The Down Syndrome Association of Greater Toledo (DSAGT) is excited to announce that they have received a $3,000 grant from the Toledo Rotary Club Foundation to help fund initial start-up costs for a Family Resource Closet. The goal of the Family Resource Closet is to help provide families who have a child with Down syndrome with essential items for the first months and years of their child’s life. These items will include clothing, diapers, books, developmental learning aides, and therapeutic items, such as talk tools, feeding aides, etc.
Often times, DSAGT is the only organization that families who have a child with Down syndrome reach out to. The staff at DSAGT works with families to refer them to other service providers to help with certain resources, however, there are still many items that families are unable to receive from other service providers. The goal of the Family Resource Closet is to help fill that gap, of items needed that families don’t have access to even if they are receiving services from other providers.
The Family Resource closet will be available to families living in Northwest Ohio who have a child with Down syndrome between birth and five years old. It will help supply them with clothing up to 12 months of age. They can also access diapers, and books for their child. In addition, families will be able to access popular items frequently recommended by physical, occupational and speech therapists.
Over the past four years, the Organization has been working to increase the number of resources available to lower income families who have a child with Down syndrome. In 2020, the Organization received a grant from United Way to offer the Covid-19 Food Assistance program, which helped provide 60 families with grocery store gift cards to those struggling financially during the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2022, the Organization started a Holiday Adopt-a-family program, which helped provide holiday gifts and grocery store gift cards to 14 families last year. In addition to these, the Organization also offers scholarships to families to help cover the costs of summer camps, therapy programs and more. The Family Resource Closet will be the newest program to this grouping of services offered to families who are struggling financially. The Organization plans to have the closet set-up and ready to be accessed by families in early 2025.