The Wings of Friendship Summer Camp
I had the wonderful opportunity to be a part of The Wings of Friendship Summer Camp over the past 8 weeks. A virtual camp that brought together teens and young adults with varying disabilities to enjoy daily activities together. Through various partnerships within the community, campers had the opportunity to participate in art, acting, sign language, trivia, special guest speakers, and so much more.
Each day that I signed onto virtual camp, I experienced campers from all over the country, coming together for social activities, yet beginning to work together as a family supporting, encouraging, and truly caring for one another. Sometimes conversations were light and funny, at other times they shared their struggles with how their disabilities affected them day to day.
Through the collaboration of The Friendship Journey and Dylan’s Wings of Change-Camp Wings of Friendship was created. Presidents’ Samantha Novick (The Friendship Journey) and Ian Hockley, (Dylan’s Wings of Change), both honor children who lost their lives in school shootings. Dylan Hockley(Ian’s son) was one of the first-grade victims who lost his life in the mass shooting while attending school at Sandy Hook Elementary. Jaime Guttenberg and Gina Montalto were both victims of the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. Jaime and Gina both had volunteered at The Friendship Journey virtual hangouts. Dylan, Jaime and Gina are the reasons the two non-profit organizations came together and continue to share their light and inspire others.
Last week was the final week of camp. Special Guest Speakers, James LeBrecht (director of the 2020 documentary of Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution) and Judith Heumann (a disability rights activist) both came and spoke and answered questions that they were asked during their visit. Campers were incredibly inspired by both James and Judith’s stories. Many of them expressed a sense of empowerment to continue fighting for rights for those with disabilities.
The final celebration was filled with lots of laughing, sharing and sadness. After 8 weeks of being part of this amazing community, it was time to say goodbye. Campers exchanged numbers and email addresses with promises to keep in touch. As I think back on the past 8 weeks, the camp quote will continue to resonate with me….” Kindness is the Key, Love is the Answer”.
National Nonprofit Day
As we celebrate National Nonprofit Day, we take the time to recognize the immense effort nonprofits and charities put into serving their communities. Today, HDS Companies shines a light on our Foundation, a 501©3 nonprofit that was founded in 2008. The primary focus of our organization is to help facilitate the success of students on the Autism Spectrum, to work on social and independent living skills while also preparing for life after high school and a successful transition into post-secondary life and careers. Bridging the gap that can support the diverse abilities of young adults and facilitating college-level and other post-secondary education will strengthen this population’s chances for meaningful, long-term employment and self-sufficiency. Our Foundation is poised to help educate and provide information related to available, safe, and affordable housing options to further the possibilities of attaining independent or semi-independent housing.
Our programs are designed to further develop personal growth and independence:
- The HDS B.R.I.D.G.E.S. Program supports the development of school-based social and community life skills activities designed to meet the needs of ASD High School Students. Structured in the form of a grant, the Foundation encourages High School ESE Departments to create school-based programs that provide opportunities year-round for Social, Independence, Community and Personal Development to teens who have Developmental Disabilities within this population. The recipients of the B.R.I.D.G.E.S. Grant accomplish this by incorporating various community based-field trips to local businesses who are poised to provide potential future employment, life skills development initiatives such as establishing bank accounts, shopping opportunities, learning about transportation options, and social skills opportunities during the school year that allow for the inclusion of these students to typical high school activities such as Homecoming, Football Games, Prom, and many others. These are conduits to building better communication tools, peer mentoring, fostering friendships, and preparation for life after high school, including post-secondary.
- The Social Activities Program or S.A.P. is designed to enhance the lives of teens and young adults as they begin to transition to their post-secondary journey. The program is based on social activities leading to transition skills which provide students with disabilities a positive social interaction with their peers.
- The HDS College Mentors Program strives to identify the peripheral needs of students living with Autism Spectrum Disorder or related disabilities, who are seeking a College Degree and are living at a University or College Campus. Although the Program does not focus on academic course requirements mandated by the schools, it does focus on the guidance and supports needed by the students to achieve success in each of their academic fields.
- The ASDY-TECH Employment Training and Mentoring Program focuses on providing prospective employment opportunities to young adults who are on the Autism Spectrum. ASDY-TECH, coined after Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Young Adults (Tech Staff), is designed as a micro-enterprise entity of the HDS Foundation. The program focuses on technical projects that can be scaled to support the employment needs of the ASD population, while meeting the service needs of prospective clients, whether individuals or businesses. (This program is on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic)
Our programs work, and we have great success stories to demonstrate it! Check out our Happenings page to see what we’ve been up to lately!
End of the Year Celebration for our B.R.I.D.G.E.S. Students
Friends, Food & Fun! The B.R.I.D.G.E.S. students were finally able to spend an evening together celebrating the End of the School Year! We even had a surprise visit from several of the B.R.I.D.G.E.S. alumni who came to reconnect with current classmates.
Facilitators Donna Mansolillo and Kathy Gorman-Gard put together a fun filled evening for their students with team building games that brought lots of smiles and laughter. For example, one of the games require students to pop a balloon, and inside the balloon was a question they had to answer. One of the questions that was very memorable from this game was Kelvin’s question which asked, “What do you value the most in life?” His answer was, “My family and friends”. These team building games not only encouraged the students to work together, but it allowed them to express how they felt about the subject.
The class was able to enjoy a delicious dinner catered by Mission BBQ. Individuals were able to choose from a variety of meals: brisket, chicken and pork with sliders and sides. Dessert was a favorite as students were able to choose from brownies, cookies, donuts and cake! Dinner gave everyone the opportunity to sit together and socialize.
The HDS Foundation prepared special gifts that was given to each student at the end of the night. We are so proud of the work the B.R.I.D.G.E.S. class has accomplished this year with adapting to new styles of learning. We are very thankful for our amazing facilitators, Donna Mansolillo and Kathy Gorman-Gard who continue to focus on the goals and mission of the B.R.I.D.G.E.S. Program during this very trying year for the teachers and the students.
We look forward to another great year with our B.R.I.D.G.E.S. students in the Fall 2021!
Family Network on Disabilites Q&A with B.R.I.D.G.E.S.
Throughout the school year, Luke Wilson from Family Network on Disabilities (FND) hosted several workshops for the B.R.I.D.G.E.S. students. The workshops the class attended virtually were: Internet Safety and Nuts & Bolts of Self-Determination. Both sessions were very engaging, but in the Nuts & Bolts workshop, the students asked lots of great questions about self-advocacy and self -determination. This sparked Luke to have his son, Dion (25 years old) who has a disability and is successfully living independently, do a question-and-answer session with the B.R.I.D.G.E.S. students so that the class can learn about how Dion got to the point where he is and what challenges he had to overcome.
Dion spoke from the heart as he shared his experiences throughout middle and high school and how he was able to get through many obstacles growing up with a disability. He recommended finding one teacher that you felt comfortable with to help you through your transition into your post-secondary journey.
As the conversation went on, many of the students wanted to know how Dion was able to get through the moments he struggled through. Dion said he took one day at a time. With each challenge, he correlated it to something he liked doing and was able to break it down to be more manageable.
Dion also discussed the importance of budgeting your money. His story about his first experience shopping alone was humorous. Dion decided to spend his money on all different kinds of sweets, and realized afterwards that it was not such a good idea because he didn’t have anything else to eat. The class thought this was funny, but at the same time was extremely eye opening to them. Now, with the help of a life coach, Dion explained that he is making better choices when he goes shopping. He takes several things into consideration such as: calories, cholesterol, and price before purchasing any items.
The students asked Dion many questions throughout the workshop, and Dion was able to answer them with honest responses and great advice. This workshop allowed the B.R.I.D.G.E.S. students to utilize as well as learn more about Resources, Growth, Empowerment and Social Skills!
We are very grateful for Luke and his son, Dion, for participating in the invaluable workshop for the B.R.I.D.G.E.S. students. We look forward to seeing Luke and Dion again at another CBI!
Highlighting Our College Mentors Program!
The HDS College Mentors Program strives to identify the peripheral needs of students living with Autism Spectrum Disorder or related disabilities, who are seeking a College Degree and are living at a University or College Campus. The Program focuses on the guidance and supports needed by the students to achieve success in each of their academic fields.
The Program helps students meet these needs by addressing the social and emotional challenges that interfere with academic learning and creating viable daily activities that mitigate those circumstances and help these individuals build strong interpersonal skills. It further explores the contributions these students can make to become the catalyst of change needed in our society to adapt to differences in learning styles, career structures, and social relationships.
Peer collaboration is one of the most valuable tools available to ease the learning process and navigate social demands. The opportunities for growth via conduits that team up students with ASD with typical students who are of the same age group (who share similar experiences and challenges), and who have different skill sets and ideas is hugely beneficial to this population. All involved benefit significantly from these experiences and grow exponentially in their problem-solving abilities.
The College Mentors Program is both facilitated by the Foundation or can be structured in the form of a grant if the organization has a formal program in place.
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