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Hopebridge and Special Olympics Indiana Team Up to Promote Empowerment in the Autism Community

By: Hopebridge via GlobeNewswire

June 17, 2024 at 08:00 AM EDT

INDIANAPOLIS, IN, June 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hopebridge Autism Therapy Centers, a leading provider in comprehensive autism therapy services, is partnering with Special Olympics Indiana – Young Champions program for the second year to host events for clients and their families at Indiana Hopebridge centers. Reaching over 200 client families, this event underscores a shared commitment to promoting inclusion and empowerment within the autism community.

Throughout the month of June, Hopebridge and Special Olympics Indiana will expand on last year’s events to reach four Indiana Hopebridge centers: Evansville, Richmond, Valparaiso, and Carmel. The event will feature a series of obstacle courses, sports, sensory games and other activities designed to provide a stimulating and supportive environment for the children to engage in physical activity and develop new skills. Last year’s partnership garnered an attendance of over 60 families, each given the opportunity to share a day of fitness and fun while celebrating the abilities of their children. This year, Hopebridge and Special Olympics Indiana plan to extend this opportunity to more families across the state.

Lisa Graham, the Young Champions School Consultant, expresses her enthusiasm for this partnership during a season of anticipation for the Summer Olympic Games. “Young Champions Unified Athletics brings children with and without disabilities together to compete and encourage in physical activity. It teaches kindness, respect and teamwork, and that is exactly what our young children need as they are learning and growing up to be future adults and community members. Special Olympics, Indiana is thrilled to partner with Hopebridge by providing this opportunity for the families of children you serve. Students that are not in a traditional public school, due to the specific needs they are addressing at Hopebridge, will share this exciting opportunity and be involved in all the fun! That is a win for everyone!”

The Special Olympics field day is tailored to accommodate the needs and abilities of children with autism. The sports course incorporates components of competitive, age-appropriate events used to support individuals with autism, such as sensory integration and motor development, and provides participants with opportunities for skill enhancement. Through these carefully curated events, the day aims to foster peer collaboration, physical fitness, and confidence building. Completing challenges will be met with celebration from volunteers and family members to cultivate a sense of empowerment, and siblings of the children are invited to complete the course alongside them to encourage teamwork.

Jana Sarno, Chief Clinical Officer at Hopebridge, emphasizes the impact of this event on furthering the shared mission of Hopebridge and Special Olympics Indiana. “This partnership serves to empower individuals with autism and foster our robust culture of support, inclusion, and positivity within the Hopebridge community.”

This partnership combines the mutual efforts of Hopebridge and Special Olympics Indiana to cultivate empowerment, inclusivity and well-being of individuals with autism. Hopebridge is excited to have Special Olympics join its Indiana centers alongside many other community partners.

For more information about autism diagnostic services or therapy options, please visit: www.hopebridge.com

Looking for an impactful career? Hopebridge is hiring compassionate mission-driven team members to help extend resources to the autism community. Serving 12 different states and with over 100 centers, there is a unique opportunity for everyone to serve this special community.

For more information about how you can join the Hopebridge team, please visit: jobs.hopebridge.com

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About Hopebridge

Hopebridge was founded in 2005 to serve the growing need for autism treatment services and to improve the lives of affected children and families. Hopebridge is committed to providing personalized outpatient ABA, occupational, speech and feeding therapies for children affected by autism spectrum disorder and behavioral, physical, social, communication and sensory challenges. Hopebridge provides a trusted place where they can receive the care, support and hope they deserve.

Nearly two decades later, Hopebridge continues to open state-of-the-art autism therapy centers in new communities to reach patients and families who need services. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Hopebridge operates over 100 centers in the following twelve states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Ohio and Tennessee.

About Special Olympics Indiana

Based in Indianapolis, Special Olympics Indiana is a nonprofit organization that is a part of the global Special Olympics movement, using sport, health, education and leadership programs to end discrimination against and empower people with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics Indiana provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for more than 19,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities, offering them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

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