SPAN-ing the Decades

30 Things About SPAN

Fun Fact #2:
On this day (December 5) in 1879, undertaker Almon Brown Strowger patented the first automatic telephone switching system.  The story goes that he was motivated to invent it due to difficulties he was having with the local telephone operators. 

In 1987, Diana Cuthbertson, Pam Crane, and Lisa Meehan were motivated to establish a call center for New Jersey families to have their questions answered by parents with first-hand experience raising children with special needs. It included creating resources and workshops to teach families how to partner with schools to educate their children appropriately. In the spring of 1988, four part-time staff started fielding calls on two phone lines that started ringing off the hook.
The SPAN Warm Line now fields a multitude of daily calls (as well as e-mails) from families, youth, and professionals seeking support, resources, and training.
 
In just the past 15 of SPAN's 30 years, our dedicated intake specialists have enabled us to provide  Individualized Assistance to approximately 350,000 families and youth as well as around 170,000 professionals !
The Strowger Switch

We are proud to have helped so many people. In order to continue connecting with and supporting those in need of our services, we need your help to fund the increasing numbers contacting the SPAN Warm Line's intake team. Please consider including SPAN in your year-end donation schedule.
 
Warmly, Diana Autin & Debra Jennings, Co-Executive Directors

 
~  Get your tax-deductible donations in
by the end of the year! ~

SPAN is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that relies on funds from a variety of grants and also from people like you--our partners and parents, our families and friends. Help SPAN reach even more families in t he next 30 years and beyond!
 
 
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