Together, we are building a strong
FOUNDATION
!
You helped us raise
over $235,000!!
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!
ο»Ώππππ
It's amazing to see our community come together to provide more opportunities for each other! More opportunities to dance, learn, play, celebrate, work, connect, grow, and realize our potential! Thank you for helping us provide these opportunities.
Our purpose is to show that when
POTENTIAL
is given
OPPORTUNITY
, the outcome is
SUCCESS
! ππ³
THANK YOU to all of you who participated in any way - your time and dedication are making a difference in our community!
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Click
here
to check out our our video recap!
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2020 Tour of Champions Sponsors
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March
- March 12 - OCPS Parent Advisory Council Meeting
- March 13 - Mom's Night Out at Yellow Dog Eats
- March 15 - Club 321 (middle and highschool)
- March 16 - Summer Scholarships Open
- March 16 - Pete the Cat at the Orlando Rep
- March 21 - World Down Syndrome Day at WhirlyDome
- March 23 - iCan! Work Orientation Night
- March 26 - Play Date at MyGym
- March 30 - iCan! Work Lunch & Learn
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April
- April 1-3 - Neurodevelopmental Programs
- April 4 - T21 Social Network (18+) (Yoga and Lunch)
- April 6 - iCan! Work Lunch & Learn
- April 16 - Parent Informational Meeting
- April 20 - iCan! Work Lunch & Learn
- April 28 - Dad's Basketball Game
July
- July 19 -24 - iCan! Bike Camp
Don't want to miss out on our events?
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As moms, our help and support is in constant demand β¦ but you canβt constantly give when your own cup is running dry. We would like to help FILL UP YOUR CUP!
Join us for our monthly outing to share your evening with beloved friends and connect with new ones within the community.
Where
: Yellow Dog Eats 1236 Hempel Avenue, Gotha, FL 34786
When
: Friday, March 13th
Time
: 7:00pm-9:30pm
Cost
:
The FOUNDATION will put $15 towards your meal, you just pay the difference!
Thank you to Soren Richardson for planning!
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Join our Club 321 outing for middle and high-schoolers!
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Learn to dance with confidence and courteousness!
As you know, we LOVE any excuse for a dance party at The FOUNDATION. We'll practice the etiquette of asking someone to dance, respecting your dance partner's boundaries, and communicating your comfort. We'll also learn some fun group dances to do together!
When
: Sunday, March 15th
Time:
2pm - 4pm
Location
: Boardwalk Bowl
10749 E Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32817
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Summer Scholarships Applications Open on March 16th!
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Summer scholarships are opening soon! For our scholarships, we ask YOU to find something that your child would like to do, sign up (with that organization) and then apply for our scholarship.
Scholarship applications will be accepted for
Educational, Community, Swimming, Speech, Behavioral (ABA) and Sleep Away Camp beginning on March 16th!
*Applications will close on April 3rd.
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Pete the Cat at the Orlando Repertory Theater
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Join The FOUNDATION at the theater!
ο»ΏWhen
: Monday, March 16, 2020
Where
:
Orlando Repertory Theater
1001 E Princeton St, Orlando, FL 32803
Time
: 10:00am
Cost
: $5 per ticket (Total cost is $12/ticket, The FOUNDATION will cover $7!)
About the play:
The favorite childrenβs book and television character created by James Dean and Kimberly Dean comes to life onstage in the musical Pete The Cat , written by Sarah Hammond and Will Aronson. The moment this groovy blue cat meets The Biddles, he gets the whole family rocking- that is, except for Jimmy, the most organized second grader on planet Earth. When Jimmy draws a blank in art class during the last week of school, it turns out Pete is the perfect pal to help. Join Jimmy and Pete on an adventure of friendship and inspiration, all the way to Paris and back in a VW Bus!
We are charging families only $5 per ticket and tickets are available for parents, your child with DS and his/her siblings. Scholarships are available to anybody who would like to join us but needs some financial assistance.
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Come Celebrate a Little Differently
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T
hank you for helping us a build a strong FOUNDATION for the last ten years! YOU have made our community filled with joy, strength, dignity, talent, drive, and so much more. YOU are the reason we celebrate! For our tenth year, we want to do something a little different - that's why we're hosting a family fun night at the WhirlyDome!!
The WhirlyDome is of course famous for WhirlyBall, which is a crazy game that's half bumper cars, half basketball. We'll also have laser tag, arcade games and a tasty dinner. It's sure to be a great evening for all!
When
: Saturday, March 21, 2020
Where
: WhirlyDome 6464 International Dr, Orlando, FL 32819
Time
: 4:30pm - 7:00pm
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Ready..set...let's PLAY!
This event is open to members of all ages and siblings too! This a great opportunity to get to meet other families and form connections in the community!
When
: Thursday, March 26, 2020
Time
: 9:30am-11:00am
Location:
My
Gym Waterford Lakes
1501 S Alafaya Trail #110, Orlando, FL 32828
* Limited spaces available! Please email Erin at erin.goding@dsfflorida.org to confirm your spot.
Deadline to register is March 20*
All parents must complete the liability waiver below before attending.
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iCan! Work Orientation Night
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We believe that full inclusion spans the entire life of an individual with Down syndrome and one of the most important and longest periods of their life are their 'working years' after school ends. Our iCan! Work program is geared to help move individuals with Down syndrome from the educational environment to the workplace.
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Join us for as we expand our iCan! Work program.
At our orientation meeting, we will discuss what iCan! Work is all about! Youβll receive an overview of the program, be able to ask questions, hear success stories from our very own employees who are working at the Orlando Magic games and be able to submit a job application. Dinner will be provided.
What:
Orientation Night
When:
March 23, 2020
Time:
6:30pm-8:30pm
Where:
TBD (Location near Downtown Orlando)
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Part of the expansion of our iCan! Work program will include the addition of a Lunch & Learn component. Each Lunch & Learn will include training on skills necessary for success in the work place. The first four Lunch & Learns will be open to members 18 and older who have graduated from high school and are interested in learning more about our iCan! Work program.
Monday
March 30, 2020
11:30am-1:30pm
Where: TBD (Location near downtown Orlando)
(Lunch will be provided)
Topic 1: Enthusiasm and Attitude
Enthusiasm can mean the difference in not just getting a job but succeeding in a job and even advancing in your career. A positive and enthusiastic attitude is a critical component of workplace success.
Monday
April 6, 2020
11:30am-1:30pm
Where: TBD (Location near downtown Orlando)
Topic 2: Time management
Time management training on how to set goals, prioritize tasks, and allocate time in direct response to existing daily responsibilities.
Monday
April 20, 2020
11:30am-1:30pm
Where: TBD (Location near downtown Orlando)
(Lunch will be provided)
Topic 3: Professionalism
Professionalism does not mean wearing a suit or carrying a briefcase; rather, it means conducting oneself with responsibility, integrity, accountability, and excellence. It means communicating effectively and appropriately and always finding a way to be productive.
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Floridaβs CEC Division of Career Development and Transition (DCDT)
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iCan! Bike Camp Registration is OPEN!
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It's time to register for
The FOUNDATION's
9th Annual iCan! Bike Camp
Have you dreamed about your son or daughter having the chance to learn to ride a 2-wheel bike? Here's the opportunity you've been hoping for!
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These spaces fill up fast so if you are planning to attend this year, don't miss out. This camp has been one of the most rewarding programs for parents, participants and volunteers as you get to watch someone go through a rite of passage--learning to ride a bike.
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Where:
Orange County Convention Center
9400 Universal Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32719
When:
Sunday, July 19 - Friday, July 24, 2020
The Down Syndrome Foundation of Florida partners with iCan Shine to bring Central Florida much more than just a bike-riding program. The mission of this camp is to teach individuals with Down syndrome and other unique abilities to ride a conventional two wheel bicycle and become lifelong independent riders. This achievement, in turn, creates a gateway of opportunity, helping them gain assurance and self-reliance in many other aspects of their lives. For many people, itβs a seemingly impossible task to master but with this program 80% of the participants usually do it in less than a weekβs time. If your son/daughter is over 8, you don't want to miss this life changing opportunity!
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Save the date!
YogaMix Orlando is a modern twist on yoga. Believing that fitness should be fun, their approach is professional yet playful, accessible in mind, body and spirit and your experience comes with careful curated music!
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Saturday, April 4th
12:00pm - 2:00pm
Yoga and Lunch
YogaMix Orlando 420 E Church St Ste 116, Orlando, FL 32801
One hour yoga class
Walk to get lunch after at:
Great Harvest Bakery & Cafe Orlando, 101 Lake Ave, Orlando, FL 32801
Cost: Yoga is free, just bring money for lunch!
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Neurodevelopmental Program
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For over 60 years, the neurodevelopmental approach to working with learning, mobility, speech, language, processing and attention problems, has been offering hope to parents of children who have received a variety of labels.
This program has helped many children with various learning abilities make advancements in academic gains, sensory issues and behavior modification and other areas through the innovative and personalized programs by Kay Ness.
People trained in the neurodevelopmental approach look at the causes, train the parents to work with their child at home to address the problems, and also accelerate academics to help the child catch up. By addressing root causes of learning and developmental problems, Kay has helped many many families help their loved ones reach levels of achievement that was thought impossible. She is approved by HSLDA as an educational consultant for special needs.
Kay Ness will be in Orlando April 1-3.
For more information about the
neurodevelopmental approach and Kay Ness visit
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Foundation Fathers vs 106.7 Cheapshots
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Date:
Tuesday, April 28th, 2020
Time:
7:00pm
Location:
Bishop Moore Catholic High School
3901 Edgewater Dr, Orlando, FL 32804
Johnny Magic (from 106.7FM) and the Cheapshots Basketball team are ready to take on The Coach's Crew! This is a GREAT event to raise awareness and have a little fun while benefiting The FOUNDATION!
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ο»ΏThe FOUNDATION FATHERS & FRIENDS (dads of children with Down syndrome) are gearing up to take on the radio station in this exciting charity basketball game. There will be lots to cheer for because we'll be rooting for some of the best guys in town --- OUR DADS! Chad Hendricks, a FOUNDATION dad/member/volunteer, has drafted a top notch team who will do their best to show our community that they have what it takes on and off the court!
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No excuses.....this is THE place to be on April 28th! We want to raise the roof as we cheer on our team and spread the word about how when POTENTIAL IS GIVEN OPPORTUNITY THE OUTCOME IS SUCCESS.
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Technology Tip and Tricks
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Digital Tricks to Make Tech Work Better for Your Family
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Here are some tricks to improve what your kids watch, see, play, and do:
- Make YouTube more kid-friendly. YouTube's Restricted Mode hides most age-inappropriate videos and also enables safe search in Google. Just go to YouTube. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen. See the little box that says "Restricted Mode: Off"? Click it on.
- Get serious about passwords. Kids are accumulating more and more passwords for school, services, social sites, and even their devices -- and it's easy to forget, misplace, or share them by accident. But with increasing large-scale data attacks targeting log-in information, it's vital to protect the confidentiality and security of your information. Password managers not only generate passwords and keep them secure, they can help reinforce the importance of safeguarding your private information. A few to try: LastPass, 1Password, and KeePass.
- Help your kid manage screen time. Kids don't necessarily have a built-in off switch. But learning when enough is enough is an essential digital-age skill. Software timers such as Timers4Me and Time Timer count down the minutes you've set, allowing kids to take responsibility for managing their own screen time. They work for other tasks, too, such as practicing piano or getting ready to leave the house in the morning.
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Let's get social!
Follow us on social media for more information
and to stay updated on our upcoming events!
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