April 2022: Autism Acceptance Month Fundraiser!
April 2022: Autism Acceptance Month Fundraiser!
April is commonly associated with Spring and marks the end of blistering winter transitioning to the scorching Summer. At the same time, it is the month to celebrate awareness and acceptance of our brothers and sisters with Autism.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition of variable severity with lifelong effects that can be recognized from early childhood, chiefly characterized by difficulties with social interaction and communication and by restricted or repetitive patterns of thought and behavior (Oxford Dictionaries). Dreamscape Foundation is an organization focusing on accessibility for people with disability.
We know living with a disability can negatively impact one’s chances of success in education and employment. But we believe that we have the power to do something about it and knowing is not enough. While nothing can equip anyone for an unanticipated disability, we can take an action to offer hope. We can take steps to help the disabled community adjust to today’s world in a way that allows them to move forward. We invite you to join us in our fundraising event for the Autism Acceptance Month with our 4 awesome streamers starting this
Meeting the Dream Team!
First on our list of four streamers is Lennic, influenced by one of his best friends who’s also streaming, Lennic started streaming and found that it worked for him within just a few months. He is described by his community as chill and laid back with a focus on gameplay.
Lord, mostly known as Lordsbathwater on Twitch, began streaming around a year ago mainly for his friends who wanted to watch. Eventually, a couple more people started tuning in and he started making new friends to hang out with. His community would describe him as a dumb doodoo who does stupid stuff and laughs at himself.
Another streamer that will be joining this event is “the imfamous test subject but the rest of the world knows me as imfamousx1x. She initially stepped into streaming through a friend by the name of DarkZero_Omega and has been streaming for 5 years since then.
Our Mission
Dreamscape Foundation understands the challenges of millions and many more people across the globe that is affected by disabilities. The struggle is right in front of us, yet too often our eyes miss it. Our Mission is to actively work to ensure that anyone who lives with this struggle is provided with the tools and resources needed to meet their educational, employment, and independent living goals. We share these sentiments with our 4 streamers. When asked how disabilities impacted their life or the lives of people around them? One of our streamers responded with –
“My grandma! She met with an accident when I was a kid and was disabled for the rest of her life. Seeing a loved one going through such tribulations as a kid and growing up, it was disheartening and impacted me a lot in my teenage years.” – Lord
Join the Fun!
In line with this month’s event, we will be sharing half of the gathered donations to My Autism Connection, Inc. A 501(c)(3) organization located in Southwest Florida that offers services to autistic adults between ages 18 and 50. So we invite you to gather and unite to raise $ 2,500 for Dreamscape Foundation’s Autism Acceptance Month Event. Join us (April 8 to April 15) on Twitch and Tilitfy!
If you have anything to give, please consider how much of an impact you can make for someone’s livelihood. Depending on how much you donate, you will be eligible to win a variety of prizes. From redeemable Steam keys, to Dreamscape branded T-Shirts, Magnets & Drawstring Backpacks. If you are unable to lend anything, just know that Sharing The Dream is all that counts!
« PreviousC.A.B.S. Autism: Inspiring Motivation-Led Growth
C.A.B.S. Autism: Inspiring Motivation-Led Growth
The World Health Organization reports an estimated one in every 160 children have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), though that number has the potential to be higher. Currently, the prevalence of ASD in low- and middle-income countries remains unknown.
However, what we do know is that ASD presents itself in a myriad of ways, and that presentation varies tremendously from one individual to another. This diversity – or spectrum – makes every case unique. That’s Why CABS Autism and Behavioral Specialists provide individualized consultations and therapy services, whether it’s from home, at school, in a clinical setting, or even a community environment.
CABS uses Applied Behavioral Analysis, or ABA, in their one-on-one therapy sessions with their clients. In these sessions, they tune into what motivates the individual they’re working with to inspire engagement. By focusing on their client’s interests, they encourage communication and enriching interaction.
“Our approach is very child-led by their motivation,” said CABS’ Outreach and Development Coordinator Wendy Craven. “It’s not what we plan and set to do for the day necessarily. We identify what’s motivating them, and we go with that.”
CABS’ programs serve ASD clients ranging from the age of two to 26. While they create individualized goals catered to each individual, all treatment plans focus on creating a long-term quality of life while fostering a love for learning.
Led by a director who is a Board Certified Behavioral Analyst (BCBA), CABs prides itself on its strong foundation of qualifications and training. Each of their BCBAs possess an average of six years’ experience, and nearly half (43%) of their Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) are pursuing either their Master’s Degree or BCBA certification. That high level of talent is matched by its empathy and compassion.
“I always hear the staff supporting each other, helping each other or sharing ideas,” Craven said. “I hear the kids laughing and having fun. Nine times out of 10, our therapists typically will say the rewarding part of their jobs is who we work with. Seeing them learn and grow.”
CABs has locations and services available in Itasca, Illinois as well as two Georgia cities: Savannah and Rome.
ReAbility and the Necessity for Autism Resources Like CABS
CABs offers significant resources to those within the radius of their Illinois and Georgia locations. However, a medical study published in 2019 revealed sparse and uneven distribution of diagnostic resources for ASD within the U.S. The consequences of this leave many in need of services like CABS on lengthy waitlists or forces them to travel long distances to access the resources they need.
This challenge was brought to Dreamscape Foundation’s attention by Chris Myers, who is a parent of an autistic child. Together with him, we helped to create ReAbility, a search engine for individuals with disabilities that helps identify nearby resources, programs, and events based on their specific needs. While its reach is currently restricted to Tennessee, Dreamscape and Myers both aim to grow the website through partnerships with organizations like CABS in order to expand its usability across the U.S.
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