Play for Good!

Okay, so I work for a program called Up to 3 Early Intervention. (Most people aren't very familiar with Early Intervention programs, so if you want to know more about that you cand read the last paragraph of this post.) We are part of the Center for People with Disabilities, and they have this really cool thing set up on their website where you can play a game and raise money for the programs that are run by our Center. It's hard sometimes, especially with the economy, to raise money. So they found a way that people can do something that requires no money and still be giving. It's a pretty good idea, I think. What happens is every time someone plays, advertisers and the people that make the games give our program money for hosting them on our website. It's totally legitimate - I promise they are not selling information or anything like that, in fact you don't even need to give any of your information if you don't want, you can just get on there and play. They have these science questions that I find so interesting! Like the fact that a kangaroo is only 1 inch long when it is born?! Who knew? Anyway, they have other games on there too. I'm just kind of a nerd and like to learn interesting little facts like that. (Also interesting to note that a kangaroo doesn't drink. Crazy.) So get on and play to help people with disabilities recieve some great services!

http://cpdplayforgood.org/

Wow, I took a long time to say all of that, sorry. For anyone interested: Early Intervention programs serve kids from birth until 3 with developmental delays or disabilities (everything from severe diagnosed disabilities to minor speech or motor delays). They are federally mandated, so they have them all throughout the country and usually they operate under the State Health Department. They work with families to help get their kids age appropriate skills, or as close to it as possible, so they can set them up to succeed when they get to school and in life in general. Research has also shown that kids can make so much more progress, much faster, when they are younger, than if they wait until they are school-age. So that's what I do. I work with families in their home, with teams of therapists (e.g. physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, behavior specailists, dietician, nurse...you name it) to teach parents how to teach their children and work with their kids everyday to provide them with the skills they need. I help coordinate families' services, provide families with the supports and resources they need, as well as do assesments and family training in their homes with them. It's a great job. I have been really blessed to love my work and the people I work with, both families and co-workers. Just for anyone who wanted to know, that's what I do.