Kids on the Go was awarded a $18,700 grant from The Children’s Foundation in support of health and wellness programs, aligning with The Foundation’s Nutritional Wellness Focus Area.
For children with special needs, when school ends for the summer, so does the access to specialized services that keep them abreast of their peers. As a result, the children lose precious ground during that time off and start school in the fall with diminished skills and less self-confidence. Parents are desperate for their child to hold on to the progress they made during the school year but have to pay up to $115 for fifteen minutes of therapy and minimal, if any reimbursement from insurance companies. For most working families, this cost is simply out of reach. The cycle continues leaving children and their parents frustrated and the pace of the child’s growth and potential is significantly reduced.
Kids On The Go (KOTG) was founded in 1999 to address the need for accessible services that maintain skill levels by pairing kids (ages 3-17) with professional therapists and offer classes the stimulate and enrich their young lives with artistic, athletic and social experience. The programs offered through Kids On The Go are completely free of charge and have become a lifesaver for children and their families who seeking structured programs to maintain skills and the chance to make therapy fun!
In spring of 2019, KOTG revised their mission and began offering programming and outreach services year-round. With this expansion, the team at KOTG explored opportunities for new classes that would educate and enrich children with special needs as fun extra-curricular activities during the school year.
One of the many goals of the programs offered through KOTG is to remain on trend, just like those offered to neurotypical children. One program in particular that KOTG that proud to offer is “Cooking with Fall Flavor.” This season inspires a certain type of food, which oftentimes is locally sourced. Many find the joy in celebrating the fresh flavors and healthy options that create to some delicious dishes.
Children with special needs are often reluctant to try new foods and new textures. but programs like this offer the children new sensory opportunities in a format that is fun and safe. In addition to learning about cooking, this class promotes opportunities for socializing and developing skills toward independent living. The lessons learned through programs like these give the participants a sense of confidence and newfound skills they can be proud to share.
Cooking With Fall Flavor is under the Health and Wellness program umbrella. KOTG is honored to partner with The Children’s Foundation, who is funding programs that fall under this category and promote the well-being of children and teens in our community.
To learn more about this and other programs, please visit kidsonthegocamp.com and follow Kids On The Go on Facebook and Instagram.
