CONNECTING FOR KIDS OF WESTLAKE OH
P O BOX 45372, WESTLAKE, OH 44145 connectingforkids.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: CONNECTING FOR KIDS (CFK) IS A LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION WITH A MISSION TO PROVIDE EDUCATION AND SUPPORT TO FAMILIES IN CUYAHOGA, LORAIN AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES WHO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR CHILD. WE SERVE ALL FAMILIES, INCLUDING THOSE CHILDREN WITH AND WITHOUT FORMAL DIAGNOSES WHO ARE 12 YEARS AND YOUNGER.

FAMILY PROGRAMMING CONNECTING FOR KIDS STAFF MEMBERS FIELD AN AVERAGE OF EIGHT TO NINE PHONE CALLS, EMAIL AND TEXTS PER DAY FROM FAMILIES ASKING FOR RESOURCES AND HELP. AMID THE PANDEMIC, A RECORD NUMBER OF CONTACTS WERE RECEIVED WITH VOLUMES UP BY MORE THAN 50 PERCENT. DURING THE 2019-2020 PROGRAM YEAR, CONNECTING FOR KIDS RECORDED 2,455 PARTICIPANTS IN ITS PROGRAMS. THE ORGANIZATION HOSTED 134 PROGRAMS, 58 OF WHICH WERE HELD VIRTUALLY DURING THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK. SPEAKER SERIES PROGRAMS FEATURED LOCAL, PEDIATRIC PROFESSIONALS GIVING PRESENTATIONS ON VARIOUS CHILDHOOD TOPICS INCLUDING ENHANCING GROWTH MINDSET TO IMPROVE MOTIVATION AND ACHIEVEMENT, OVERCOMING OCD, HOW TO GET YOUR PRESCHOOLER TO LISTEN, LATE LANGUAGE: WHEN REPEAT AFTER ME DOESN'T WORK, SOLVING CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR, HOW TO MEET THE NEEDS OF TYPICAL SIBLINGS, AND HOW TO APPLY FOR GRANTS FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. COFFEE AND CHAT IS A SUPPORT GROUP FOR FAMILIES FACING SIMILAR STRUGGLES THAT IS FACILITATED BY A LICENSED INDEPENDENT SOCIAL WORKER, TOPICS INCLUDED PARENTING IS LONELY AND WORKING OUT CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR. DURING BOTH SPEAKER SERIES AND COFFEE AND CHAT PROGRAMS, FREE, SUPERVISED CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES ARE AVAILABLE. ELEMENTARY EXPERIENCES ARE HANDS-ON TRAINING PROGRAMS DESIGNED FOR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN (AGES 7-12 YEARS) WHO ARE STRUGGLING. THE TOPICS EXPLORED INCLUDED MATCHING EMOTIONS WITH MUSIC, INCREASE FOCUS AND DECREASE ANXIETY USING BAAM, SOCIAL SKILLS FOR THE HOLIDAYS, ORGANIZATION STATION, FRIENDSHIP 411, AND LESS SCREAMING/MORE TALKING. MUSIC THERAPY & MORE IS A HANDS-ON PROGRAM LED BY A BOARD- CERTIFIED MUSIC THERAPIST. OFFERED MULTIPLE TIMES PER MONTH, IT IS DESIGNED FOR CHILDREN (AGES 0-6 YEARS) WHO ARE STRUGGLING IN AN AREA OF DEVELOPMENT AND TEACHES FAMILIES HOW TO USE MUSIC TO IMPROVE THEIR CHILD'S MOTOR, COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL SKILLS AS WELL AS BEHAVIOR. TEACH ME TO PLAY IS A PLAY-BASED PROGRAM DESIGNED FOR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN (18 MONTHS-6 YEARS) TO PRACTICE COMMUNICATION SKILLS, SOCIAL INTERACTIONS AND WAYS TO ENCOURAGE POSITIVE BEHAVIORS. THIS PROGRAM IS OFFERED AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AND TIMES EACH MONTH TO MAKE IT CONVENIENT FOR FAMILIES ON VARIOUS SCHEDULED TO ATTEND. PLAY & SAY IS AN ADAPTED PLAYGROUP FOR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN (AGES 0-6 YEARS) THAT ALLOWS FOR ADDITIONAL PLAY AND SOCIAL SKILL OPPORTUNITIES. THE PROGRAM WAS HELD IN SOLON IN THE FALL AND MOVED TO LAKEWOOD DURING THE WINTER. CONNECTING FOR KIDS IN-PERSON PROGRAMS WERE HELD IN SIX CITIES INCLUDING ELYRIA, EUCLID, LAKEWOOD, MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS, SOLON AND WESTLAKE. CONNECTING FOR KIDS STAFF MEMBERS ARE PRESENT AT ALL PROGRAMS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND EVEN PROVIDE FOLLOW UP AFTER A PROGRAM TO THOSE THAT NEED ADDITIONAL RESOURCES. BECAUSE OF THE CORONAVIRUS, WE OFFERED A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS VIRTUALLY TO HELP THOSE DEALING WITH ISSUES BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE VIRUS AND SUBSEQUENT SHUTDOWNS. VIRTUAL SPEAKER SERIES TOPICS INCLUDED DISABILITIES AND DISTANCE LEARNING DILEMMAS (WE ALSO OFFERED THIS PROGRAM A SECOND TIME IN SPANISH), TEN TIPS TO HELP YOUR CHILD FOCUS AT HOME, MINDFULNESS BRAIN BREAKS, IMPLEMENTING ABA AT HOME, AND DEFIANT AND DIFFICULT BEHAVIOR AT HOME. VIRTUAL COFFEE AND CHATS TOPICS EXPLORED HOW TO STAY CALM WHEN THE KIDS ARE OUT OF CONTROL, HOW TO SURVIVE WHEN EVERYTHING IS UPSIDE DOWN, MANAGING STRESS, HEALTHY COPING IN AN OVERWHELMING TIME, HOW TO KEEP SURVIVING FOR FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH MODERATE-TO-SEVERE DISABILITIES, ADDRESSING NEEDS AND ADVOCATING IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY, AND SURVIVAL TIPS FOR SPECIAL NEEDS PARENTS. TEACH ME TO PLAY FACILITATORS OFFERED A VIRTUAL EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION SERIES ONLINE CALLED STAYING SANE WITH THE LITTLE ONES AT HOME AND A FOLLOW-UP TO THAT PROGRAM IN THE SUMMER FOR A CHECK-IN WITH THESE FAMILIES. THE POPULAR MUSIC THERAPY & MORE PROGRAM WAS HELD LIVE VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE QUARANTINE AND ALSO OFFERED AS RECORDED VIDEO SO FAMILIES COULD PLAY THESE SESSIONS AT THEIR CONVENIENCE.

AWARENESS PROGRAMS TWO SENSORY CONSULTS WERE HELD DURING THE 2019-2020 PROGRAM YEAR IN ROCKY RIVER AND ELYRIA. DURING THOSE SESSIONS, 23 CHILDREN WERE SCREENED BY A PEDIATRIC OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST FOR SENSORY ISSUES. TO PROMOTE ATTENDANCE AT THESE EVENTS, MORE THAN 2,100 FREE SENSORY AWARENESS KITS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO PRESCHOOLERS (AGES 3 TO 5 YEARS) IN THESE COMMUNITIES. FEATURING OLLIE THE OCTOPUS DOLLS AND SENSORY "RED FLAG" CARDS, THESE KITS HELP IDENTIFY CHILDREN THAT MIGHT BE AT RISK FOR SENSORY ISSUES. FAMILIES WITH CONCERNS AFTER REVIEWING THE KITS ARE INVITED TO REGISTER ONLINE TO ATTEND A SENSORY CONSULT. WE HAD SCHEDULED ADDITIONAL SENSORY CONSULTS FOR SPRING 2020 BUT BECAUSE OF COVID-19 CLOSURES, THOSE WERE CANCELED. CONNECTING FOR KIDS ALSO HANDED OUT 13 WANDERING SAFETY AWARENESS KITS TO HELP CAREGIVERS PROTECT CHILDREN WHO MAY BE PRONE TO WANDERING, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. KITS INCLUDE DOOR/WINDOW ALARMS (2-PACK), WRITE- ON ID BRACELET, FOUR LAMINATED STOP SIGN VISUALS AND A S.T.O.P. (SUPERVISE - TEACH - ORGANIZE - PROTECT) WANDERING QUICK GUIDE.

FAMILY RESOURCES CONNECTING FOR KIDS OFFERS RESOURCES FOR A NUMBER OF CONCERNS INCLUDING ANXIETY, ATTENTION ISSUES, DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS, EPILEPSY AND SENSORY ISSUES. WE ALSO HELP FAMILIES WHOSE CHILDREN ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY MAKING FRIENDS, STRUGGLING ACADEMICALLY OR FACING A MAJOR LIFE CHANGE SUCH AS PARENTS DIVORCING. RESOURCES ARE PROVIDED THROUGH THE CONNECTING FOR KIDS WEBSITE (INCLUDING AN ONLINE SERVICE PROVIDER DIRECTORY), FACEBOOK AND RESOURCE FAIRS. CONNECTING FOR KIDS USUALLY HOLDS TWO RESOURCE FAIRS IN THE SPRING, BUT BOTH WERE CANCELED IN 2020 AS THE VENUES WERE CLOSED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS CONCERNS. INSTEAD, WE OFFERED A VIRTUAL RESOURCE FAIR ON JUNE 3, 2020. THE FAIR, HELD VIA A FACEBOOK GROUP GARNERED 545 PARTICIPANTS THE NIGHT OF THE EVENT BRINGING TOGETHER LOCAL FAMILIES AND PROFESSIONALS. FAMILIES WERE ABLE TO FIND BOTH IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL THERAPIES, PROGRAMS AND SUMMER CAMPS AT A TIME WHEN THEY WERE DESPERATE TO FIND ACTIVITIES FOR THEIR CHILDREN AFTER MONTHS OF QUARANTINE. THE FAIR WAS KEPT OPEN THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER MONTHS TO ALLOW FAMILIES TO SEE UPDATES AS MORE BUSINESS REOPENED. BY THE END OF THE SUMMER, 650 PARTICIPANTS WERE MEMBERS OF THIS FACEBOOK GROUP.

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