BECAUSE INCLUSION MATTERS

Providing critical early childhood education, innovative pathways to employment, and parent-driven family support services for people with disabilities and other life challenges.

Ability Connection Colorado’s Community Update to COVID-19

Dear ACCO Community,

We hope this update finds everyone well and healthy!

With the Safer at Home guidance we have implemented new health and safety guidelines in accordance with the State to allow some components of our programs to start the process of resuming. The health and safety of our teams, community and those we serve has and will continue to be our top priority.

As some of our team members begin to return, we are excited to announce that our Creative Options for Early Childhood Education program will offer a fun filled 4-week learning experience with a new gardening curriculum with the main focus being social emotional for those families able to return.  We will be opening 7 classrooms between two of our five sites. The program will operate June 1-25, 4 days a week in a half day setting.  We will also continue supporting all of our families remotely.

“My daughter was so happy when I told her that the food she was having for lunch came from her school. Because of you, she had a better day! Thank you!” – Mom to Creative Options Team

Our amazing statewide service teams of Parent to Parent of Colorado (P2P), Faith in Action,  Guardianship Alliance of Colorado (GAC),  EMPOWER Colorado and Infantile Scoliosis Outreach Program (ISOP) continue to meet the needs of families remotely throughout the state.  Even with the restrictions in place, GAC staff are very involved in the daily lives and care of their clients to help them feel connected and ease their anxiety due to being quarantined in their care centers.  P2P staff, who are also parents, have seen a significant increase in conversations in the Online Parent support group, which provides the opportunities for families to connect at any time, day or night to other parents for discussion, advice and emotional support.  ISOP’s focus is reassuring parents whose babies are losing precious time for the lifesaving treatments they require. This is due to restrictions and access to hospitals.

Our Employment Works team has started to return to the office and are continuing their important work reaching out to clients to meet their needs both remotely and from the office. The teams provide support, education and employment; assist people with their unemployment paperwork, help clients complete their new business application and spend countless hours on the phone with youth to connect and reassure them that we are here for them.

“We have been so blessed to have Regis students bringing various donations to support our ACCO community. One student brought some board and card games. I reached out for food assistance for a family that has a 16 year old student participating in RAMP.  We were able to give them food and offered them some of the games. The mom called us to let them know just how grateful the family was to have something to help during these times. The games were a big hit!” – RAMP Coordinator

Admin and Development teams continue to work remotely providing needed grant writing and innovative fundraising efforts.  We are sad to announce, our June 14th Colorado Concours d’Elegance & Exotic Sports Car Show has had to be postponed until further notice. We are working feverishly to come up with some sort of virtual fundraiser to help us make up for the devastating loss of critical funds raised by the event. Every June, Concours raises over $100,000 to help ACCO offer vital services and keep at-risk kids educated, safe, and connected. At this time, we know that we will be faced with a huge loss of funds and are struggling to make that money up.

DID YOU KNOW the New Coronavirus Stimulus Law* will HELP AT-RISK KIDS and YOUR WALLET?

*To encourage Americans to donate money to charity this year, the CARES Act & the New Coronavirus Stimulus Law effectively allows taxpayers to deduct up to $300 in monetary donations on their tax return for 2020. This write-off is available to taxpayers regardless of whether they itemize their deductions or choose to take the standard deduction for 2020.

As our State moves forward in re-opening please remember to take care of yourselves, stay healthy and know we are here for you always. We have an incredible community, with so much ability and concern for each other. Please let us know what you need and if you have any questions and or concerns we want to hear from you.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend and Stay Safe and Stay Connected!

Best Regards,

Kathy Higgins
Chair of the Board

Judith Ham
President & CEO

P.S. Another way to help is to Enter Today for a Chance to Win a Sold-Out All-Electric Mustang Mach-E which benefits our programs and services

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Ability Connection Colorado News