Make a Difference, Change a Life

Date posted: May 11, 2015

We’d like you to meet Jack and consider supporting the programs that are changing his future.

Meet Jack

Jack is 15 and has autism and cerebral palsy. Last summer, he was a first-time camper at Stepping Stones’ day camp for children and teens with disabilities. 

It was not a happy beginning. During his pre-camp visit, Jack lashed out one moment and belligerently refused to move the next. However, where most camps would have turned him away, Stepping Stones saw beyond the challenge. 

At camp, Jack was paired with a one-on-one aide with patience, understanding and training to help Jack adjust to his surroundings. Together, Jack and his aide learned to cope with sensory storms that triggered challenging behaviors. The difference was clear: when with his aide, Jack was not destructive or aggressive. 

By the end of summer, Jack’s camp success translated to fewer challenging behaviors at home. Jack’s father marveled as he watched his son leap from the car and reach for his aide’s hand each morning. 

“He has friends here,” his father remarked. “He’s never had friends before.”

When summer came to a close, Jack enrolled in Stepping Stones’ school-year Sensory Needs Respite program, offering weekend overnight respites to teens with autism and challenging behaviors. In this program, Jack continued to thrive. 

Through Stepping Stones’ help, Jack’s social skills and self-calming strategies have dramatically improved. Today, he and his family are now facing a brighter future. 

Be A Part of That Success

This summer, 450 children with a variety of disabilities will attend summer day camp at Stepping Stones. Day camp is just one of many programs that create pathways to independence for more than 1,000 children and adults with disabilities each year. 

Make a Donation

Make a donation to help someone like Jack attend the programs he needs. Your donation can buy two days of camp ($94), a week of camp ($240), a weekend respite ($325), or a week of adult programming ($400). Donations of any amount assure vital services for more children, teens and adults with disabilities.

To get more information about how you can help Stepping Stones carry out its mission, contact us online or call 513-965-5109.