A A THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT DISABILITIES. Who We Are Grant Making Inclusive Community Provider Resources INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY Creating a community in which individuals with disabilities thrive is the driving factor to our mission. In addition to our grants, we partner with organizations in Northeast Indiana to build inclusion for our region. Here’s what we’ve been doing. Inclusive hiring practices are key to building a community in which local companies can attract and retain talent. Our employment initiative has made great strides in this arena. In addition to that, Northeast Indiana has many assets for those of all abilities and various interests. Check out why this is a great place to live for everyone. RESERVE A ROOM Our facility was built with universal design principles, with the idea that we can provide meeting space for all. We hope you find our rooms inclusive to all needs. Reserve one of our rooms for your next meeting. For questions, contact our Andie Mosley at amosley@awsfoundation.org. BUDDY BENCHES As part of our 10 year anniversary celebration, we placed 10 Buddy Benches in area schools with designs by local artists. These benches promote inclusion; if a child is lonely, they sit on the bench and it lets other children know they want to play. Check out the benches in our Buddy Bench Brochure. SENSORY FRIENDLY Northeast Indiana has several opportunities to engage in the community with support for those with sensory sensitivities. Whether with our help or all on their own, more and more organizations are adding this inclusive practice. As organizations become sensory friendly, we will update this list accordingly. Sensory Kits We partnered with local event venues to house sensory kits at each location that can be checked out during an event. These kits include items that can make someone with sensory sensitivities more comfortable in a stimulating environment. Our hope with these kits is that more families feel welcome to attend community activities that they may otherwise avoid for fear of over stimulation of a loved one. Kits can be checked out at events in the following locations: Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Arts United Center Embassy Theatre Grand Wayne Convention Center Parkview Field Sensory Friendly Events These organizations have made special accommodations in performances and activities to fit the needs of those with sensory sensitivities. If you would like to know more about what they offer, follow the links or contact them. Civic Theatre’s Project Lights Up! Science Central’s Special Abilities Days Fort Wayne Ballet Summit City Music Theatre SAFETY KITS We are proud to provide FREE Special Needs Safety Kits for Kids to the Fort Wayne community. These kits may be picked up at any FWFD Fire Station to encourage a connection between your family and your local fire department. This connection ensures that firefighters are aware of people with disabilities in their service area and creates a trust between your children and the firefighters. If you already have the kit and are looking for extra pages, those can be found below. AWSF_SK02_Neighbor Letter AWSF_SK03_Please Help Me AWSF_SK04_Teacher Caregiver Letter AWSF_SK05_Alert for Missing Child AWSF_SK06_Wandering Emergency Plan AWSF_SK07_Wandering Safety Checklist AWSF_SK09_Safety in the Home Family Emergency Planning Booklet INCLUSIVE ATTRACTIONS Northeast Indiana has several inclusive parks and attractions, but sometimes you want a day or two to get away. We found some places within a few hours travel that have made it a priority to be inclusive to the disability community. Those located in Northeast Indiana are included, just in case you are not aware of them. We hope you enjoy all of these parks and attractions. Please let us know if we missed anything by going here. Inclusive Attractions Map CONNECT WITH US WHO WE ARE GRANT MAKING PROVIDER RESOURCES ©2021 AWS Foundation | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Acrobat Reader | Board Portal