The Coronado Community Foundation is working in partnership with Camp Able and other local agencies to develop the “Exceptional Families Program.” A series of events is being planned which will offer stimulating engagement for both the family member and their caregivers.
Caring for a family member with special needs is vital but difficult work that can last for years. Help for tireless caregivers is offered through a number of agencies in the region. Often it is costly and presents scheduling and transportation challenges. For Coronado residents, support is about to get much closer.
The Coronado Community Foundation is working in partnership with Camp Able and other local agencies to develop the “Exceptional Families Program.” A series of events is being planned which will offer stimulating engagement for both the family member and their caregivers.
Coronado Community Foundation board chair Helen Kupka said all events will be offered at no cost to participating families. A pilot program is set to launch in early spring at the Coronado Public Library. Five more similar events are planned throughout the year.
“We are working with our partners to provide enrichment activities for family members with special needs while at the same time supplying respite opportunities for caregivers,” Kupka said. “The goal is to develop a supportive community environment and create a sense of belonging for all Coronado residents.”
The Foundation is furthering its mission to be a change leader in Coronado with the goal of solving this identified need as well as other unmet community challenges. Its mission involves bringing local nonprofits and resources together so they can spearhead solutions such as the Exceptional Families Program. Once the program is funded and established, the Foundation already has plans to develop follow-on projects.
The Foundation was established in 2021 and, although the pandemic made the startup challenging, the board continued to work to build awareness and understanding of its role in the community. Members reached out to the city’s nonprofit organizations, awarding grants totaling $21,000 to nearly two dozen, and worked to demonstrate that community foundations work with and not in competition with nonprofits to help them meet their needs.
For the foundation’s first project, board members collaborated with the city of Coronado, the Coronado Schools Foundation, the Coronado Island Film Festival, and the Coronado Unified School District to upgrade the audio-visual system at the Coronado Performing Arts Center. Work was completed last year. With that success, the Foundation dove right into its next venture, the Exceptional Families Program.
Kupka said the Foundation first learned of the need for more programs for people with special needs family members after conducting an informal survey last year. The results led the Foundation to Camp Able, which has run a summer beach camp for children and adults with special needs in Coronado for 42 years. Camp Able was able to help conduct more thorough outreach.
A needs assessment survey sent to Camp Able families last fall found that families wanted more music, art, and sports activities as well as field trips for adults with special needs. The survey revealed that caregivers are interested in yoga and mindfulness classes, relaxation and quiet time, and art and cooking classes. A similar survey went out to parents in the Coronado Unified School District, and contact has been made with the Navy to reach out to those families that may be interested in the program. Outreach is ongoing.
Considering the need for a facility suitable to host the planned events, the Foundation reached out to the Coronado Public Library. The library is centrally located and many non-profit groups meet in the Winn room and Ruby room. It is the ideal location for the start of these programs which will eventually include other activities and field trips.
Further outreach led to more local groups getting involved and the formation of a steering committee. On the basis of the survey, the committee established a 16-member parent and caregiver advisory council. In January, members met to review the roles and goals of the program, and to listen to parents and caregivers to help establish the nature and content of the program.
The first event is being planned by Camp Able with input from the advisory committee. The objective is to provide a safe and enriching experience such as a group learning activity at the library for family members with special needs. Kupka said each activity would be held with an appropriate ratio of trained personnel to special needs participants, as well as a nurse on site to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all participants. At the same time, caregivers can participate with their loved ones or enjoy social time and separate activities with fellow caregivers in another part of the library.
“It has always been a dream of ours the past few years to expand Camp Able to year-round,” said Jenelle Nettles, director at Camp Able. “We have heard this from many of our Camp Able families as well. They want more activities for their family members. We are very excited to be collaborating with the Coronado Community Foundation to expand our programs and make this a reality.”
Kupka said the advisory group is actively seeking donations from the community to ensure the program can continue into the future. To take the needs assessment survey or donate to the program, visit the Foundation’s website, or utilize the QR code provided here.
“We will continue to forge collaborations by motivating residents, organizations and businesses to come together to ensure that Coronado continues to thrive,” Kupka said.
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