For my son Pierre, SNACK is a place where he has fun. He loves the swim and sports program. He keeps track on his calendar what days he is going and he smiles the whole time he is there! For me, I know he is learning life skills. probably more important than any academic achievement at school. He is learning to relate with the other children at sports...to anticipate the throwing of the ball...to read body language...to function as a group. All of this is exactly what children with autism cannot do. In addition, he is learning to swim, something that I am sure will save his life one day.
Catherine, parent
I
have four children, ages 8, 6, 4 and 4 months. Having a child with
autism is terribly challenging, as our kids need one-to-one supervision
by a trained caregiver to be appropriately engaged in an activity, to
NOT engage in repetitive, self-stimulatory behavior. If a parent has
to work or has other children it is not possible to do this. Before
Jackie Ceonzo created SNACK, there was NOTHING for Manhattan families,
no after-school recreational programs at all. In the afternoon, if I
wanted to take my other children to an activity, Isaac would spend the
afternoon stimming away at home in the care of a well meaning but
untrained respite worker. We recently joined the SNACK community and
let me just tell you: Isaac loves it. All the kids do. The SNACK
staff are well-trained, lovely people. The kids do yoga, arts and
crafts, they sing, they play. I am a big worrier but I do not worry
one bit while my son is at SNACK. None of the parents do. Our kids are
learning and having fun. And it is wonderful being in a community of
special needs families who are all so dedicated to their children.
Jackie Ceonzo should be nominated for sainthood for creating SNACK. I
want to thank her, the SNACK staff and all of you who have supported
her efforts to open the program to families of all income levels.
Elizabeth G., parent
With so much yet to be learned about children who are classified on
the spectrum, I am happy to know that SNACK is one of the few but
necessary resources that is able to meet a myriad of needs for
children and their families. The expansion of programs and
services that SNACK provides is testimony to what can be done, when
talent, professionalism and an ever encouraging staff work
toward helping special needs children become all that they can
be.
Geraldine P., parent and family therapist
My son and I
love going to SNACK. It’s like coming home. It’s a
place where everybody knows your name, you can talk about issues
with educated people or you can just be yourself and feel safe.
We need more places like this for our kids.
Liz U., parent
My
son is 10 years old. As he gets older he is more aware that he's "
Different ". He is starting to seek out others but really does not
have the tools to " fit in ". Thanks to the swim and sports program
at SNACK, he can be himself. It doesn't matter how challenged he
is, the staff meet him 99% of the way and enable him to play and
have fun! His smiles say it all.
Catherine L., parent
