Autism Awareness Month – LIUB
The HDS Foundation is in final preparations for the annual kick-off of Autism Awareness Month (April). The HDS Foundation will join the United Nations and The WORLD on April 2nd, 2018 to Light It Up Blue, Autism Speaks’ Signature event.
Autism, or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), refers to a range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication, as well as by unique strengths and differences. We now know that there is not one autism but many types, caused by different combinations of genetic and environmental influences. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CD), one in 68 children in the United States are diagnosed with Autism, and an estimated 50,000 teens with Autism will lose school-based autism services each year as they age out of the school system.
The HDS Foundation, Inc. was founded to provide mentoring services and opportunities to Teens and Young Adults who have Autism-related disabilities. The primary focus of our Organization is to provide work and daily living skills building opportunities and experiences via specific school-based and community partnerships. Teens and young adults can be better prepared to meet the demands of future employment opportunities when these challenges are addressed early on. This year, The HDS Foundation is launching ASDY-TECH, a business model poised to employ young adults on the Spectrum by providing Technical Services and Solutions to private companies.
The HDS Foundation also supports and partners with various community-based groups, aiming to enrich the lives of this special population by providing an array of opportunities to participate in many social activities, and work towards improving future independence as they relate to their day to day activities. Additionally, The HDS Foundation is poised to help educate and provide information related to available, safe and affordable housing options, that can further the possibilities of attaining independent or semi-independent housing.
On April 2nd, 2018 we invite you to join the staff and families of the HDS Companies in celebrating Autism Awareness Day, and the kick-off of World Autism Month. HDS will LlGHT IT UP BLUE, and join the hundreds of thousands of individuals worldwide who stand together to support families impacted by Autism.
Our HDS Contenders Team!
Written by Nico Morales | Feb 8, 2018
I think that the term “Crazy 8” would be very applicable to the events of the recent Dan Marino Walk About Autism. This is due to the fact that I was invited by my coworkers at HDS to participate in the 8th Annual Walk About Autism alongside them, and that it was crazy how much fun of a great time I had before, during, and after the walk. We were all dressed up in our company T-shirts to commemorate this event dedicated to raising money and awareness for people affected by autism and other related disabilities. I can’t stress enough how important this cause is to me and all of my colleagues over at HDS. Our goal this year was to raise a total of $10,000 and I am proud to report that we beat that goal by raising over $11,400! One of the best things about this fundraiser is that 25% of all monies raised by the HDS Contenders goes directly to The HDS Foundation. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without all of the support from our friends and colleagues.
But we weren’t alone in our cause, for I ran into a plethora of familiar faces who were also attending the walk, such as my neighbors, my childhood acquaintance, my friend from Social GAIN, and even my beloved girlfriend and her older sister, who are also major supporters of pro-autism events like this.
One of the highlights of my time there was after the opening ceremony, when I got to meet Froggy. He is one of the radio personalities of Y100, one of my all-time favorite radio stations growing up, and I actually made him laugh with the nickname I thought of for him: Chief Toad.
I also frequented many of the booths set up by various sponsors and vendors, one of which I won a $25 voucher form to set up a tax-free savings account at Able United. It was such an unbelievably wonderful experience, and I don’t plan on forgetting it any time soon.
I am very excited for what next year’s walk will bring; hopefully, we can get an even bigger turnout.
Thank You for Making a Difference!
We raised a total of $10,000!
We’re so grateful to all of you who’ve helped us reach our goal! We couldn’t have done it without you!
Thank you to all who generously supported the HDS Contenders Team. Your support is so appreciated and will help us achieve our community goals.
Again, thank you to those who have supported our team this year, and in the past, and for those who have included The HDS Foundation in their philanthropy goals. We invite you to visit our website and keep up with what’s happening at the HDS Foundation.
19th International Conference on Autism, Intellectual Disabilities and Developmental Disabilities, for Research Informed Practice
This past week, the HDS Foundation attended the 19th International Conference on Autism, Intellectual Disabilities and Developmental Disabilities, for Research Informed Practice, organized by the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities and held in Clearwater, FL. The Conference went off with a bang with several pre-conference trainings followed by an inspiring opening ceremony featuring keynote speaker Andy Gardiner, Senior Vice President of External Affairs and Community Relations, former president of the Apopka Chamber of Commerce and Former member of the Florida State Senate. Mr. Gardiner spoke of the legislative advocacy facing individuals with Developmental Disabilities in the state of Florida. He also gave notable advice on becoming involved in initiatives in our own communities helping those with developmental disabilities and insight as a parent to inspire other parents, providers, educators, and community members to do more to have an affect on policy. Poster Presentations by various professors and faculty on different topics of research and studies were displayed followed by the Presidents Reception and a Student Social.
HDS Foundation staff Carla Otiniano, Program Manager, and Meagan Bouscher, Board Member, attended relative, educational sessions on many subjects including the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Pre- Employment Transition Services, Improvement of Public School Autism Programs, and several Model Transition Programs taking place at different Universities. There was even a session on “Netflix and Chilling”, and how to navigate the dating world for students in college with ASD, by our friend, Doctoral Candidate, Tara Rowe of the University of North Florida’s Project THRIVE. Foundation staff were also fortunate enough to meet James Williams of the University of Wisconsin, who gave an enlightening session on Navigating the Transition Process through the perspective of someone with Autism.
The final general session presentation was closed by motivational speaker, advocate, and author Robert Pio Hajjar who spoke on how love and hope can transform an individual to bring out the best in themselves and contribute toward a stronger society. His message “I Can, You Can” helps others “to realize ability in disability and to empower champions of inclusion and change” and was an eye-opening ending to an amazing conference.
A Special Thanks to the CEC-DADD and their Conference Committee and the various presenting Professors, Providers and Faculty for putting on such a successful event, and to the many people we were able to meet and network with, to share knowledge and information to improve policy, educational programs and work opportunities for young individuals with autism, and intellectual and developmental disabilities. Be sure to come back and check out some of the presentations and available resources from the conference as they become available, on our resources page!
8th Annual Dan Marino Foundation Walkabout Autism & Expo
The HDS Foundation is thrilled to once again participate in the 8th Annual Dan Marino Foundation Walkabout Autism & Expo, brought to you by Walgreens, presented by Badia Spices!
For years the Dan Marino Foundation has created many programs for children and young adults with autism in our community. This will be the 8th year that they are holding this walkabout, and it is the HDS Foundation’s eighth year participating. One of the best things about this fundraiser is that 25% of all monies raised by the HDS Contenders goes directly to The HDS Foundation. This is great for our organization because it enables us to continue to support and facilitate students and young adults with autism through our programs. Just a sample of some of the great programs that the HDS Foundation sponsors are:
Building Bridges at the Bay: This program helps Cypress Bay High School students with developmental disabilities learn life-long skills needed to function outside of High School.
HDS College Mentors: This program seeks to identify the peripheral needs of students with ASD-related disabilities who are seeking a college degree and living on campus. Mentoring is done through peer collaboration, which is one of the most effective tools available to facilitate the learning process and help navigate social demands.
The K.A.T.E. Scholarship: This scholarship embodies the fundamentals of Kindness, Acceptance, Teamwork and Encouragement, all values which can transform difficult situations into life changing wonderful experiences.
Come to the walk and raise money and awareness for this great cause with the HDS Contenders! Our goal this year is $10,000. YOU can help us reach that goal! Think about what a great opportunity this is for us to work together and make a difference in the lives of those touched by autism.
Why we need your help:
- There is no known cause or cure for autism.
- Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disorder and, according to the Center for Disease Control, 1 in 68 children in the United States are on the autism spectrum.
- Currently 83% of adults with autism are unemployed, which is a startling statistic!
Help us make a difference by visiting http://myhds.co/hdswalkabout and donating today!
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