Aunt Bertha Search Engine Connects People with Social Service Programs

The Aunt Bertha search engine helps individuals and families meet social needs by connecting them with resources and programs in their communities. With a frequently updated database that covers every zip code in the United States, helps those who are seeking services to access them and the social service professionals who support them to find and make referrals to appropriate programs.

The Aunt Bertha search engine allows people to search by zip code, key word or program name for free and reduced cost services in the categories of food, housing, goods, transit, health, money, care, education, work and legal services. People with autism and other disabilities can use Aunt Bertha to search for resources to meet basic needs such as food, shelter, health care, work and financial assistance, or to meet specific disability-related needs for services like autism treatment, speech therapy or special recreation programs.

Families Come First Program Provides Respite Grants for New Hampshire Families

Families Come First, a program of the New Hampshire Catholic Charities Ministry for Persons with Disabilities, provides short term respite grants of up to $250 to help New Hampshire families coping with disabilities pay the cost of camps, personal care assistance, educational services or enrichment programs.

For additional information, contact:

Families Come First
Ministry for Persons with Disabilities
C/O NH Catholic Charities
PO Box 686
215 Myrtle Street
Manchester, NH 03105
(800) 562-5249 ext. 246 or ext. 233

Harry Gregg Foundation Provides Grants to Assist New Hampshire Residents with Disabilities

Harry Gregg Foundation provides grants ranging from $100-$1,000 to New Hampshire residents with physical, intellectual or emotional disabilities and their families. Funds can be used to pay for non-reimbursed medical, therapy, special equipment, environmental modifications, respite services, recreational activities, vocational educational assistance or driver training.

For more information, contact:

Peg Lewis, Grant Administrator
1 Verney Drive
Greenfield, NH 03047
(603) 547-3311 ext. 401

Children’s Charity Fund Provides Grants for Handicapped and Disabled Children

The Children’s Charity Fund, Inc. provides grants to assist handicapped and disabled children with medical equipment and educational expenses. To apply for a grant, families of children with autism and other disabilities should complete an application, submit the requisite supporting documentation and return the completed, notarized application to the Children’s Charity Fund.

If you would like to support the work of the Children’s Charity Fund, you may send them a donation.

Contact information for the Children’s Charity Fund is:

Children’s Charity Fund, Inc.
6623 Superior Ave.
Sarasota, FL 34231
(800) 643-5787
(941) 925-9689
(941) 923-5947 fax
ccf21c@aol.com

Lekotek Makes Play Accessible to Children with Autism and Other Disabilities

Lekotek helps children with autism and other special needs participate in, learn from and enjoy playing. Lekotek has 32 play and learning centers nationwide that make play accessible to children with disabilities through traditional toys, adapted toys, books and computers. Through play, children with special needs learn the skills necessary to build a foundation for literacy, mathematical reasoning and computer use.

Lekotek’s mission is to promote the inclusion of children with special needs into family and community life through the use of interactive play. Lekotek play sessions, lending libraries, Compuplay computer centers and community-specific programs are available to children with special needs and their parents, siblings, extended family members and caregivers.

Lekotek was founded in Sweden in the early 1960’s by two parents of children with disabilities who were seeking ways to help their children during their formative years. Their goal was to develop a program that would both foster their children’s development and facilitate their full inclusion in society. Their efforts resulted in the creation of the first Lekotek facility in Stockholm. Today, Lekotek centers are widespread in Scandinavian countries and are a mandatory component of the social welfare service delivery system in Sweden and Norway.

Each Lekotek site has its own fee schedule, and many sites offer sliding fee scales. For more information, contact your local Lekokek center or call (800) 366-PLAY. Click on the link if you are interested in starting a Lekotek site in your community.

Children’s Disabilities Information

Children’s Disabilities Information has an extensive collection of articles and resources designed to empower parents of children with disabilities and special needs. The site has a number of helpful resources for parents of children who have autism, including articles, book reviews, discussion lists and an annotated list of links to autism resources.

Lenox Baker Special Assistance Fund

Easter Seals/UCP North Carolina provides one-time financial assistance to individuals with disabilities and their families who are residents of North Carolina or South Carolina through the Lenox Baker Special Assistance Fund. The fund provides assistance with the costs of equipment, medication and medical treatment. For further information contact Susan O’Neal at (800) 868-3787 ext. 119.

Special Needs Learning and Therapy Software at 50% Discount

EnableMart offers Laureate Learning Systems software at a 50% discount on the retail price for parents of children who have autism and other special needs. Laureate Learning Systems publishes therapy and learning software for children and adults who have autism, language disorders, cognitive delays, developmental disabilities and other special needs. Parents of children who have autism or other special needs should call (888) 640-1999 to receive a discount when ordering Laureate Learning software from EnableMart.

Disaster Assistance for Indiana Residents with Disabilities

The Arc of Indiana is providing disaster assistance to people with disabilities who have been severely affected by floods and tornadoes this year. You may apply for assistance by contacting a local chapter of The Arc of Indiana, a local agency that provides services to individuals with disabilities, an IMPG case manager, an Area Agency on Aging or a district office of the Bureau of Developmental Disabilities Services.

Contributions can be made to The Arc of Indiana Disaster Relief Fund by mailing a check to:

The Arc of Indiana
Attention: Disaster Relief Fund
107 N. Pennsylvania Street
Suite 300
Indianapolis, IN 46204

Special Needs Network Back to School Inclusion Event

The Special Needs Network, Inc. is hosting its 3rd Annual Back to School Inclusion Event from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 24, 2008, at the Ability First/Harry Mier Center, which is located at 8090 Crenshaw Boulevard in Inglewood, California. The purpose of the inclusion event is to give children who have disabilities an opportunity to interact with their typically developing peers in a social setting.

The event will feature activities for the entire family, including free dental and vision screenings, games, therapeutic music, dance and yoga, singing, sport circles, arts and crafts, sensory activities and a resource fair. There will also be giveaways of school supplies, backpacks and prizes. For more information, email events@specialneedsnetwork.net or call (323) 295-8358.

The Children with Special Needs (CSN) Fund Helps Michigan Families

The Children with Special Needs (CSN) Fund helps Michigan families provide for their children’s special health care needs when no other funding sources are available. The CSN Fund provides funding for expenses such as wheelchair ramps, van lifts and tie downs, air conditioners and electrical service upgrades to support specialized equipment. Click on the link to print an application and instructions.

South Dakota Statewide Family Support Program Helps Families of Children with Developmental Disabilities

The South Dakota Department of Human Services Statewide Family Support Program provides South Dakota families of children who have developmental disabilities with services and supports to help them meet their unique and varied needs. The Statewide Family Support Program assigns a family support coordinator to help each family identify and access services to meet their needs.

The program also provides a flexible pool of funding to assist families with extraordinary expenses, including but not limited to diapers, medications, special foods, recreational opportunities, special clothing, adaptive equipment, home modifications, vehicle modifications, respite care, family counseling, parent/sibling education and medical travel expenses. Clink on the link to obtain an application.

Massachusetts Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund Assists Families of Children with Disabilities and Special Health Care Needs

The Massachusetts Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund (CICRF) reimburses Massachusetts families the cost of medical expenses that are not fully covered by insurance or other resources that exceed 10% of the family’s income (10% of the first $100,000 plus 15% of the additional income for families whose income exceeds $100,000).

CICRF reimburses families for a wide variety of eligible expenses ranging from payments to healthcare providers to travel expenses for out of state treatment. Click on the link to apply for assistance.

Home Options Program Helps Families Affected by Disabilities Become Homeowners

The Home Options Program provides first-time home buyers with up to $12,000 in purchase price assistance to buy a condominium, town house or single family home in Chicago. Families that have a household income of up to 80% of the median for area and that have a family member who has a developmental disability or a mobility impairment are eligible to apply to the program.

The program is administered by Community Service Options, Inc. For more information, contact Dennis Howard or call him at (773) 838-4616

The Christian Fund for the Disabled Helps Meet the Spiritual and Practical Needs of People with Disabilities

The Christian Fund for the Disabled provides grants to help people who have disabilities pay for services, equipment and treatments that are not covered by private insurance or other funding sources. The Christian Fund for the Disabled also provides scholarships to attend Christian colleges or seminaries, funding to attend seminars or conferences with a disability focus, and financial assistance for disabled individuals to obtain education or training to equip them to earn a living. The maximum grants available are $2,500 for U.S. residents and $1,000 for international applicants. Click on the link for an application.

In addition to providing financial assistance to people who have disabilities, the Christian Fund for the Disabled connects disabled people with churches, works to raise disability awareness in churches and communities and trains Christians in disability ministry. The Christian Fund for the Disabled is a program of the Joni and Friends International Disability Center.

Click here if you would like to make a donation to support Joni and Friends.

The Challenged America Foundation Offers Grants to Children with Physical Challenges

The Challenged America Foundation will award grants of up to $500 to purchase products or services to enhance the lives of children who have physical disabilities. Children under age 18 who have physical challenges are eligible to apply for the grants.

Click here if you are interested in volunteering or making a donation to The Challenged America Foundation.

NTI Connects Disabled Americans with Work-at-Home Jobs

The National Telecommuting Institute, Inc. (NTI) is a nonprofit organization that specializes in connecting individuals with disabilities who need or prefer to work from home with home-based employment opportunities. NTI either hires people with disabilities to work on contracts it holds with government and private-sector employers, or matches them with employers who hire teleworkers directly. Click on the link to learn how to apply.