Spearheaded by resident Kimmie Smith, the Moorestown Library is hosting a Special Needs Resources Day for the community on Saturday, Aug. 22, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“I feel like it was needed,” Smith said. “Resources exist, but it’s almost like it’s a secret society that no one tells you about.”
Smith’s son was diagnosed with autism when he was a year old. At that time, Smith felt like it was difficult to find the necessary resources she needed and she couldn’t access any until her son was six years old. It took a while for her to find the appropriate workshops and advocacy groups and learn about special needs education rights, but when she did, she realized that there were a lot of gaps missing.
“I’m just one parent; what about the other parents that don’t know about these services?” Smith quipped. “It’s so important and I don’t want other families to be at a disadvantage like I was.”
Helping other families who are going through the same thing has become Smith’s passion. She reached out to Amy Abella, the library’s head of adult services, to see if the township staple would be interested in coordinating a resource fair for Moorestown and now, she’s excited to see it come to fruition.
Participating organizations that are led by parents and family members of individuals with autism will include Autism Moms in Relief, LLC, a parent-led organization that provides life-skills training and supportive services for individuals with high-functioning autism; Chosen Family Services, an organization that assists families with guardianship filings, provides advocacy services and develops community inclusion services for young adults on the autism spectrum; and MIYWAY Greeting Cards, a small business created by the parent of an adult daughter with autism. The company creates thoughtful, meaningful greeting cards designed especially for individuals with autism and other special needs. The fair will also feature information from a variety of community service providers. Families will be able to learn about care management, family support organizations, recreational activities for youth with autism and their families, dentistry, healthcare and more.
“My personal goal is to make sure that we have resources in one building where parents can ask questions and get numbers and contact information to make those connections easier so that families know that they’re not alone,” Smith said. “Just gaining more knowledge about the resources that are available at their back door… I hope that parents walk away with the knowledge that here are the supports that they have access to, and this is how I can get help.”
The Moorestown Library will hold a Special Needs Resources Day for the community on Aug. 22.
