The Philadelphia Autism Project is excited to announce the 2018 – 2019 seed award recipients! Please see below for group descriptions and feel free to contact recipients directly to get involved!
2018 – 2019 Philadelphia Autism Project Seed Award Funding
AWARD RECIPIENTS
SPECIAL ED ART
Special ED Art will use funding to host art workshops for individuals on the spectrum.
The workshops will culminate into a final gallery show or book of work to display art from the program.
Contact: Edwin Perez Email: edwin.perez@cades.org Phone: 703.967.7743
AUTISM R.E.C.
Autism R.E.C. will use funding towards hosting meet and greets and facilitating activities for individuals on the spectrum and their family members. They welcome all ages to join in on the fun!
Contact: Jamila Tucker Email: Jamila@autismrec.com Phone: 215.200.0405
FUEL: GERMANTOWN
Fuel: Germantown will use funding to support life skill classes at their program. They aim to support elementary age students, grades 1st through 5th, through these classes.
Contact: Alena Beeman Email: abeeman@recatonement.org Phone: 267.793.0320
COLORS ON THE SPECTRUM
Colors on the Spectrum will use funding towards their focus groups, support groups and creation of parent engagement programming. They raise awareness in the following areas: Misdiagnosed, late diagnosed, or undiagnosed children between 6-12 months and older.
Contact: Winston Bailey Email: bailey@colorsonspectrum.com Phone: 267.343.2538
P.O.E. – PARENTS ORGANIZED ON EDUCATION
P.O.E. will use funding towards supporting their group in practicing life skills through baking and other activities. They are targeting adults on the spectrum, ages 21 and older.
Contact: Sharon Duckett Email: sharonlynn949@gmail.com Phone: 215.298.2796
FAMILY ADVOCACY AND OUTREACH COMMITTEE
The Family Advocacy and Outreach Committee will use funding towards creating and sustaining a support and advocacy group. The group will be targeted towards parents at the Green Tree School as well as the Philadelphia community at large.
Contact: Donna Mazzella Email: dmazzella@gts-s.org Phone: 215.290.9094
FOLKFUTURISM PHILADELPHIA
Folkfuturism Philadelphia will use funding towards the creation and display of public art, signage, and autism acceptance events used in civil rights and visibility campaigns throughout history. They hope to create a community in which individuals on the spectrum advocate for their own rights, through their own aesthetic. They encourage participation, regardless of artistic experience, from anyone who would like to learn to make backpack puppets, sew banners, make signs, or has additional ideas for the program.
Contact: Amber Dorko Stopper Email: folkfuturism@gmail.com Phone: 215.906.6697
CHIT CHAT: EXPLORING PHILLY’S OUTDOORS & FOODS
Chit Chat: Exploring Philly’s Outdoors & Foods will use funding towards a social group for young adults on the spectrum. The structure of the group will include monthly meetings on a weeknight lasting two hours and located in different places across the city of Philadelphia.
Contact: Nuriya Neumann Email: nuri923@gmail.com Phone: 408.512.0547
ART REACH
Art Reach will use funding towards improving and expanding the cool-down space they offer as a part of their collaborations with many art institutions. They strive to meet the needs of people on the spectrum or with other cognitive disabilities.
Contact: Lauren Garnese Email: lgarnese@art-reach.org Phone: 267.515.6723
GEORGE WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP
George Washington High School will use funding towards establishing and sustaining a family support group. The group will meet bimonthly at the school and aim to engage with parents and families of over 63 students.
Contact: Jayne McGinley Email: jmcginley@philasd.orgPhone: 215.400.3100
THE ARC OF PHILADELPHIA
The Arc of Philadelphia will use funding towards creating a training curriculum that educates businesses on how to support customers with autism. They will also facilitate a monthly parent group to get feedback and suggestions on their initiatives.
Contact: Joseph Mancini Email: jmancini@arcphiladelphia.org Phone: 215.229.4550
VERGE OF INDEPENDENCE PROJECT
The Verge of Independence Project will use funding towards creating workshops on a variety of topics for young adults on the spectrum at the Community College of Philadelphia. Some topics include: social integration, public speaking, advocacy, and financial literacy.
Contact: Eva Blackwell Email: viproject2030@gmail.com Phone: 833.847.2030
THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY AUTISM INTEREST GROUP
Thomas Jefferson University Department of Occupational Therapy/Autism Interest Club will use funding towards creating a Groothie Pop-up Tent event to provide an opportunity for young adults on the spectrum to gain job skills. They envision occupational therapy, special education, and psychology students planning future events aimed at serving the young adult autism community in Philadelphia.
Contact: Margaret Ryan Email: margaret.ryan@jefferson.edu Phone: 517.320.1381
THE CENTER FOR AUTISM – CFA CONNECT
Center for Autism’s CFA Connect will use funding to support a Trunk-or-Treat event in the fall. CFA Connect is a family- focused initiative that runs several events throughout the year for families at no cost.
Contact: Lauren Comiskey Email: lcomiskey@thecenterforautism.org Phone: 484.567.3309
AWBURY ARBORETUM
Awbury Arboretum will use funding towards building and implementing a program that combines life skills and academic instruction with direct hands-on interaction with goats for individuals on the spectrum. They will pilot this program with elementary school students from Roosevelt Elementary School.
Contact: Nancy Pasquier Email: npasquier@awbury.org Phone: 484.343.2589
TAAHIR VILLAGE
Taahir Village will use funding towards creating a support group and enagaging with the autism community through events. The support group is targeted towards families and individuals on the spectrum.
Contact: Thomasina Lee Email: differentexpectationschildcare@gmail.com Phone: 215.430.0198
MULTI-CULTURAL LEARNING CENTER
The Multi-Cultural Learning Center will use funding towards implementing a weekly social skills group to teach pro-social skills and interactive play. They will hold two social groups per week targeting children on the spectrum, ages 7 to 15.
Contact: Calicia Bryan Email: sake4123@aol.com Phone: 267.344.6996
MIGHTY WRITERS
Mighty Writers will use funding towards the creation of autism support kits and training new staff and volunteers in the proper use and care of these kits. They engage with children ages 7 through 17 and hold programs which teach kids to think clearly and write with clarity.
Contact: Lisa Gall Email: lgall@mightywriters.org Phone: 267.239.0899
LET’S GO OUTDOORS
Let’s Go Outdoors will use funding to support a monthly ASD meet-up and outdoor social activity as well as a collaborative program in conjunction with PMHC’s Autism Program. Each program is geared toward children, ages 12-16.
Contact: Keisha Scovens Email: keisha@letsgooutdoors.net Phone: 866.878.3595
PENNSYLVANIA SIBLING SUPPORT NETWORK
The Pennsylvania Sibling Support Network will use funding towards expanding their support and self-advocacy group as well as to support annual events. They encourage anyone in the autism community to attend their annual special events and monthly group!
Contact: Andrea Powell Email: elynn627@yahoo.com Phone: 215.844.6031
PROMOTING EDUCATION ENHANCING ATHLETICS
Promoting Education Enhancing Athletics will use funding towards implementing sport centric activities and a support group for individuals with autism and their families. Sessions include a family led discussion or activity surrounding an identified theme.
Contact: Eric Williams Email: elijah@peea.org Phone: 267.258.8687
TEMPLE UNIVERSITY – SOCIAL XCHANGES GROUP
Temple University’s Social Xchanges Group will use funding towards growing the support and recreational group for individuals on the spectrum at Temple. The group is open to any temple students (undergraduate & graduate) that have a diagnosis or can be diagnosed on the autism spectrum.
Contact: Michael Hanowitz Email: hanowitz@gmail.com Phone: 215.588.5629
YOU, YOU, YOU
You, You, You will use their funding towards expanding their self-advocacy group. Ages 18 and older are welcome to join, share their experiences, and meet new people.
Contact: Bill Krebs Email: williamkrebs@libertyresources.org Phone: 267.257.0109
COALITION OF AFRICAN COMMUNITIES (AFRICOM)
The Coalition of African Communities will use funding towards production of short animation videos in African and Caribbean languages to help increase knowledge about autism in these populations. The videos will be distributed through social media and aim to empower families as well as increase knowledge of resources available to this population.
Contact: Eric Edi Email: eedi@africom-philly.org Phone: 267.787.1302
GIFT 2 GAB
Gift 2 Gab will use funding towards creating additional trainings and expanding their support group. They engage with people on the spectrum of all ages and encourage individuals and families to attend their events/group.
Contact: Joan Nelson Email: jtn213@gmail.com Phone: 267.254.9989
BUTTERFLIES AND BOWTIES
Butterflies and Bowties will use funding towards implementing their arts and craft workshops. The goal is to provide access to art to those who may be under-exposed to it.
Contact: Crystal El Email: crystl_el@yahoo.com Phone: 215.342.4212
PENN MUSEUM
The Penn Museum will use funding to implement interactive workshops, with many opportunities for hands-on engagement. Their program is targeted towards teens and young adults on the spectrum.
Contact: Ellen Owens Email: owensel@upenn.edu Phone: 215.898.4066
PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART
The Philadelphia Museum of Art will use funding towards expanding their sensory friendly app through adding social guides, games, and additional resources for the autism community. Additionally, they intermittently offer sensory friendly mornings targeted at children 12 and under.
Contact: Damon Reaves Email: damon.reaves@philamuseum.org Phone: 215.684.7596
CHILD GUIDANCE RESOURCE CENTERS
Child Guidance Resource Centers (CGRC) will use funding toward supporting engagement of individuals on the spectrum and their families at the Philadelphia Soul Inclusion Welcome Festival preceding their game on June 29, 2019 at the Wells Fargo Center. CGRC’s partnership with the Philadelphia Soul will enable children to meet Soul team members as they enter the field for the game and to watch from the sidelines to experience the game from the players’ perspective.
Contact: Aimee Salas Email: asalas@cgrc.org Phone: 484.454.8719
Questions? If you have any questions concerning your report or would like a paper copy, please contact (215) 571-3209, (215) 571-3152 or phillyap@drexel.edu