Dear Eden II Friends & Families,
The month of April is always a joyous one for Eden II. April is World Autism Month, and April 2nd kicks off World Autism Awareness Day. We always look forward to celebrating our community, but even more so at this time. This is also the month where we hold “Dine Out 4 Autism” and our annual Genesis gala, which are all about bringing people together. This year, things will admittedly be a little different.
Over the past few weeks, our lives have changed in drastic ways. Each day, each hour brings new information and concerns over the events unfolding around the world. In the midst of all this uncertainty, I wanted to take a moment to once again thank our entire staff, who have truly stepped up to fulfill our core mission of supporting our participants and their families.
Our participants depend on structure and routine. Their worlds have been turned upside down. Our teaching staff have been working hard to implement this new way of learning that is individualized and tailored to meet our student's needs.
Our Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) continue to be on the frontline to ensure our participants' needs and safety are met. While other workers are home practicing social distancing, our DSPs continue to report to work every day to take care of our participants that need our support and those who are living in our group residences.
We are forever grateful for the many supporters and community members who are always there for us. You can see just a few of them highlighted below.
We had to postpone quite a few events, but we are looking forward to celebrating with you when it is safe to do so.
Are you celebrating Autism Awareness Day? Let us know-we love seeing pictures of our families and what they're up to while home. It brings a smile to our face in these scary times.
The next few weeks will be challenging for our staff, participants, and their families. I want to let you all know that we are ready to provide all the help we can. I have no doubt we will get through this together.
Stay well and be safe!
Sincerely,
Joanne Gerenser, Ph.D.
Executive Director
