Two local organizations make collaborative effort 12/1/2008 11:49 PM
By ROB NOVIT Senior writer
Family Connection's Aiken Area office, the advocacy agency for parents with special needs children, and the Area 15 Special Olympics organization are planning collaborative efforts for fundraising and program support, their directors said Monday.
At a time when nonprofit organizations are impacted by the current economic crisis, a partnership makes sense, said Family Connection Director Emily Green and Special Olympics' Bill Boyce, a longtime volunteer who coordinates programs in Aiken, Edgefield and Saluda counties.
"Both agencies want to support people with special needs," Green said. "I do it for the families, and Bill does it with the people with disabilities, to put expectations to them. Society doesn't always give us expectations for those with special needs but takes them away."
Both bring personal stories to their work. Boyce's son, Paul, 31, is a person with special needs. Boyce got involved with the Special Olympics spring games in 1980 and has helped add other athletic opportunities since then.
"Today is a whole different world," Boyce said. "When Paul was born in 1977, the general consensus at that time was that he should be put away (in an institution). But that was never going to happen. Paul lives at home, and he will always live at home."
After graduating from USC Aiken, Green went to work for the Aiken County Board of Disabilities as a service coordinator about seven years ago. She soon met Boyce at the Special Olympics and later joined a committee to help plan the spring games each year.
More than three years ago, Green and her friend, Jenni Beak, found they were pregnant at the same time. Later Beak learned that the son she was expecting would have Down Syndrome.
"It became a personal time when you think about your life and how things mold you," Green said. "I have become part of her family, and our babies are growing up together. We have helped each other through this time."
In 2007, Green attended a Buddy Walk in Anderson for children with autism and their families. That contributed to her decision to accept the position with Family Connection.
Green wanted to host a Buddy Walk in Aiken and did so in October. She hoped a few people would participate, but hundreds turned out for the event to help create awareness about autism and how it impacts families.
Family Connection has several programs to help parents, including networks of parent-to-parent support. The Special Olympics offers teams in swimming, bowling, softball and basketball. The programs offer an inclusion component, bringing together people with special needs with other adult peer mentors. Although most of the programs currently involve adults, Boyce hopes to increase participation for young people ages 8 to 21.
Both organizations are dependent on contributions and fundraising. Family Connection needs funds to operate its small office. Special Olympics also requires financial support for its activities; providing T-shirts for Special Olympics alone costs about $6,000, Boyce said.
The agencies, in effect, are announcing their engagement, Green said with a smile. By August, they hope to host a fundraising event and more formally declare the collaboration.
"Nonprofits have to work together or we'll all go under," said Green. "We simply want to enhance families and people with special needs and raise awareness of what we're both doing."
Contact Rob Novit at rnovit@aikenstandard.com.
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