Organizations Filed Purposes:
TO BE THE LEADING VOICE FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS WITH DOWN SYNDROME AND THEIR FAMILIES. WE OFFER HOPE, ENCOURAGEMENT AND ACCEPTANCE THROUGH ADVOCACY, EDUCATION AND AWARENESS AS WE GUIDE INDIVIDUALS WITH DOWN SYNDROME THROUGH LIFES TRANSITIONS. TOGETHER, WE CREATE A CENTRAL FLORIDA COMMUNITY COMPOSED OF AND DEDICATED TO INDIVIDUALS WITH DOWN SYNDROME AND THOSE WHO LOVE THEM SO THAT EACH MAY REALIZE THEIR POTENTIAL.
DSACF SERVED MORE THAN 1,200 INDIVIDUALS WITH DOWN SYNDROME AND THEIR FAMILIES, OFFERING MORE THAN 50 INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS, SUPPORT SERVICES AND WORKSHOPS.
EVENTS, ADVOCACY & FAMILY SUPPORT 1. LOW DOWN ON LAW DAY. TWICE A YEAR DURING LOW DOWN ON LAW, APPROXIMATELY 100 PARENTS AND CARETAKERS LEARN HOW THE LAW WILL AFFECT PEOPLE WITH DOWN SYNDROME AND OTHER DISABILITIES AS THEY TURN 18 AND BECOME AN ADULT. ATTORNEYS, JUDGES, AND EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELDS EDUCATE OUR FAMILIES ON TOPICS SUCH AS GUARDIANSHIP, GUARDIAN ADVOCACY, AND SUPPORTED DECISION MAKING AS WELL AS PROGRAMS LIKE ABLE UNITED AND FLORIDA MEDICAID WAIVER. 2. STEP UP FOR DOWN SYNDROME BUDDY WALK. THIS FAMILY FUN FESTIVAL CELEBRATES INDIVIDUALS WITH DOWN SYNDROME. IT INCLUDES A 1-MILE FUN WALK, BOUNCE HOUSES, CARNIVAL STYLE RIDES, GAMES, FACE PAINTING, LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND DANCING, FOOD, A RESOURCE TENT, AND LOTS OF FUN MORE THAN 5,000 FAMILIES, FRIENDS, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS ATTENDED THIS EVENT THAT PROVIDES COMMUNITY AWARENESS, FAMILY RESOURCES, AND ENTERTAINMENT FOR ALL. 3. SIGNING TIME. IN JANUARY 2019, THE DSACF BROUGHT 730 PEOPLE TOGETHER TO ENJOY SIGNING TIME LIVE. THROUGH ORIGINAL SONGS, MUSIC, CAPTIVATING VIDEO CLIPS, AND CLEVER ANIMATION, THE SHOW TEACHES BABIES HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHERS USING AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE BEFORE THEY ARE ABLE TO TALK, CONSIDERABLY REDUCING TANTRUMS AND FRUSTRATIONS OF YOUNG CHILDREN. CHILDREN LEARN THROUGH SONG, REPETITION, AND CLEVER SEQUENCES THE WORDS AND SIGNS ESSENTIAL FOR PRESCHOOLERS. 4. FAMILY FUN DAYS AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS, SEAWORLD, AND LEGOLAND. DSACF FACILITATES A DAY OF FUN AT A CENTRAL FLORIDA THEME PARKS FOR CHILDREN WITH DOWN SYNDROME AND THEIR FAMILIES. FAMILIES ENJOYED RIDES, CHARACTERS, SPECIAL MEET AND GREETS, AND VIP TOURS THROUGHOUT THE DAY AT ONE OF THESE LOCATIONS. 5. SCHOLARSHIPS AND EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE. FUNDED THROUGH VISIT ORLANDO'S MAGICAL DINING GRANT, FAMILIES RECEIVED UP TO 1,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THERAPY, EMERGENCY NEEDS, AND MEDICAL EXPENSES NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE.
NEW PARENTS & INFANTS / YOUNG CHILDREN 1. NEW PARENT PACKAGES. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THE DSACF OFFERS INFORMATION, RESOURCES AND GIFTS TO NEW PARENTS WHILE AT THE HOSPITAL OR THEIR HOME SOON AFTER THE BIRTH OF THEIR CHILD WITH DOWN SYNDROME. VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF ANSWER QUESTIONS, OFFER ENCOURAGEMENT, AND WELCOME THEM INTO THE DSACF FAMILY. 2. NEW FAMILY CELEBRATIONS. THIS PROGRAM CONNECTS NEW PARENTS WITH PARENTS WHO HAVE WALKED THEIR PATH, HELPS DISTINGUISH BETWEEN MYTHS AND FACTS, AND INTRODUCES THEM TO A TEENAGER OR YOUNG ADULT WITH DOWN SYNDROME WHO IS ABLE TO SHARE HIS/HER EXPERIENCES AND DREAMS FOR THE FUTURE. 3. THERAPIES AND WORKSHOPS. MUSIC THERAPY AND BABY BASICS OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY HELPED MORE THAN 100 CHILDREN WITH DOWN SYNDROME LEARN HOW TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES AND IMPROVE THEIR FINE AND GROSS MOTOR SKILLS. WORKSHOPS FROM POTTY TRAINING TO TEACHING CHILDREN TO READ WERE HELD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. 4. PRE-SCHOOL READINESS CAMP. THIS 12-DAY PROGRAM IS OFFERED IN JULY IN COLLABORATION WITH THE ROLLINS COLLEGE CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER. IT HELPS CHILDREN AGES 3 TO 5 WITH DOWN SYNDROME START LEARNING DAILY ROUTINES AND HOW TO BEHAVE IN A CLASSROOM SCENARIO. THEY ALSO LEARN SOCIAL SKILLS TO HELP DEVELOP FRIENDSHIPS AND BUILD COMMUNICATION SKILLS.
CHILDREN / TEENS / ADULTS 1.ENTREPRENEUR ACADEMY. THIS 9-MONTH PROGRAM TRANSFORMS TEENS AND ADULTS WITH DOWN SYNDROME INTO BUSINESS OWNERS THROUGH A 6-WEEK ENTREPRENEURSHIP BOOT CAMP FOLLOWED BY MONTHLY BUSINESS PRESENTATIONS, MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES WITH TOP BUSINESS LEADERS, MINI-GRANTS, AND MORE. THE SECOND COHORT HELPED 10 SELF-ADVOCATES LAUNCH THEIR BUSINESSES WHICH WERE PRESENTED AT A CULMINATING EVENT. 2.TEEN SOCIAL SKILLS SERIES. START WITH HELLO IS A SIX-WEEK PROGRAM OFFERED FOUR TIMES A YEAR. TEENS MEET AS A GROUP WITH A LICENSED COUNSELOR TO LEARN AND PRACTICE COMMUNICATION SKILLS, APPROPRIATE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS, BOUNDARIES, AND OTHER SOCIAL SKILLS THAT HELP THEM BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, SUCCEED IN SCHOOL, AND PREPARE FOR FUTURE EMPLOYMENT. 3.BUDDY UP TENNIS. TEN FITNESS AND WELLNESS SESSIONS OFFERED AT TWO LOCATIONS TWICE A YEAR TEACH PARTICIPANTS THE GAME OF TENNIS WHILE THEY MAKE FRIENDS AND LEARN LIFE SKILLS. COACHES GIVE TENNIS SKILLS TRAINING AND BUDDY VOLUNTEERS ARE MATCHED WITH SELF-ADVOCATE ATHLETES TO HELP AS NEEDED.
Executives Listed on Filing
Total Salary includes financial earnings, benefits, and all related organization earnings listed on tax filing
| Name | Title | Hours Per Week | Total Salary |
|---|
| Janet Caramello Ed Through 1719 | EXECUTIVE DI | 40 | $89,150 |
| Amy Drow | INTERIM EXEC | 40 | $0 |
| Part Vii Is 2018 Calendar Year Comp | (2018 FORMS | 0 | $0 |
| Cory Aspelieter | DIRECTOR | 5 | $0 |
| Ryan Rapolti | DIRECTOR | 5 | $0 |
| Erin Hagood | DIRECTOR | 5 | $0 |
| Diane Levine | DIRECTOR | 5 | $0 |
| Ben Johnson-Markve | DIRECTOR | 5 | $0 |
| Catherine Davey | DIRECTOR | 10 | $0 |
| Allison Salamone | SECRETARY | 10 | $0 |
| Sean Dimercurio Cpa | TREASURER | 10 | $0 |
| Janet Benge | FORMER CHAIR | 10 | $0 |
| Byron Lawson | CHAIR | 10 | $0 |
Data for this page was sourced from XML published by IRS (
public 990 form dataset) from:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/irs-form-990/202041479349300879_public.xml