Tag Archives: Case Management

Be part of the puzzle at Any Baby Can’s 10th Annual Walk for Autism

By North SA Chamber Editor
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Any Baby Can logoAny Baby Can’s 10th Annual Walk for Autism comes to Fiesta®! This two-mile walk is for the entire family and serves as an opportunity for the community to bring awareness and support to families with individuals of all ages diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. And for the first time, Any Baby Can’s 10th Annual Walk for Autism is an official Fiesta® San Antonio event. Join Any Baby Can at the AT&T Center on Saturday, April 12 at 8 a.m. and walk for a cause.

Any Baby Can Walk for Autism logoThis year marks one decade since the inaugural Walk for Autism. In the beginning, 250 people participated; since then, the walk has grown to include nearly 7,000 people joining the event to show their support, raising $110,000 in 2013. The walk provides a place for people to come together to make San Antonio more aware, thoughtful and knowledgeable about autism and the various resources available to provide support and education to those touched by autism. Whether you are a volunteer, family member, friend or advocate, your registration and participation help to fund Any Baby Can autism services such as counseling, parent training classes, case management, health and wellness, and more. Each year, the walk unites families, friends and individuals personally affected by autism.

“It is a day that we as an autism community can come together and celebrate our loved ones,” says Maribel Reyes-Delagarza, parent of a child with ASD. “When we first came to the walk, my husband and I just stood there, looked around and hugged. I told him ‘We’re not alone,’ and he said, ‘We are among people who know what we go through.’”

In addition to the walk itself, there are a variety of activities for attendees to participate in at the event including a tumble bus provided by Alamo Heights Gymnastics as well as hopscotch, blowing bubbles, chalk drawing, ball throwing and more. Other special areas are Rudy’s Playground—a space where therapists provide adaptive and sensory friendly activities—and the YMCA and local gyms offer fitness activities for individuals of all ages and abilities.

Another special aspect of this year’s Walk for Autism is Fiesta de Los Jefes—the annual Fiesta® event for both the San Antonio Police Department and San Antonio Fire Department. Fiesta de Los Jefes is now part of the Walk for Autism and is a great place for police officers and firefighters to interact with families throughout the event, sharing and educating on items such as Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) and more. By combining these events, Any Baby Can hopes families will become more familiar with the first responders and the services they provide to the community.

Walk Registration
Registration for Any Baby Can’s 10th Annual Walk for Autism is $15 per person through March 31, 2014; registration after this date is $20 per person. For more information or to register, visit www.walkforautismsa.com.

Tower Lighting
Be sure to mark your calendar for the Any Baby Can Tower Lighting on Tuesday, April 1! Tower of the Americas will light up blue for National Autism Awareness Month. The event begins at 7 p.m. with the tower lighting moment taking place at 8 p.m.

About Any Baby Can
For more than 30 years, Any Baby Can has provided many of services to families with children facing serious health or developmental challenges. For more information, visit www.anybabycansa.org or call 210-227-0170. For more information about or to register for Any Baby Can’s 10th Annual Walk for Autism, visit www.walkforautismsa.com.

#CommunitiesInSchools surrounds students with community of support to stay in school, achieve

By North SA Chamber Editor
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PrintYou can imagine how apprehensive children can be about starting a new school year but imagine if the child also has to worry about when they might get to eat their next meal or family problems they may have or even if they will have the proper tools to start the new school year. All of these and much, much more are barriers that can threaten a student’s success in school.

CIS1Communities In Schools of South Central Texas (CIS) surrounds students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. School-based Site Coordinators connect students and their families to critical community resources and remove whatever barriers are keeping them from being successful. CIS is the leading dropout prevention organization and the only proven to both decrease dropout rates and increase graduation rates. The CIS model is affordable, adaptable to local needs, proven effective according to an independent five-year study, and offers a strong return on investment.

The dropout crisis affects all of us; it costs our nation billions of dollars each year on lost revenue and increased spending on government programs. If a student doesn’t graduate, they are 75% more likely of being unemployed, three times more likely to live in poverty and six times more likely to become incarcerated. Every dollar invested in Communities In Schools returns $11.60 to the community.

CIS4Last year Communities In Schools of South Central Texas operated in 21 schools in four schools districts – Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD, Comal ISD, Marion ISD and New Braunfels ISD. They served 2,100 students with intensive, one-on-one support and 17,000 students benefitted from school-wide programming/services. Of the students that received intensive services, 99% in grades 7-12 stayed in school, 95% were promoted to the next grade and 100% of CIS seniors received a high school diploma.

CIS3Not only is CIS empowering students to complete their high school education, they are helping students reach beyond graduation. The Project Success College Career Leadership Program is a multifaceted program designed to remove barriers to college access and increase retention while in college. Students participating in Project Success receive college and career counseling, crisis intervention, field trips to area colleges/universities, assistance with SAT/ACT testing, college applications, financial aid and scholarship assistance.

If you are interested in helping CIS surround students with a community of support, there are many different ways to get involved:

  • Donate-Every dollar has a huge impact on the students CIS serves with intensive ongoing case management services AND for every dollar invested, CIS returns $11.60 to the community!
  • Mentor- In just 30 minutes a week you can build a one-on-one relationship with a student who needs you. Help them build self-esteem and make positive choices, as well as enrich your own life.
  • Shop-The CIS Thrift Store is located at 1024B San Antonio St in New Braunfels and has a boutique section that you won’t want to miss.
  • Volunteer- Volunteer your time at a CIS fundraising event or at the CIS Thrift Store.

To find out more about Communities In Schools of South Central Texas visit Facebook