Thank you to the Helen Thom Roemer Fund for their $2,500 grant in support of SOAR Fox Cities’ Youth Program!
SOAR works towards inclusion, and that starts with our Youth. Our programs for elementary, middle, and high school students with and without disabilities teach kids how to work together and see others for their abilities, rather than disabilities. We also teach social and life skills, enhance problem-solving capacities, and provide opportunities for our participants to build relationships with their peers. We would like to extend our sincerest thanks to the Helen Thom Roemer Fund for their support and dedication to creating school and communities where all members feel celebrated, included, and welcomed!
Thank you to US Bank for their $2,000 grant in support of SOAR Fox Cities’ Youth Programs!
SOAR Fox Cities Youth Programs engage youth with and without disabilities in problem-solving, team-building activities that teach skills, build relationships, and foster values of acceptance and inclusion. These program includes Kidz Klub and Teen Stop, after school programs for elementary and middle school youth respectively, in-school Activity Days, Teens and Transitioning youth, an out of school program providing activities for high school youth, and a summer day camp for youth ages 6-16, K.I.T.E. Kamp. Together with US Bank we provide spaces where children of all abilities can feel valued, make friends, learn new things, and grow in self-confidence. Thank you for your support!
When the clock counted down on New Years, no one could have anticipated what this year would bring. We have all been presented with challenges and isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With that being said, these challenges created opportunities for SOAR to be creative and adapt the way we offer programs to continue supporting our participants, regardless of the circumstances.
Our Executive Director, Erin Schultz said, “When our office first closed in March because of the pandemic we heard from many participants and their families – with many of their other services being stopped or severely restricted, isolation and loneliness were setting in. They needed connection, but above all, they needed hope and it was in that moment we knew we needed to find a way to relaunch our programs.”
Cassidy is one of the many SOAR participants who experienced this. When the pandemic started, Cassidy temporarily lost her job and her usual community activities were unavailable. The virtual sessions and adapted programs that SOAR quickly launched allowed her to safely engage with SOAR friends and staff. Some of her favorite adapted activities were SOAR’s Virtual 5K, Disney Trivia on Facebook Live, Baking Class Zoom and Parking Lot Bingo. Cassidy will tell you, “SOAR’s virtual activities are different, but a lot of fun!”
People with differing abilities need social connections, support, and hope now more than ever. Will you take this opportunity to help by donating to SOAR Fox Cities’ Annual Appeal?
We are so grateful to all of the teams, sponsors, donors, and supporters who made our first-ever Amazing Fund-Racer such a success! It was a beautiful day for some socially-distanced fun, and we were so impressed by the creativity and enthusiasm that teams showed in their scavenger hunt submissions! This fast-paced, socially-distant, city-wide event raised over $5,000 for SOAR Programs that empower youth and adults with disabilities! Thanks to the following event sponsors for their support: Meijer, Menasha, Innovative Services, Inc., Green Stem LLC, Schroeder Moving Systems, Inc., College Connectors, Relish and Roots, Sabre Lanes, and Liberty Hall! We cannot wait to host this event again next fall- hope to see you there!
Thank you to the Women’s Fund for the Fox Valley Region for their generous $10,000 grant in support of SOAR Fox Cities’ Health Education and Violence Prevention of Women with Disabilities Series!
Violence against women with disabilities is a hidden epidemic, and our community unfortunately is not immune. We at SOAR are working hard to end this unacceptable reality with a twofold program empowering both women with disabilities and the wider community with education, resources, and support.
The first facet of this program is a Women’s Education series for teenage and adult women with disabilities that help them become better self-advocates as they grow to understand their rights and recognize signs of abuse. In addition to educating women with disabilities on how to protect and advocate for themselves, we offer Community Education presentations both for the community at large and for specific groups most likely to interact with survivors. These presentations bring awareness to the increased vulnerability of women with disabilities to violence, abuse, and assault, improve the response to women with disabilities who report, and help create allies in the community that can recognize signs of abuse.
We are so grateful for the continued support of the Women’s Fund for the Fox Valley Region for this program and women with disabilities in our community. Together we are creating change and ending violence against women with disabilities!
Thank you to the NxG Fund within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region for their $1,000 grant in support of SOAR Fox Cities’ Youth Program!
SOAR Fox Cities Youth Program includes Kidz Klub and Teen Stop; after school programs for elementary and middle schoolers, Teens and Transitioning Youth; a program for high schoolers, KITE Kamp; a summer day camp for youth ages 6-16, and in-School Activity Days; events brought to students in the classroom. Programs provide fun team-building and problem-solving activities to help youth with and without disabilities develop life skills, make friends, and teach the values of inclusion, understanding, and acceptance. Together with the NxG Fund within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region we continue providing youth of all abilities opportunities to build relationships, try new things, increase their confidence levels, and have fun, even amidst a pandemic. We are so grateful for their support!
