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Hartwood Foundation

Headquarters On the Move

Fear not, Hartwood Foundation headquarters is moving to an adjacent building effective September 1st. Our new address is 3701 Pender Drive, Suite 540, Fairfax, VA 22030. Our main phone number of 703-273-0939 remains the same.

The other good news in this move is that we are getting a facelift. Our staff is excited for the change in venue, and we are eliminating a slew of file cabinets at the same time. Please feel free to come by and take a gander at our new space.

Mark your calendars as we are excited for our 22nd Annual Hartwood Open Golf Tournament slated for

Thursday, June 26th, 2025.

We are grateful for your continued support!

DONATE HERE

Colin Farrell Has Started A Foundation To Help Adults With Disabilities In Honor Of His Son, And He's Getting All The Sweet Praise© Searchlight Pictures 

Colin Farrell Has Started A Foundation To Help Adults With Disabilities In Honor Of His Son, And He's Getting All The Sweet Praise


Colin Farrell’s eldest son (of two boys) has a rare neurogenetic disorder called Angelman syndrome. James is nonverbal and requires care from a live-in caregiver. Farrell has long been an advocate for the Angelman community and those with intellectual disabilities, but now he hopes his foundation will specifically help adults with disabilities and their parents following their high school education. When speaking to People about starting his foundation, Farrell said this:

For years I’ve wanted to do something in the realm of providing greater opportunities for families who have a child with special needs, to receive the support that they deserve, basically the assistance in all areas of life, whether it’s education, whether its intervention, therapeutics, social environments where they feel like their child can belong in and just so families who have a child with special needs can find a world of meaning and a life of connection.

When his son turns 21, he will apparently age out of many of the support systems that are offered to families with kids with disabilities and special needs. Colin Farrell has the privilege to provide for his son given his status as a Hollywood star, but he wants to give back to the many families who do not have resources for their adult children.


The Praise Colin Farrell Is Already Getting For Giving Back To His Community 

Following Colin Farrell being open about his experience with his son James in the cover profile People did of him, people are really taking notice of how impactful his voice could be in the community. In his interview on YouTube particularly, the comment section is filled with major praise from all sorts of people, namely those who can relate. Check out this comment:

As an occupational therapist, I just want to say how proud I am of Colin as a parent. This is what every child deserves, not only a child with a disability. @sonia68ish

In Colin Farrell’s interview about James, which is the first time he has spoken in depth about it, he speaks to how his son’s disabilities inspired him to pursue sobriety when James was two years old. The actor has been committed to giving his son a sense of community and autonomy throughout his life. A nurse who has 40 years of clinical experience wrote this:

I am astonished at the level of dedication this gentleman must have had to become THIS skilled at explaining his precious boy's journey with Angelman syndrome. He understands this condition better than most general practitioners I know. Colin’s ease with technical medical jargon tells me he's told this story many, many times. It's clear his son could have no better advocate and that is matched equally with his phenomenal 'Dad' skills. Well done for having the courage to tell this story so well, and reaching out to help others.@lf3541

Disability representation in movies and television was recently reported to be unsatisfactory among those who have it in a recent study, and when it comes to care for parents and children, that’s an ongoing issue as well. A parent who is in their sixties and has a 38-year-old son said this:

Life is hard. All any parent wants is to see their kids well and happy. We will never get the ‘well’ part and trying to get equipment for my son is so expensive. He is quadriplegic and the special wheelchairs cost more than my car! They wear out every 7 years or so because he’s in it 17 hours a day. We found that after 16, the charities and services just aren’t interested anymore when you haven’t got a ‘cute kid.’ Life is hard. Thank you for trying to help over 16 disabled people. @FaithAloneUK

Colin Farrell speaking out about his son and his foundation is certainly getting a lot of positive feedback from those who came across his in-depth interview. Here’s one more comment:

Colin is laying out every single massive problem facing families with disabled children. It's rare that people with influence speak of it so openly and without holding back. I hope he succeeds on this mission. @MichaelHolmgaard

It’s great to see the Academy Award-nominated actor giving back to a community he not only cares about but has a lot of personal experience and investment in.


This article was published in Cinema Blend on August 10, 2024 by Sarah El-Mahmoud

Happy Flour Bakery in Dallas empowers students with disabilities from inside school cafeteria


DALLAS — There's a new bakery in Uptown Dallas, and if you drove by you might not even know it was there. 

It's nestled inside the Notre Dame School of Dallas, a Catholic school dedicated to students with disabilities and teaching them to become independent.

Meredith Pace has been part of the staff for 14 years. 

"It's just the most joyful, happy job. I think that shows how much I love what I do; it's just a special place," she said.

Combining her love of baking with her desire to help students, she started an after-school cookie club called "Happy Flour." 

"Since I was little, I remember standing on a stool with a mixer in my hand and not even being able to reach the counter," she said. 

What began as a small group of 10 students learning to measure, mix, and roll dough quickly grew into a bustling bakery operation.

"Within two weeks, it was like... people were placing a lot of orders; it kind of became a business," Pace said. 

The popularity of Happy Flour spread through word of mouth, and the bakery inside the cafeteria walls officially became a business.

Pace recently hired her first part-time employee with special needs, Casey O'Brien. 

"I felt happy and excited," O'Brien said. "I like to bake chocolate chip cookies because they are my favorite."

As part of the school's curriculum, students are required to hold jobs at various local businesses, including partnerships with Fuzzy's and the Perot Museum. 

Happy Flour has now joined this lineup, offering students a new opportunity to gain valuable work experience.

With 20 members now in the club, Pace hopes this is just the beginning. She currently takes orders online and dreams of opening a storefront in the future. 

"It's something that's fun, secondly, yummy, and third of all, there are so many skill sets people with special needs can learn throughout the process," she said. "I think it's important for people to see how capable our population is."


The article was featured in CBS News Texas on August 7, 2024 by Nicole Nielsen.

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3702 Pender Dr. Suite 410
Fairfax, VA 22030
Phone: 703-273-0939
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