They’re reading about Dr. Wright in South Africa

by Beth Finke

Earlier this month Independent Online in South Africa interviewed Easter Seals national director of autism services Patricia Wright for an article called Baby Steps at Their Own Pace. The article was about developmental milestones, and Patricia reminded readers that early intervention is invaluable. She said that if parents have any concerns with their child’s development they should discuss them with a doctor earlier rather than later.

”I don’t want parents to worry for three months and then spend another three months waiting for an appointment with a specialist.”

Patricia told reporters that even something as common as a language delay can be helped by early intervention.

A speech pathologist can give parents tips on how to create a language-rich environment for their child and encourage speech.

Independent Online is a South African online news brand with editorial teams in centers all over South Africa. How cool to think that Patricia Wright and Easter Seals has a presence there!

Riding the (buffalo) wings of victory

by Maurice Snell

Which is better: the Chicago Police Department or the Chicago Fire Department? There could be many different opinions from many Chicagoans, but here’s one thing we all agree on: we rely on both forces to protect each and every one of us. There are thousands of police officers and firefighters who sacrifice their lives for us each and every day in the Chicago area.

Earlier this month, both forces put their allegiances aside for one thing: Wing Madness to benefit Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago. The no-holds-barred wing eating competition between the Chicago Police and Fire Department determined who is Chicago’s top dog (or, who is Chicago’s wing eating champion). The festivities took place at Dick’s Last Resort, right off of the Chicago River. It was a comfortable and enjoyable atmosphere for many patrons, as we got a chance to witness those brave souls stuff their faces for a chance at glory.

It was neck-and-neck (or maybe wing-and-wing?!) between the two forces in each round, but one was victorious: the Chicago Police Department.

Special thanks to both the Chicago Police and Fire Department for taking time from their duties to participate in this event. Without those people, this event would not have happened. We hope to have a much bigger event next year, and if you live in Chicago or are here visiting our wonderful windy city we hope you can join us next year also!

Workers with disabilities: an untapped resource

by Beth Finke

I liked this commentary in Free Enterprise Magazine so much I thought I’d share some of it here. The essay is about the number of people with autism and other disabilities who are looking for work. It was written by Tom Donohue, President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He points out that employers are pretty much unaware of the pool of qualified workers with disabilities. He says employers don’t really know how to go about finding these workers and that they worry about the costs and challenges involved when it comes to providing accommodations. Then he points out how these employers are missing out on a great untapped resource :

Employees with disabilities are generally dependable, dedicated, hardworking, and productive. Companies that take a lead in hiring people with disabilities are positioning themselves for success when worker and skills shortages will make diversity and inclusion programs a necessity rather than a choice.

With the unemployment rate so high right now it’s hard to imagine America facing a worker shortage any time soon. But hey, there are 77 million baby boomers out there! They’ll be retiring soon, and when they do, Many businesses are sure to face a skills shortage. Let’s hope that when that happens, and employers have trouble finding qualified workers for open positions, they’ll turn to this great untapped resource: workers with autism and other disabilities.

Idolizing James Durbin

by Maurice Snell

Reality television is appealing to millions of viewers in the world today. Some would say that reality TV is scripted as if it were to look real. But it is the real thing if you really are paying attention.

I’ve been a fan of some reality TV shows. Some of the shows that I see today may be cheesy, but others I’ve been a fan of for quite some time. There’s this show called American Idol that I’ve seemed to enjoy over the years. Some critics predicted that when the big names (Paula Abdul, Ellen DeGeneres and Simon Cowell), left it would be the end of the show, but it has not lost its touch.

What’s even more special about American Idol is that it featured some memorable contestants this season. One of this season’s contestants is a success story: James Durbin is a person living with autism. He had very impressive talent which delighted millions of viewers and impressed the judges. Week after week, James set the bar real high and gave some other contestants a run for their money. The fans were in love with his bad boy style. James proved that he was a force to be reckoned with. He was so amazing, Randy Jackson, one of the judges, picked James to be in the finale (Top 3). America would say that he is out of this world!

On the results show on May 12, James had missed out on being in the Top 3 much to everyone’s surprise. The judges were in disbelief that James was not picked to be The One. However, James Durbin is and will always be American Idol for people living with disabilities.

As a person living with autism and having incredible musical talent myself, I couldn’t be more proud of what James had gone through. He showed millions of Americans that people with autism can be successful in this world today. No matter what talent you have, it is a gift from God that you have and you must not take it for granted. Congratulations, James on a wonderful job well done!

We have Safeway to thank

by Beth Finke

Early last month I published a blog here called Safeway wins well-deserved philanthropic award. In that post I promised you another blog highlighting some of the many, many autism-related programs our all-time top corporate Sponsor Safeway, Inc. supports here at Easter Seals. Today I’m finally making good on that promise.

One of the largest, most successful fundraising events Safeway hosts is its annual People with Disabilities Campaign. Each April during Autism Awareness Month, all 1,700-plus Safeway stores across the United States and Canada and its family of brands (including Vons, Tom Thumb, Dominick’s, Randall’s, Genuardi’s, Carrs and Pavilions) raise funds to support Easter Seals services in local communities. Safeway supports many, many programs at Easter Seals including:

• Expanding our early intervention services. When it comes to autism or developmental delays, getting the right help at the earliest life stage makes all the difference. This critical type of service gives toddlers the skills they need to learn, grow and be school-ready alongside their peers.
• Growing our Child Development Centers. Easter Seals understands that parents who have young children with disabilities experience far greater levels of stress than parents of typically developing children. Knowing your young child with autism or a developmental delay is well-cared for in an inclusive child care setting, receiving appropriate therapy and instruction, gives working parents not only piece of mind, but the ability to continue working even after a diagnosis.
• Building our autism transition programs. Transitions, whether large or small, are particularly challenging for many families living with autism. Whether entering school, becoming a teenager, seeking employment or simply taking a family vacation, people with autism often struggle through these types of changes and require personalized supports and services to help get them through.
• Creating more family supports and autism training programs for parents and siblings of individuals with autism. Families living with autism are desperate to find help, hope and answers. The fact is, an autism diagnosis affects the entire family. Easter Seals offers several programs that provide support to every family member, giving them the resources they need to best care for their loved one with autism.

I’ve said it here before, but I can’t say it enough: thank you, Safeway!

A father’s journey to understand his extraordinary son

by Beth Finke

Mike and I are heading to Wisconsin on Saturday to visit Gus in his group home. Our son moved away when he was 16 years old. That’s a long time ago now, but every visit still reminds us of when he first left eight years ago. So it was particularly poignant to hear Ian Brown interviewed on NPR’s Fresh Air this week about his son Walker’s life in a group home.

Ian Brown is a feature writer for Toronto’s The Globe and Mail newspaper. His son Walker does not have autism, but, like Gus, Walker has severe cognitive, developmental and physical disabilities. “He can’t speak,” Ian Brown told Fresh Air’s Terry Gross. “He just has no way of rationally communicating — so we spent a long time trying to figure out other ways to connect.”

Mike and I listened to the interview together and could especially relate to Ian Brown’s recollections of bringing their son to a group home for the first time. “I still remember that day,” he told Terry Gross. ”We all drove up there, we dropped him off … and nobody said a word. We got home and there was so much time. So much of it. It was a really terrorizing decision — but a good one, I suppose, in the end.”

So many of the decisions we have to make about — and sometimes, for — our children with disabilities can make us feel so alone. It was so comforting to hear someone tell a story on the radio that was so similar to ours. Ian Brown has written a book called The Boy in the Moon: A Father’s Journey to Understand his Extraordinary Son about raising Walker. I’m looking forward to reading It.

Informing Obama administration on priorities for people with autism

by Katy Beh Neas

Autism Awareness Month was celebrated at the White House with a working session with key stakeholders, including Easter Seals, to address the needs of children and adults with autism and their families. Senior White House officials and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius briefed us on the efforts of the Obama Administration and requested input for future activities.

Easter Seals sees the need for greater services and supports for adults with autism, especially in the areas of housing, transportation and employment. We shared our continuing commitment to work with the White House staff so that people with autism have more choices in their lives.

I was very jazzed to be among some amazingly articulate young self-advocates. As someone who has been around for a while, I know we need to have more young people coming into the world of advocacy.

Next steps will likely be some legislation to continue the programs of the Combating Autism Act. We hope the name of the legislation will change, because its not our view that we need to “combat” any person. We need to make sure that every person with autism has the ability to access the services he or she needs to live the life of his or her choosing.

Rethinking the ways we celebrate Mother’s Day

by Beth Finke

My husband and I can’t get away this weekend to visit our son Gus in his group home in Wisconsin. Gus doesn’t understand that this Sunday is Mother’s Day, so we’ll just go the next weekend and celebrate Mother’s Day then. And as always, it will be great just to be with him.

Children with autism can find it challenging to express their feelings about Mother’s Day without guidance from a parent, teacher or caregiver. That doesn’t mean a family shouldn’t celebrate, though! Children with disabilities can mark the day in small ways that can speak volumes. Sometimes Gus signs a simple card. One year we took a scribble Gus had drawn and transformed it into a pin. This year, the three of us will probably go out to lunch together.

If you are looking for ways to celebrate Mother’s Day, a company called Rethink Autism might have an idea for you. From a press release:

In appreciation of mothers of children with autism, Rethink Autism has drawn from its library of video lessons to provide a free online video with a few tips on how to teach a child with autism to appreciate Mom by making a gift or even a meal (using a microwave).

I checked out the video myself — it’s straightforward and easy to understand. The video lessons Rethink Autism produces are consistent with Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), a methodology we are a big fan of here at Easter Seals. So enjoy the video, and … Happy Mother’sDay!

Click for Kids with autism

by Bob Glowacki

Northwestern Mutual Foundation has been a great partner for non-profits in the Wisconsin area for years. I am proud that my older brother John has been a Northwest Mutual agent for over 25 years and yes, my family is fully insured!

Thankfully, I am not here to sell you insurance. I am here to sell you on a purpose. Northwestern has launched the Click for Kids campaign to benefit three charities, including Easter Seals. The money raised for Easter Seals will be used to offer grants to affiliates across the country to provide innovative approaches to early education for children with autism and other disabilities.

You can help us! All you need to do is visit Northwestern Mutual’s Facebook page and vote for Easter Seals. All Facebook users have access to the Click for Kids program and are allotted one vote per user. the Northwestern Mutual Foundation will donate $10 to Easter Seals for each vote that is cast for us.

You believe in the power of early education! You believe in giving kids the best chance at success! You believe in the work of Easter Seals! So let the world know — click it and pass it on!

Joe Mantegna honored with Hollywood Walk of Fame star

by Patricia Wright

Joe Mantegna was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame last Friday. I just loved hearing this since I regularly read People Magazine (which I affectionately call the Journal of Popular Culture) to keep myself apprised of all things related to the “stars,” and I had the chance to meet and talk with Mr. Mantegna during our Easter Seals Living with Disabilities video shoot. Mantegna has a daughter with autism and has been a longtime friend of Easter Seals. A story on The Hollywood Walk of Fame web site recognizes Mantegna’s charitable nature:

Mantegna has helped raise millions of dollars for charities all over the world, including Autism, The Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center, Pediatric Aids Research, The National Kidney Foundation, Easter Seals, Melanoma Research, The Tom Sullivan Blind Children’s Charity and Breast Cancer Awareness.

Maurice Snell summed up Mantegna’s spirit in a post he wrote for us here after meeting the actor during a charity event in Chicago:

At first, Joe told his own story about his family life, which includes his older daughter Mia, who is autistic. He explained the trials and tribulations he and his family suffered during the early part of Mia’s life. The road was rocky, but Joe and his family have stayed together and are optimistic about his daughter’s life.

He went on to express his involvement with the Easter Seals organization. The most interesting part of the conversation was me asking the question of what inspired Joe to represent Easter Seals. His response: yours truly. At first, I couldn’t believe it. But I knew he was saying it from the heart. If I were to thank Joe in person, I would tell him, “Thank you for your words of inspiration to the Easter Seals family. I see you not only as a spokesperson, but also a philanthropist and humanitarian for people with autism, including me. Whenever you come back into town, I would love to meet Mia.”

Mr. Mantegna is absolutely right: Maurice IS inspiring and is also a great spokesperson for autism awareness. With Joe Mantegna and Maurice sharing their stories, autism awareness indeed gets a boost!