Madison House Foundation

One man’s story: When an autistic child grows up

admin — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:14:14 +0000

When meeting Jeff Donohoo, it’s not immediately apparent he is a 36-year-old man living with autism. In fact, unless you get him talking about the Atlanta Braves — one of his true passions in life — he is a very quiet person.

Early on, his younger brothers and sister didn’t know, either.

“Since they grew up with him, they just knew Jeff was Jeff,” said Nancy Donohoo, his mother. “They didn’t think of him as weird or anything.”

But when friends started to notice Donohoo was different, Nancy Donohoo was quick to explain to a group of 10-year-olds why…Read More!

Article Courtesy of CNN Health.

Having An Adult Conversation About Autism

admin — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:56:38 +0000

April is Autism Awareness Month, and you may have already heard countless reports about the shocking fact that 1 in 110 – a full one percent – of American children have autism.

Because the majority of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are still under the age of 20, a great deal of attention has been focused on education…. Read More!

Article Courtesy of Fox News

Are You All Alone with Adult Autism?

admin — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 19:30:12 +0000

This morning, a friend directed my attention to a short video on the PBS site which features two families with adults on the autism spectrum. The families were very similar. Both were white and middle class (one family looked to be wealthier than the other, but neither seemed rich or poor). Both families consisted of a mother and father in their later years (retirement age) with an autistic son in his twenties. Both young men were verbal and responsive, but both were significantly challenged with what appeared, at least on the surface, to be intellectual and cognitive challenges as well as an overwhelming need for sameness and routine.

In both cases, the end of school services had signaled the end of therapies, and the end of many opportunities. One young man, however, spent the day in a sheltered workshop; the other worked in a grocery store with a full time job coach. Each seemed very comfortable with his work setting. In other words, both had significant, daylong, supported situations in which they were gainfully employed outside of the home. And in both cases the supported… Read More!

Article Courtesy of About.com.

New Event On September 16!

admin — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 18:01:57 +0000

SAVE THE DATE!!!

Training Topic: Making Homes that Work for Adults with Autism

Date and Time: Friday, September 16 from 7:30-9:00pm

Location: The Buffington/RE/MAX Community Room (lower parking lot next to Curves)
3300 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, MD 20832

The Foundation for Autism Support and Training – ARCHway to Independence, M&L Special Needs Planning and Montgomery County Transitions (MCTRANS) are extremely pleased to announce that we are able to squeeze in a training by ASD housing expert George Braddock on September 16th, even though this is a late notice and this is scheduled for a Friday night. This training is not to be missed by parents of loved ones with autism who envision their adult children with ASD living in the community. Best of all, we offer this excellent training by one of our nation’s leading experts at no charge to you.
George Braddock, President of Creative Housing Solutions LLC, pioneered the application of person-centered planning principles to the design and construction of homes for people with disabilities.
From Oregon, he has undertaken more than 1200 housing modifications and adaptations in order to assist people with severe behavioral challenges to live as normally as possible within the community in their own homes. In addition to developing welcoming and inclusive single and multi-family housing opportunities for people with ASD, ID/DDs, George recently co-authored Making Homes that Work: A Resource Guide for Families Living with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Co-occurring Behaviors. He also co-authored three books focusing on community housing issues for people with disabilities/ASD and their staff: Person-Centered Environments; The Bay Area Project: Housing Design Guidelines; Design for Safety.
In this training, George will touch upon the six most common home modifications and he will address specific behavioral issues such as elopement, self-injury, seizures, property damage and aggression, and how important environmental modifications are in terms of improving overall quality of life. He will also discuss issues related to which elements to consider when choosing a good neighborhood and neighbor relations.
We expect a large turn out and hope to welcome everybody, so we ask that you please reserve a seat with an RSVP confirmation ASAP by emailing Karen Kaye-Beall atkkbcast@verizon.net or calling us at 301-260-2777.
We also want to thank you all for filling out FAST- ARCHway’s housing and supports survey. Many of you have expressed an interest in being part of the FAST-ARCHway “lead housing group” to get more involved in rolling up sleeves and working on housing strategies and getting our aging kids together socially. These people will be contacted in the coming weeks with a date for our first lead group meeting. If others are interested and have not taken FAST-ARCHway’s survey, please email Karen at kkbcast@verizon.netand you will receive instructions on how to take the survey. Once you take the survey, you will be included on the list to be contacted for lead group meetings. Once again, thank you for your generous support.

SAVE THE DATE!!!!

Young Adult With Autism Throws First Pitch at Mets Game Thanks to EmblemHealth

admin — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 18:26:27 +0000

(Queens, NY) — Anthony Giangiobbe, 20, an avid New York Mets fan with autism and one of the original six children who attended AHRC’s early intervention programs at the age of three, threw out the first pitch at a Mets-Marlins game at Citi Field thanks to EmblemHealth, which provides health care coverage through its companies Group Health Incorporated (GHI) and HIP Health Plan of New York (HIP).

Mr. Giangiobbe, who lives with his family in Middle Village, NY, was accompanied by his parents Rose and Daniel Giangiobbe and his sister Sara, and Christina Muccioli, AHRC’s Director of Educational Services and James Mara, Principal of the AHRC Middle/High School in Brooklyn.

“Everyone loves Anthony,” says Ms. Muccioli, adding that his heartwarming story was featured in a 2010 AHRC fundraising appeal. “Anthony was…Read More!

Article Courtesy of NewsLI.com

Choosing the right job for people with autism

admin — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 15:14:36 +0000

Jobs need to be chosen that make use of the strengths of people with autism or Asperger’s syndrome.

Both high and low functioning people have very poor short-term working memory, but they often have a better long-term memory than most normal people.

I have great difficulty with tasks that put high demands on short term working memory. I cannot handle multiple tasks at the same time.

FROM BAD TO BEST JOBS…Read More!

‘Falling’ is a compelling portrait of a family’s life with autism

admin — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 17:23:08 +0000

St. Louis audiences are the first to see “Falling,” Deanna Jent’s new play about a family living with the struggles of autism.

Bet that we won’t be the last.

Jent’s drama — inspired by her 17-year-old autistic son and her family’s day-to-day life in the vortex of what she calls “extreme parenting” — is a gripping piece of theater, emotionally wrenching and theatrically astute. It has, as they say, legs. It also has a keen mind and a warm, though troubled, heart.

Jent, who is artistic director of Mustard Seed, and Lori Adams, the director of the play, plunge us straight into the “ordinary” life of this anything-but-ordinary family. “Falling” opens in the cozy Martin house (affectionately designed by John C. Stark) where everyone’s getting ready for school or work. But along…Read More!

Article courtesy of STL Today.

What One Father Learned From His Extraordinary Son’s Autism

admin — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 16:02:57 +0000

Twelve years ago, the second of our three sons was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

I hasten to point out that Ezra, now 15, is a remarkable child. Like many people with autism, he possesses a stunning memory: He can recite the running times and release dates of hundreds of animated films, and spouts with perfect recall details culled from his prized collection of animal encyclopedias. More important, he greets every day with enviable enthusiasm — and some mornings (such as the first of each month and the dawn of each season) with particular gusto.

…READ MORE!

Article courtesy of the Atlantic.

Cops ripped for handcuffing boy with Autism!

admin — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 15:57:43 +0000

TORONTO - Surely there’s a better way for police to deal with an unruly child with special needs than slapping him with handcuffs and treating him like a criminal….

…READ MORE!

Article Courtesy Of Toronto Sun.

The New hybrid way to Shop and give Support

admin — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 14:25:47 +0000

We give money to your charity when you search the web and shop online. Choose your cause.

Good-Search is a fairly new system that combines shopping and giving at the same time. Every-time you shop and connect with the Madison House Foundation we receive a donation from you. Its easy to shop and easy to give! Remember to register with Good Search so no good deed goes un-noticed.

Don’t hesitate to get started below