For three months now, The FOUNDATION has switched gears and converted our programming into virtual community gatherings. While Florida is beginning to open, we will be continuing online services through June. Below you'll find several opportunities for you and your loved ones to learn, grow, play, laugh, dance, and bond!
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We recognize that there may be other things you need to get through this time. If there is anything else we can do to support you, please don't hesitate to reach out. We're here for you.
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Covid - Emergency Family Fund
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On May 5th, we put out a call for support to a relief fund for families who need financial assistance due to Covid-19. Our community blew us away! In less than 24 hours we reached our goal for this fund and our board matched it. We are proud to be a part of this tight-knit and generous community. If your family is in need of assistance, please apply below.
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June
- Wednesday, June 10 - Member Orientation
- Thursday, June 18 - Parent Informational Meeting
- Mondays - Lunch and Learns (1:45pm)
- Mondays - Virtual Mom's Night In (9:00pm)
- Tuesdays - Virtual Zumba with Elyse (4:00pm - 5:00pm)
- Wednesdays - Virtual Club 321 (4:00pm-5:00pm)
- Thursdays - Virtual Playdates (10:15am-11:00am)
- Thursdays - Virtual T21 Social Network (18+) (4:00pm-5:00pm)
- Fridays - F^3: Fantastic Foundation Friends (4:00pm)
July
- July 19 -24 - iCan! Bike Camp
Don't want to miss out on our events?
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It's time to register for The FOUNDATION's 9th Annual iCan! Bike Camp!
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Have you dreamed about your son or daughter having the chance to learn to ride a 2-wheel bike?
Here's the opportunity you've been hoping for!
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These spaces fill up fast so if you are planning to attend this year, don't miss out. This camp has been one of the most rewarding programs for parents, participants and volunteers as you get to watch someone go through a rite of passage--learning to ride a bike.
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Where
:
Orange County Convention Center
9400 Universal Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32719
When
:
Sunday, July 19 - Friday, July 24, 2020
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What's new this year?
• Before each camp session, handlebars, hand grips, brake levers, training handle grips and seats of bikes will be cleaned using disinfectant wipes/spray.
• Before each camp session, all staff will wash their hands.
• Before each camp session, campers and volunteers will wash their hands (parents and caregivers will be strongly encouraged to do so as well).
• Hand sanitizers will be provided at the camp check-in desk
And many other safety procedures will be implemented.
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We need lots of helping hands to make this camp a success. We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to walk/jog alongside our riders for 75 minutes per day (July 19-24) at the Orange County Convention Center. We will be taking all necessary precautions to keep our riders and volunteers safe during this event.
It's best if each person can volunteer the same session every day of the week so the participants can get to know and trust you. The reward of volunteering each day is to see 'YOUR rider' make progress and eventually ride on their own - what a sense of accomplishment that is for a TEAM! We would love your help with sharing this opportunity with others - check out the flyer below!
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iCan! Work - Virtual Lunch & Learn
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Want to join our team?
We had hoped to hire additional employees over the summer for this program, however, with COVID-19 and the switch to our new on-line platform, we have put the hiring process on hold until we have a better understanding of what the on the job work locations will require. Although we are not proceeding as planned, we would still like to open an awesome opportunity up to a few qualified candidates who are 18 years of age or older, have completed high school and are not currently employed.
We've converted our weekly iCan! Work Lunch & Learn’s to Zoom meetings in order to provide opportunities for our staff to connect, learn, and grow. We are now accepting applications to join this program.
Lunch and Learn topics include:
- June 8 - Johnny the Bagger - meeting and exceeding customer satisfaction.
- June 15- Zoom Meetings: etiquette and best practices.
- June 22- Learning from others - reading about the success of others.
- June 29 - Skill practicing - getting 1% better at your goal.
Click on the button below to start your application.
Our orientation meeting is on
Monday, June 8th from 10:00am-11:00am.
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Deadline to apply is Friday, June 5th
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*All applicants must be able to commit to virtually attend
all of our sessions via Zoom (Mondays from 1:45pm-2:30pm)
. Also, t
here is an average of 1 hour of additional homework participants must do outside of the meeting time.
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Check out our iCan! Work video for a small sample of what the meetings look like.
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Several leading Down syndrome organizations are conducting a survey for individuals with Down syndrome who have tested positive for Covid-19. If this applies to you or your family, please consider taking the anonymous survey to help them understand the risks of Covid to those with Down syndrome.
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Post-Secondary Scholarships
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It's back! We've opened our Post-Secondary scholarship
for individuals with Down syndrome for the 2020-2021 school year.
Complete the application by July 1st to be considered. Applicants will be notified of their status by July 15th.
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Please take a moment to complete our member survey. We will be using the feedback we receive to help guide us as we plan our programs and events for the future. We value your input and look forward to hearing from you!
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F^3: Fantastic Foundation Friends
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When:
Every Friday
Time:
4:00pm-4:30pm
Location
:
Virtual meeting using Zoom - can be found on our private Facebook page, MeetUp, or by emailing Erin.goding@dsfflorida.org
Introducing F to the 3rd power! This program will provide opportunities for small groups to form relationships and friendships in a virtual environment. Sessions are capped at 5 participants to allow for deeper engagement and a more personal experience. We'll build conversational skills and independence with the goal of forming true friendships over time. Each session will be offered to different age groups. Ex: Girls aged 11-14 for one session and boys aged 15-18 for a different session, women 25-30, etc.

June 5 - Boys age 11-14
June 12 - Girls age 15 -18
June 19 - Boys age 15 -18
June 26 - Women age 25-30
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In April, we offered our first FOUNDATION orientation to share about our history, programs, scholarships, and events. We had a great turnout and are happy to provide another upcoming opportunity for those that missed it.
Attending an orientation session is required for those who will be applying for Fall scholarships and beyond - this is in addition to our normal requirements to be considered an active member for scholarships. In the orientation, you'll learn about the programs and scholarships we offer and all the different ways you can get involved! Even if you don't apply for scholarships with The FOUNDATION, this orientation will be beneficial to you! Please be sure to have your camera on for the session so we can verify your attendance and participation.
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Date
: Wednesday, June 10
Time
: 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Location
:
Virtual meeting using Zoom - can be found on our private Facebook page, MeetUp, or by emailing Erin.goding@dsfflorida.org
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Parent Informational Meeting
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When
: Thursday,
June 18
Time:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Topic:
TBD - but we promise you won't want to miss it! Stay tuned to our Facebook page for more information.
Location
: Virtual meeting using Zoom - can be found on our private Facebook page, MeetUp, or by emailing Erin.goding@dsfflorida.org
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When
:
Every Monday
Time:
9:00pm
Location
: Virtual meeting using Zoom - can be found on our private Facebook page, MeetUp, or by emailing Erin.goding@dsfflorida.org
Every Monday at 9pm we're providing the opportunity for moms to share some time together !
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Virtual Zumba with Elyse!
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When
:
Every Tuesday
Time:
4:00pm
Location
: Virtual meeting using Zoom - can be found on our private Facebook page, MeetUp, or by emailing Erin.goding@dsfflorida.org
Elyse Mundelein will be teaching a virtual zumba class! We will post the zoom information in the event for details to log in. No experience needed, just get ready to dance and have fun!
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Join our Club 321 virtual meet up for middle and high-schoolers!
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When
: Every
Wednesday
Time:
4:00pm-5:00pm
Location
:
Virtual meeting using Zoom - can be found on our private Facebook page, MeetUp, or by emailing Erin.goding@dsfflorida.org
We'll be connecting once a week with different activities, opportunities to socialize, move around, and engage with each other!
June 3rd
- Ice cream in a bag - see the recipe
here.
Feel free to make it your own! For instance, Erin uses oat milk and honey instead of cream and sugar. We'll enjoy our ice cream and play some games together after.
June 10th -
Show and Tell - Bring something meaningful and share why you love it so much!
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When
: Every Thursday
Time
: 10:15am-11:00am
Location:
Virtual meeting using Zoom - can be found on our private Facebook page, MeetUp, or by emailing Erin.goding@dsfflorida.org
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We'll sing songs, read stories, and have fun - all through Zoom!
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Virtual T21 Social Network (18+)
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When:
Every Thursday
Time:
4:00pm-5:00pm
Location
:
Virtual meeting using Zoom - can be found on our private Facebook page, MeetUp, or by emailing Erin.goding@dsfflorida.org
This is a great opp
ortuni
ty for our adult group to socialize, engage, and connect with each other. We'll have something new and different each week!
June 4th -
Social games: categories, snowman, never have I ever
June 11th -
Yoga and mindfulness
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Save the DATE! - Camping Jamboree
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November 6-8 at Jetty Park!
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Check out a recap from our 2019 Camping Jamboree.
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Technology Tip and Tricks
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Whether you explore a new museum, live stream a favorite artist’s concert, or learn the latest TikTok dance, there are many fun activities to participate in while also following the guidelines of social distancing. Here’s a list of fun, virtual activities to check out when you have free time.
Art, Music, and Culture
Fitness and Wellness
Virtual Tours and Museums
Experience the best museums and historical sites in the comfort of your own home. Check out these sites to go on virtual tours of different museums and specific exhibits.
Animal Webcams
Check out several different animal live cam options from watching silly sea otters and curious elephants or just mellow out to the hypnotic drifting jellyfish.
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Let's get social!
Follow us on social media for more information
and to stay updated on our upcoming events!
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