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Community Corner

$10,000 Grant from the Young Women's League of New Canaan Funds Birth-to-Three Early Intervention Therapy at STAR

STAR, Inc., Lighting the Way… was the recent recipient of a $10,000 grant from The Young Women’s League of New Canaan to support its early intervention programs for babies from birth to age three offered by the STAR Rubino Family Center. The grant was presented to STAR (one of four grant recipients that also included Build On, Inspirica, and Filling in the Blanks) at the league’s annual meeting held on May 21, 2014 at Waveny House of New Canaan.

 

Katie Banzhaf, Executive Director of STAR, said, "We are extremely fortunate and grateful to be the recipient of this $10,000 grant from The Young Women’s League of New Canaan. These funds will be used to provide important occupational, physical and speech therapies to infants and toddlers with developmental disabilities in Fairfield County. Funding from generous groups like this allows us to deliver outcomes significantly above the state average. Indeed, almost one third of the children we work with attain their age appropriate developmental goals before entering traditional pre-school.”

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The grant was accepted by Peter Saverine, Director of Philanthropy at STAR. One of the highlights of the evening included a performance by the Rubberband, STAR’s rocking musical performance group for adults with developmental disabilities, led by musically-inclined STAR staff members Mark Minnock and Nancy Armstrong.

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STAR will use the generous funding for the early intervention program at Rubino Family Center to offer additional customized and comprehensive therapies that include occupational, physical, speech/learning, as well for the replacement and augmentation of sensory stimuli teaching equipment and therapeutic toys/supplies that are part of their toy-lending library and designed to build and strengthen the developmental capacities of the child.

 

STAR, Inc., Lighting the Way is a not–for-profit organization serving individuals of all ages who have intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as providing support services to their families.  STAR creates opportunities for individuals to live full lives with independence, freedom of choice and personal growth by providing support, services and advocacy. STAR informs and encourages the community to recognize and appreciate the value of all individuals. For more information about STAR and for ways to give or volunteer, please visit www.starct.org .

 

The Young Women's League of New Canaan is a group of dedicated women who are committed to enriching the community through volunteer service and fundraising efforts. The League's mission is threefold: to organize opportunities for members to serve various charitable organizations; to fundraise for the purpose of distributing grants; and to promote the social, cultural, and educational interests of our members. For more information about the Young Women’s League of New Canaan, please visit their website http://ywlnewcanaan.org.

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