Educating children on the spectrum
in a mainstream classroom.
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#GIVINGTUESDAY | A GLOBAL DAY OF GENEROSITY
NOVEMBER 30, 2021
GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Over the past nine years, this idea has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.
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Dear Friends:
I’m Bailey Cato Czupryk, and I’m writing you on behalf of The ANGEL Program at Holy Rosary School, where my son Grayson is an ANGEL student. I’m also writing on behalf of the twelve other ANGELs, their families, and the exceptionally hardworking staff in The ANGEL Program.
This year, The ANGEL Program continues to ensure that it serves children with autism in mainstream educational classrooms – a benefit that our family doesn’t take for granted, given the experience we have had with other school programs in Memphis. Your support for The ANGEL Program -whether as a regular donor or as a Memphis Runs for Autism 5K participant – demonstrates your commitment to inclusive education for all students, including autistic ones.
My five-year-old, Grayson, loves to make family trees. He does it all the time—I have no fewer than four of them hanging in my office at any given time. He made his first one (with extensive help from Mommy) approximately two years ago as a part of his get-to-know-you stint at a new pre-school he was attending when he was three years old. He’s made hundreds since this one.
My husband Josh and I thought that was just a cute quirk that Grayson had. He loves to walk around our house, look at his trees, and ask us questions about who is in the pictures on them. (As a spoiler, the answer is always some combination of “Mommy,” “Daddy,” “Grayson,” and grandparents, aunts, and uncles. He does this over and over and over.)
In January 2021, Grayson was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Level 2 and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Suddenly, lots of his behaviors – like asking repetitive questions about family trees he’s taped around our home - made more sense. He doesn’t ask us who is on the trees over and over because he’s quirky; he asks us those questions because he gets anxious in unpredictable scenarios. He knows who is on the trees, and he knows the right answer to his questions – so asking those questions of us is a way to get a predictable, safe-feeling interaction because he controls the flow of the conversation.
As soon as Grayson had his diagnosis, that new pre-school he was attending told us he couldn’t come back next year because “It just wouldn’t be fair to the other kids.” You can imagine our reaction: immediate panic. We needed to find a new school for Grayson that would welcome him because of – not in spite of – his autism. We needed to find a school that would honor who he is – a uniquely human, autistic little boy who is special and wonderful and also needs extra help sometimes. In those first few weeks and months after his diagnosis, we felt like we were drinking out of a firehose – but the one thing we heard, over and over and over, especially in conversations with autistic adults was: Autism is a part of Grayson’s identity. Don’t try to change who he is. Get him the supports he needs to be successful – and make sure you’re honoring the part of him that loves making those trees and asking questions about him, even if it sometimes drives you crazy because the tree does still only contain Mommy, Daddy, and Grayson.
In every single conversation we had regarding the right school for Grayson, The ANGEL Program was a recommendation we heard. As we explored our options for new school placements, we immediately fell in love with Holy Rosary and The ANGEL Program. It was clear that The ANGEL Program staff would welcome Grayson for all of who he is, provide him the supports he needed, and ensure that he was able to be successful alongside his neurotypical peers. They would welcome his therapists into the building, partner with us as a family, and ultimately love him as their own.
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We’ve seen a remarkable transformation in Grayson since he started at The ANGEL Program in June of 2021. For the first time in more than a year, he is excited about going to school. He has made both autistic and neurotypical friends and is performing exceptionally well academically and socially. He loves the time he gets to spend with his classmates – and he equally loves the time he gets to spend in the ANGEL room with his friends from the other Pre-Kindergarten class.
We are so grateful for the support of The ANGEL Program – especially the phenomenal staff members who have built Grayson’s social and academic confidence and skills. He feels included every single day – and we can honestly say that would not have been our experience at other schools in our community.
The demand for The ANGEL Program continues to grow, which is why I’m reaching out to ask you for your continued support. We want to continue to ensure that children in Memphis – both neurotypical and autistic – can reach their potential. Your support of this program supports all the children in Holy Rosary, especially those in The ANGEL Program, to reach their full potential and to deeply appreciate the neurodiversity that exists throughout our community.
Every dollar counts as the phenomenal staff in The ANGEL Program work to serve these students. By giving today, you help to ensure that The ANGEL Program can provide students like Grayson with exceptional educational experiences.
On behalf of the children, their caregivers, and the staff of The ANGEL Program, I ask for your prayers for the continued progress and success of the students. Our family is grateful for your support and sending you good tidings in this season of giving.
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Bailey Cato Czupryk
P.S. – Students in The ANGEL Program are enrolled 12 months a year. If you’d like to support these special children year round, please consider a recurring monthly gift. Our “ANGELS” thank you for helping them reach their fullest potential!
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THE ANGEL Program's
Amazon Wishlist
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Frequently, we're asked for what items could be bought or donated to The ANGEL Program. Many people enjoy picking out something tangible that can be used for our ANGEL students, and we are happy to oblige.
We are pleased to announce our NEW AmazonSmile Charity Wish List. You can view items on our wish list, purchase them on Amazon, and they are shipped directly to The ANGEL Program! Additionally, purchases from our wish list also qualify for a AmazonSmile donation to The ANGEL Program Fund, Inc.
Check out our wish list today and give "twice"!
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The ANGEL Program has two easy ways to support us with your regular shopping!
The ANGEL Program Fund, Inc. is part of the Kroger Community Rewards program! Simply register your Kroger Plus Card online, and The ANGEL Program will receive a portion of each purchase! This does not affect your fuel points in any way.
AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. You’ll find the exact same experience as Amazon, with the added bonus that The ANGEL Program will receive a portion of each purchase. Just bookmark http://smile.amazon.com and select "Angel Program Fund" in Memphis, TN as your charity of choice. Be sure to bookmark this unique link, as purchases made from Amazon.com won't count unless you start from the AmazonSmile link.
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The Angel Program Fund, Inc.
Board of Directors
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The Angel Program Fund, Inc. exists solely as the fundraising arm of The ANGEL Program,
and is a tax-exempt non-profit IRS 501(c)(3) corporation.
Kim Scott
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You've been added to this newsletter because you have participated in a fundraising event for The ANGEL Program, have a student, family member, or friend enrolled in The ANGEL Program, or are a faculty, staff, or parishioner of Holy Rosary Catholic Church and School. If you do not wish to receive future e-mails from us, please click the unsubscribe link below.
COPYRIGHT © 2016-2021, The ANGEL Program Fund, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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