For this year's Symposium, we're going to start some conversation. Taboo subjects that generally make people uncomfortable. Don't worry, it's not about religion or politics - it's about LIFE LONG PLANNING & more. 

by Raissa Chandler, Founder

​My friend, Karen Echols, died this week due to an illness that arose during her cancer treatments. I’ll miss her. A lot of people tend to lean on me for advice and support. I, in turn, leaned on Karen for advice and support. Karen was one of the original Southsiders. She was one of our first trustees for the organization and ultimately the first Vice President of Southside Support back in 2011 when we first incorporated into a 501c3 nonprofit. Her most significant contribution to Southside was developing our core belief that the family is a unit. What happens to a child affects the whole family, not just the child.

You'll want to check out Southside's Calendar - there's lots of great learning opportunities, a Soiree, and egg hunts this month. 

We liked what ADA In Your Shoes had to say about IEP templates for letters for schools, so here's a link to their handy article entitled "25+ Letter Templates for Special Education" 

Article

​If you want to get connected to all that’s available in the special needs community, January’s the time to do it. This is a comprehensive list of things to do this month. 

hursday 1/7
9:30AM STOCKBRIDGE: Chick-fil-A 3649 Hwy 138 SE. FOCUS Share Group. This meeting is facilitated by trained parent volunteers. Parents share their ups and downs, helping each other find solutions and support. Please call 770-234-9111 or email elizabeth@focus-ga.org to RSVP and for reminders, directions, or further information.

​Monday 1/11
9:30AM TYRONE: Kakao Café on Senoia Road. Southside Support Monthly Support Group. Topic(s): Survey, getting started with Autism. Raissa@southsidesupport.org

12Noon COLLEGE PARK: College Park Library on Main Street. The Parent Support Group of South Fulton (Parent to Parent of Georgia). For families of children with Autism and developmental disabilities. For further information contact: Deborah Fields-Harris, deborah@p2pga.org  or 404-762-9414

Tuesday 1/12
9:30AM GRIFFIN, GRLS/RESA offices on Tilney Avenue. Metro South Regional Transition Conference Planning Committee. Planning for the March 5 Conference in Griffin. Public Welcome to participate in both planning and conference. http://MSRTCCONFERENCE.weebly.com 

11:30AM: GRIFFIN, Dwarf House on Taylor Street. Southside Survey Meet and Greet. Meet Southside Support Founder, Raissa Chandler. Be part of a focus group for special needs families through answering survey and guided discussions. Bring $$ if you’d like to eat/drink. raissa@southsidesupport.org

Friday 1/15
10:30AM: MCDONOUGH, Panera Bread at Hwy 20. Southside Support Monthly Support Group Topic(s): Survey, Katie Beckett Medicaid. Raissa@southsidesupport.org

Monday 1/18
We think this is the day that Ryan’s Friends in Stockbridge is doing their Autism Support Group. http://ryansfriendsinc.org

Friday 1/22
10:00AM: EAST POINT, Chick Fil A on Camp Creek Parkway. Southside Survey Meet and Greet. Meet Southside Support Founder, Raissa Chandler. Be part of a focus group for special needs families through answering survey and guided discussions. Bring $$ if you’d like to eat/drink. raissa@southsidesupport.org

Tuesday 1/26
10:00AM: NEWNAN, Panera Bread Co on Bullsboro Drive. Southside Survey Meet and Greet. Meet Southside Support Founder, Raissa Chandler. Be part of a focus group for special needs families through answering survey and guided discussions. Bring $$ if you’d like to eat/drink. raissa@southsidesupport.org

Thursday 1/28
6:30PM: MCDONOUGH, Academy of Advance Studies on East Tomlinson Street. Henry County College Preparation Night for students with disabilities. There is a flyer with specific information and directions. Please RSVP by January 15, 2016 to Beth Pieczynski at beth.pieczynski@henry.k12.ga.us or call (770)957-8086 ext. 568

Coming in January - opportunities to let your voice be heard about your special need family's needs

Southside Support wants to know what's going on south of Atlanta. 4 years ago, we did a community town hall meeting to find out what kinds of support families needed. It's time to ask again and expand on what we need in our communities.

Throughout the month of January, Southside Founder, Raissa Chandler, will lead small group discussions and present written surveys for family members, caregivers, and providers associated with the special needs community.  The public is invited to participate in these discussions and to fill out the survey.  

A copy of the survey is below.

If you'd like to fill this out online, it can be found at Community Interest Survey

Originally posted November 2009

1.      Self-Care. You, as primary caregiver, are going to need a minimum of 5 hours for self-care. That’s things like putting gas in the car, buying groceries, catching up on sleep, and at least one hour to do something just for yourself, without any kids in tow. For me, that’s therapy. But it could be walking, crotchet, reading a book, soaking in a tub. Just something that has to do with self-care. Cause when momma/poppa ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.

2.      Caregivers versus programs. Who cares for the kids in those 5 hours a week? Maybe you’ve got a willing family member, or maybe not. If not, you’re going to have to either develop some caring friends really quick, or perhaps start budgeting for a regular caregiver. Another option is to utilize summer programs (camps, VBS, etc.) for your needs. For more about summer programs, check out the next blog.

3.      One Page. A friend of ours turned us onto the “One Page” – a description of our child that we can give to caregivers, camp and VBS directors, and school system personnel in the fall. It’s been extremely helpful to be able to differentiate how my children’s diagnosis affects how they succeed in new situations. This is one of the best essentials we use during the summertime.

Please note that the experiences we’ve had are Fayette County and surrounding area specific, because that’s where I live. Hopefully this list will inspire you to find resources in your area.

1.      FOCUS Camps. Camp Hollywood and Camp TEAM are two camps that have always come through for the special needs communities. I love the “rotating stations” concept of Camp Hollywood, and love the general summer camp feel of Camp TEAM. Contact FOCUS directly to see if your child is eligible for attending. There’s a fee, but trust me, it’s worth it.

2.      Regular childcare. Find a sitter now before they are all booked up and invest in at least one afternoon for planned childcare a week. Here at Southside, we’re putting out feelers at local colleges – if you’d like to see the current list (of unscreened candidates) you’re welcome to it. Just report back to us on how you like them.

3.      Bounce houses and Chuck E Cheese. Finding locations that limit entrance and exit, are climate controlled, and see rambunctious kids on an hourly basis are a blessing for kids who are high energy need.  

4.      Art Centers. Personally, we like Bubbles and Brushes because they’ve been openly welcoming to students with disabilities.

5.      Fayette 4H Camp Cloverbud. April McDaniel, one of the staff members at the 4H has always been receptive in having students with disabilities attend this camp. It’s an ALL DAY camp, which is a true blessing for those who want a mainly outdoor experience.

6.      Therapeutic Horse riding. South of the city, we are known for our abundance of therapeutic riding centers. There’s Haven Hills, Calvin Center, and CORRAL. Heard one member from Southside talk about Honey Creek, but haven’t met them personally yet.

7.      Friendship Craze. Sara Parker is an active Southsider and has always encouraged our members to come try Friendship Craze – a short weekly program (or summer camp) that teaches social skills in a fun manner. We especially like it when she turns it into Cooking Craze – who doesn’t like a good snack to go along with a social skills lesson.

8.      Parks! You know all the good ones along the Southside – All Children’s in Peachtree City, Newnan Utilities Park, Senoia City Park, YMCA Fayetteville Park, Splash Pad park in Hampton (for residents only), Splash Park in Lagrange. Some hidden ones you may not know about are the indoor play area (fees apply) in Shenanigan’s Toy Store in Peachtree City, Kedron Aquatic Center pool – go after 5PM on a Friday and you’ll have the pool to yourself. Let us know your local favorite.

9.      Children’s movie time at local theaters. Many theaters have children’s movie matinees for a nominal fee – check your local theater for their specials.

10.   Grandma’s house. Or Aunt Ethel’s. Or cousin Frank’s. Or the neighbor down the street who says you can come by and use their pool anytime. Use ‘em.

Hopefully you’ve got ideas on what to do over the dog days of summer. For your further planning assistance, here’s a handy planning calendar. Enjoy the summer!

I am thrilled to see we are currently serving 570 families on our Southside Support for Special Needs Families Facebook Group page. This is double where we were at this time last year. So exciting! It is time to inform all of you exactly what Southside Support, Inc., is accomplishing behind the scenes.