The Joy of Gifts
The holidays and other special occasions are an important part of our culture but can be challenging for children with special needs. During the holidays, you want to give your child opportunities to learn the joy of giving and receiving gifts, without overwhelming their senses with wrapping paper, bows, and the excitement of Christmas morning.

HERE are some proven strategies from A Shared Vision's co-founder and EI-TVI Paula Landry to put the joy back into gift giving and receiving for you and your child.

Need a last-minute gift idea? Check out our list of recommendations from our teachers HERE.
Our Favorite Holiday Sensory Bins
Capture the holidays in three sensory bins your child can touch, smell, and even taste. Learn how to make them HERE.
Spotlight on Stephanie Crosen
Stephanie joined A Shared Vision as an Early Intervention Teacher of the Visually Impaired in 2021. She also works as a TVI and O&M specialist for the Summit school district.

She and her husband Derek moved to Colorado in 2016. “We always dreamed of living in the mountains," explains Stephanie.

While Stephanie enjoys working with students in the classroom, she loves how families in early intervention choose what they want to work on with their child in their home. “Because the goals are family led, I feel there is a greater appreciation for my support especially while working towards functional goals such as helping their baby crawl over different surfaces with confidence,” explains Stephanie.

Living in a rural community has its challenges, including the lack of nearby services and the distances families drive to get to appointments, school, and other places. “I always remind myself while the drive is long, I’d rather be staring at the mountains than someone’s bumper!” says Stephanie. Learn more about Stephanie HERE.
Make a Jingle Bell Scrunchie
To make this sensory toy for your child, just sew two to four jingle bells securely to a red or green scrunchie.

You can wrap the scrunchie around a bottle or cup to add visual contrast or encourage your child to reach for and hold their drink. Your child can also wear the scrunchie on their wrist or ankles. Ringing the bells teaches simple cause and effect. When your child pulls off the scrunchie with the opposite hand or reaches for it when it’s on their feet, these motions develop your child’s fine motor skills and body awareness.
Thank You to Our Donors!

Thank you to everyone who supported A Shared Vision on Colorado Gives Day! We will put these donations toward our 2022 goals, including:

1.  Identifying and supporting very young children with visual impairment in Colorado;
2.  Ensuring consistent, high-quality delivery of our in-home services;
3.  Providing robust family support in Colorado’s rural communities;
4.  Attracting and retaining teachers to meet the growing demand for vision services.

It’s not too late to support A Shared Vision for the 2021 tax season! Remember, your cash gift qualifies for the Colorado Child Care Contribution Tax Credit. Half of your qualifying donation is offset dollar-for-dollar against your Colorado incomes taxes --- 50%! You may also deduct your fully qualifying contribution on your federal income taxes if you itemize deductions.
A Shared Vision is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the leading provider of in-home and community early intervention vision services in Colorado. We inspire and empower families to nurture the development of their very young children who are blind or visually impaired so that all children may discover their brightest future.
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