experience the type of love and support that Family Initiative provides." Jeffrey Cull Jeffrey Cull is co-founder and managing partner of Florida Media Group LLC, publishers of Florida Weekly and other titles. He currently serves as the firm's executive editor and is responsible for all content and management for nine newspapers with a combined circulation of more than 90,000. He earned his bachelor's degree from the U.S. Naval Academy, flew the Navy's carrier-based S-3 Viking and retired from the U.S. Navy as a Commander. He began his journalism career in 2000 as a reporter at The News-Press and pursued public-service journalism as an investigative reporter. He has won a number of state and national journalism awards. April is Autism Acceptance Month Get ready to celebrate Autism Acceptance Month! We're working hard behind the scenes to present a series of events to raise awareness and acceptance for the autism community. The month will culminate with our inaugural Autism Acceptance Awards Gala on April 30, 2022 at the Luminary Hotel in downtown Fort Myers. Details forthcoming. Donate Copyright (C) 2021 Family Initiative Inc. All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you expressed interest in hearing the latest from Family Initiative. Family Initiative, Inc. is a 501(c)3 public charity, FEIN #46-1528487. Donors can deduct contributions under IRC Section 170. Family Initiative, Inc. recommends that you consult with your tax adviser or the IRS to determine whether a contribution is deductible in your situation. Family Initiative, Inc. is registered with the State of Florida pursuant to Chapter 496, Section 496.405 of the Florida statutes. A copy of the official registration (#CH661) and financial information may be obtained from the division of consumer services by calling toll-free (1-800-435-7352) within the state. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the state. For more information, visit the State of Florida Consumer Services Division website. Our mailing address is: Family Initiative Inc 734 SW 4th St Cape Coral, FL 33991-1984   This press release was produced by Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce. The views expressed here are the author's own.