The Special Needs Family Hour Presents: Brian West, Publix Super Markets!

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Brian West, Publix Super Markets

Join us Sunday afternoon on the Special Needs Family Hour at 1:00 pm!
Our guest is Brian West, Media and Community Relations Manager for Publix Super Markets. We will be discussing Publix Super Market’s philosophy of showing no preference when it comes to hiring employees who are differently-abled.  As Brian says,“We look at what a person is able to do, not what they aren’t able to do.”

  • Publix has been hailed as the No. 1 supermarket for customer satisfaction,
  • one of FORTUNE’s “100 Best Companies to Work For,”
  • and as an inspiration for its sustainability efforts and community involvement.
  • It is the largest Employee-owned company in the nation.
  • Publix has never laid off an employee in it’s eighty-nine year history.

Today, Publix Super Markets has over 800 employees who are Special Olympics Athletes in Florida. Each year in January, Publix associates and customers come together to raise awareness and funds for Special Olympics. In 2019, Publix customers and associates contributed more than $4.8 million to the Special Olympics to ensure athletes were able to train and compete free of cost. This brings Publix total donation since 1993 to $51.3 million. 

The relationship with Publix dates back to 1972. The state’s Special Olympic athletes faced skipping the National Games in Los Angeles because they couldn’t afford the flight. Publix founder George Jenkins stepped up and covered the cost of the flight.  

Pictured:  Brian West, Media & Community Relations
                     Manager for Publix Super Markets.

The Special Needs Family Hour Presents: ZooTampa at Lowry Park!

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ZooTampa at Lowry Park

Join us Sunday afternoon on the Special Needs Family Hour at 1:00 pm!  
Our guest is Jennifer McLachian Vice President of Education for ZooTampa at Lowry Park as we discuss their Autism Friendly Initiatives. 

Jennifer oversees the early childhood education center, summer camps, and sleepovers as well as mission driven objectives that include in-park guest engagement. ZooTampa offers Special Needs Assistance, Gluten-Free menu options, service animals are welcome, sign language interpreters are available, and the zoo is an autism friendly attraction.

Autism Friendly

The Zoo has established a partnership with the Center for Autism & Related Disabilities (CARD) at USF to improve their capacity to serve children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders and related disabilities. As a result, the Zoo has been designated an “autism-friendly business.”

The Zoo has visual aids at the front gate (limited availability), which can be borrowed at the guest’s request for assistance. The zoo also provides an Autism-friendly version of the Zoo map and additional sensory friendly materials like sensory friendly tips and social stories about Visiting the Zoo and Animal Encounters.

Autism Friendly Map – plan your adventure ahead of time! Click Here.
Sensory Friendly Tips Click Here.
Visiting ZooTampa at Lowry Park Click Here.
Feedings & Encounters Social Experience Stories Click Here.

ZooTampa’s Visitor Service Staff goes out of their way to ensure that all individuals with disabilities have an opportunity to experience all that is available at ZooTampa. Early childhood education center, summer camps and sleepovers includes those with disabilities.

This is in keeping with ZooTampa’s Mission:  “ ...to create exceptional personalized experiences that connect people with wildlife and each other in fun, immersive ways.”

Pictured:  Jennifer McLachian and Julie Ames, SNFH

The Special Needs Family Hour Presents: The Specially Fit Foundation!

by Posted in Health, Podcasts & Show Resources Tagged , , ,

The Specially Fit Foundation

Join us Sunday afternoon on the Special Needs Family Hour at 1:00 pm!  
Our guest are Marky Oliver, the CEO and Founder of The Specially Fit Foundation, and Specially Fit Athletes Ben Greer and Steven Graham. Their motto is “Changing the community one rep at a time.”

Specially Fit Foundation intends to spread the awareness that anyone can participate in exercise despite perceived limitations. By bringing together individuals such as those with special needs or children living in foster homes to join their team, they hope to make a difference in the community by changing lives through health, fitness and love.

Specially Fit Foundation’s goal is to inspire others to believe in themselves. Through their events and programs, they aim to enhance the lives of their participants by providing them the opportunity to grow their health, fitness and independence. By expanding their programs, they are opening more doors to expanding the possibilities for these individuals.

Specially Fit Foundation offers the following activities:

  • Fitness Classes for Individuals with Disabilities and At Risk Individuals;
  • Group Home/Day Care/Foster Home Fitness Classes;
  • Individual Fitness Programs;
  • Power Lifting Programs; and
  • Various Special Olympics Programs

August 10, 2019 
Valor Fitness – 10351 72nd St N, Seminole, FL 33777

Pictured:  Ben Greer, Marky Oliver, Steven Graham and Julie Ames, SNFH

The Special Needs Family Hour Presents: Arts4All Florida!

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Arts4All Florida

Join us Sunday afternoon on the Special Needs Family Hour at 1:00 pm! Our guests are Arts4All Florida (formally VSA Florida) Staff Members, Jennifer Sabo and Wendy Finklea, and artists, Dani Bowman (with Sandy Vielma) and Janalyn Peppel. We will discuss Arts4All Florida Programs, classes, camps and collaborations.

Pictured:  Jennifer Sabo, Wendy Finklea and Julie Ames, SNFH

Jennifer Sabo is the Executive Director of Arts4All Florida and provides leadership and management to Arts4All Florida’s statewide arts organization, supervising all functions related to administration, fundraising, and programming. 

Wendy Finklea is the Director of Programs for Arts4All Florida, ensuring community-based involvement throughout Florida through management of regional coordinators, the coordination of competitions, and community art programs.   

Dani Bowman is the CCO, Founder, Animator, Illustrator, Graphic Artist at DaniMation Entertainment.  Dani is a public speaker on autism & employment and leads summer animation camps around the country.

Janalyn Peppel is a graphic designer and entrepreneur with a degree from the University of Florida in Mass Communication. She has been fascinated by 3D modeling for over 20 years and uses 3D printing as an art tool to teach all skill levels.

Sandy Vielma is an autism advocate, and a life couch to Dani Bowman. Working closely with Dani on all aspects of life lessons including becoming an adult and helping her maneuver all the complicated aspects of University.

Pictured:  Sandy Vielma, Dani Bowman and Patrick Eidemiller (Sandy’s husband)

The Special Needs Family Hour Presents: Guardianship with Emma Hemness Special Needs Family Lawyer!

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Emma Hemness, Special Needs Family Lawyer

Join us Sunday afternoon on the Special Needs Family Hour at 1:00 pm!
Our guest is Emma Hemness, Special Needs Lawyer will discuss the Guardianship process for your special needs child, 18 years old and older.  

Emma Hemness is a state and nationally recognized Expert in Elder Law. She is one of only 100 board certified elder law attorneys in Florida. She was the 2011 Florida Elder Law Attorney of the Year, Top 50 Women Lawyers in Florida, and Florida Super Lawyer in Elder Law 2008-Present. 

Emma Hemness is dedicated to serving the needs of persons with disabilities and their families as an integral part of her Elder Law practice.  Emma is a member of the Special Needs Alliance (SNA), an invitation-only national organization of special needs trusts attorneys. She has had the pleasure of serving as an ambassador of the SNA to both the Autism Society of America and the National ARC in recent years.  

Emma Hemness is our family attorney for Guardianship, Special Needs Trust, and Estate Planning. She is a trusted advisor. Her law practice is The Elder Law Office of Emma Hemness, P.A.  

Pictured:  Emma Hemness and Julie Ames, SNFH

Back by Popular Demand – Broadcasts for the Financial Welfare of your Special Needs Dependent! We are excited to include two new shows one on guardianship and the other with financial planner Allen Giese, author of the book When Mental Illness Strikes: Crisis Intervention for the Financial Plan.

  • March 31st Financial Planning for the Special Needs Family with Ric Edelman, Founder and Executive Director of Edelman Financial Services.
  • April 7th Social Security Disability benefits and Supplemental Security Income coverage with Liz Montefu, the President and Founder of Montefu Consulting.
  • April 14th Agency for Persons with Disabilities & Family Care Council: Medicaid Waiver & other programs
  • April 21st Allen Giese, financial planner and author of the book When Mental Illness Strikes: Crisis Intervention for the Financial Plan.
  • April 28th Long Term Care, SSI, Trusts, and ABLE Accounts with Emma Hemness, Attorney at Law
  • May 5th Guardianship with Emma Hemness, Attorney at Law

The Special Needs Family Hour Presents: Champions for Children!

by Posted in Parenting, Podcasts & Show Resources Tagged , , ,

Champions for Children

Join us this Sunday afternoon on the Special Needs Family Hour at 1:00 pm!
Our guest is Nikki Daniels, Associate Director of Champions for Children. Champions offers various programs including Classes and Individualized Support, Playgroups & Screenings, Home Visiting Services, Child Abuse & Bullying Prevention. Each year, Champions for Children programs serve nearly 40,000 children and parents.

CFC is committed to serving families with children from birth to 18 years old, with a special focus on the critically important 0-5 year-old range. The families they serve represent the full socioeconomic diversity of the Tampa Bay Area. In order to ensure all families have access to services, CFC is committed to providing all services at no charge or, in very limited circumstances, a low fee.

Hillsborough County consistently ranks as the highest in the state for the most reported and confirmed cases of child abuse and neglect. Children who are abused or neglected are significantly more likely to face impaired socio-emotional development, poor physical health, substance abuse, and an array of emotional and psychological issues. They are also 3 times more likely to continue the cycle of abuse later in life.

Pictured:  Nikki Daniels, Associate Director of Champions for Children,andJulie Ames, SNFH. 

The Special Needs Family Hour Presents: Easterseals Celebrating 100th Anniversary!

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Easterseals 100th Anniversary!

Join us this Sunday afternoon on the Special Needs Family Hour at 1:00 pm!
Our guest is Sue Ventura, President and Chief Executive Officer of  Easterseals Florida—America’s largest nonprofit health care organization helping 1.5 million people annually with comprehensive health and wellness programs. More than 89 cents of every dollar spent by Easterseals supports local services for people with disabilities and special needs.

Mission: spread help, hope, and answers!
Easterseals provides exceptional services, education, outreach, and advocacy so that people living with autism and other disabilities can live, learn, work, and play in our communities.

We discuss their services which include: early intervention, inclusive childcare, medical rehabilitation and autism services for young children and their families; job training and coaching, employment placement and transportation services for adults with disabilities, including veterans; adult day services and employment opportunities for older adults – in addition to a variety of additional services for people of all ages including mental health and recovery programs, assistive technology, camp and recreation, caregiving support including respite – and much more.  

Pictured:  Sue Ventura, President and Chief Executive Officer of Easterseals Florida,andJulie Ames, SNFH. 

The Special Needs Family Hour Presents: Pepin Transitional Job Training Program!!

by Posted in Education, Podcasts & Show Resources Tagged , , , , , ,

Pepin Transitional Job Training Program

This week our show features the Pepin Transitional Job Training Program with Dr. Jeff Skowronek, the Executive Director of the Pepin Academies and Janae Kaptan, the Transition Coordinator of the Pepin Academies, a tuition free public charter school dedicated to students with learning disabilities and learning related disabilities.

The Pepin Transition Program offers vocationally based training in conjunction with life and job readiness classes designed for individuals from age 18 to 22 with identified learning or learning-related disabilities that have deferred receipt of their high school diploma to continue their education beyond the traditional 24 credit diploma. This program is state funded and is provided at no cost to the student. The Pepin Transition Program is committed to providing the opportunity for students to have real-world experiences through pre-vocational training at various job sites, including the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office, Publix Supermarkets, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa Police Department, Well Built Bikes at University Mall, food service at Raymond James Stadium, event set up at TPepin Hospitality Centre, and childcare at Academy Kids.

Pictured:  Dr. Jeff Skowronek, Executive Director – Pepin Academies, Julie Ames, SNFH. and Janae Kaptan, Transition Coordinator – Pepin Academies

Pepin Academies Transition Program is now accepting applications for the 2019-20 academic year! Please contact regarding any questions about deferment of diploma, available services for your students based on their current IEP, and any general questions about the Pepin Academies Transition Program. 

The Special Needs Family Hour Presents: Pepin Academies 20th Anniversary!!

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Pepin Academies 20th Anniversary

Join us this Sunday afternoon on the Special Needs Family Hour at 1:00 pm!

Geri Henry, Principal of Pepin Academies Riverview and Holly Lisle, Director of Development for the Pepin Academies Foundation are our guests.  

Pictured:  Holly Lisle, Pepin Academies Foundation, Julie Ames, SNFH and Geri Henry, Pepin Academies 

At Pepin Academies, the approach is not only all about the child, but the whole child – mind, body and soul. The Pepin Academies are an example of how a well-designed educational program, dedicated and innovative teachers, committed parents and our civic and business communities can work together to provide for the individual needs and opportunity of a child, regardless of the special challenges he/she may face.

Established in 1999, Pepin Academies are 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit, tuition-free, public charter schools that serve students with specific learning and learning related disabilities. They educate students in 3rd through 12th grade, and also offer a transitional, job training program for students 18 to 22-years-old. Pepin Academies are considered ESE Center schools. They feature a nurturing environment that focuses on improving the academic and social success of students. All students have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of extra-curricular activities such as sports, clubs, music, dance, culinary arts, theatre, and much more. The goal is to make sure no child falls through the cracks.

Today, Pepin Academies has grown to serve over 1000 students, with Hillsborough County campuses in Tampa and Riverview and a campus in New Port Richey, which serves the students in Pasco County.

Pepin Academies Locations:  
Tampa Campus | Riverview Campus | Pasco Campus 

PEPIN ACADEMIES GALA

Please join us as we celebrate our 20th Anniversary in 2019!  The Pepin Academies Gala is the Foundation’s largest annual fundraiser to support the students and staff of our schools. Please consider a sponsorship today.
https://secure.qgiv.com/for/pepacafou/event/794846/

The Special Needs Family Hour Presents: Autism Awareness Shop with Founder Jen Band!

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Autism Awareness Shop with Founder Jen Band!

Join us this Sunday on the Special Needs Family Hour at 1:00 pm!
Our guests this week are: Jen Band, President and Founder of the Autism Awareness Shop,  Scott Band, Director of Online Operations; and Ardena Bosley, Community Liaison.

We discusstheir retail operations, vocational training, employment, therapy, support groups and workshops. The Autism Awareness Shop- Thrift Store and More, Vocational Training Center is located at 2908 West Hillsborough Ave. Tampa, Florida, 33614. It is a 501(c)3 (non profit) company using proceeds to provide vocational skills programs to help build employment competencies for our adult “friends” with Autism. They are open to the public and promote autism acceptance.

There are so many ways that YOU can help them fulfill their mission and commitment to the community and our “friends” on the spectrum!

  • Shop at their store!! They have a large selection of new and gently used merchandise including autism awareness jewelry, t-shirts and “other” items, therapy items, “POP” and “other” collectibles, toys, comics…etc…etc… DAILY SPECIALS are announced on social media! Follow them to stay updated on merchandise arriving daily and last-minute deals!
  • Shop online at one of their stores.

Autism Awareness Shop
That Funny Shirt
AAS Amazon Shop
AAS Ebay Shop

  • Merchandise donations (gently used, good condition) help support the vocational training and can be dropped off at 2908 West Hillsborough Ave. Tampa, Florida 33614. For furniture and other large items, you can schedule a pick up by calling 813-879-6770
  • Monetary donations can be made via Paypal at https://www.paypal.me/putautismtowork/ or by check made payable to Autism Awareness Shop and mail to 2908 West Hillsborough Ave. Tampa, Florida 33614
  • Choose them as your fulfillment partner for your business.

What kind of opportunities are offered to “friends” on the spectrum?
Autism Awareness Shop offers a myriad of opportunities for “friends” to help them discover their passion(s). “Friends” are  provided exposure to every aspect of a retail establishment including; customer service, cash handling, organizing and sorting, pricing and staging merchandise, and keeping the store neat and tidy. In addition to that, “friends” also have the opportunity to learn all aspects of order fulfillment through the on-line Autism Awareness Shops at Amazon, eBay and social media.

Future plans include experiences in horticulture/agriculture/nutrition. Plans are underway for two greenhouses behind the building – one for herbs and veggies, the other for plants and flowers. Everything that is planted, grown and harvested will be sold at the shop; ultimately exposing “friends” to entrepreneurial opportunities.

Adult Day Training Program coming this Spring!

Pictured: Ardena Bosley, Community Liaison; Jen Band, Founder; Cody Band, employee; Scott Band, Director of Online Operations; and Julie Ames, SNFH.