Training Wheels Preschool | Downside Up Inc.

We’re rolling out the red carpet for Training Wheels Preschool, a recipient of our $3,000 UNFoundation grant!

Training Wheels is on a mission to offer preschool programming for children with medical and behavioral needs—kids who require a little extra TLC and support to thrive. Think: therapeutic play, STEM, art, music, and more, all in a nurturing, inclusive environment. Because these kids deserve to get their hands dirty with learning, just like any other preschooler.

With this grant, Training Wheels will hire an additional teacher, making sure each child gets the individual attention they need (because, let’s be real, 1:1 care goes a long way). This helps them expand their reach, meaning more kiddos can join in on the fun—whether that’s exploring STEM projects, jamming out to music, or just enjoying some much-needed playtime. And let’s not forget: parents will get some well-deserved respite too. Win-win!

Why does this matter? Because there are limited options for children with unique needs in the Chattanooga area. The demand for programs like Training Wheels is real—and the need for smaller class sizes and specialized care is only growing. With this grant, they’re able to meet that need head-on, ensuring these children get the early education they deserve without breaking the bank for families.

So, what’s next? More students, more growth, and the ability to make an even bigger impact in the community. Here’s to more learning, more laughter, and yes, more teachers in the spring semester.

Training Wheels Preschool is rolling full speed ahead, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to support them.

Camp Wakawalu | Downside Up

Congratulations to the now 2X UNF grant winner, Downside Up!

Downside Up is a nonprofit that envisions a world where all people with special needs and their loved ones have access to the environments and experiences they need to grow and thrive. They provide creative activities, fun and educational events, and family experiences for all ages and all abilities.

Our $3,000 will go to support families who have children with disabilities to experience an overnight weekend camp. But not just any camp.

Camp Wakawalu isn’t another conference or retreat. There are no sessions, no seminars, no keynote speakers. Camp Wakawalu is simply a camp, with a single purpose: to bring together children who have disabilities, and their families, for a weekend of away-ness.

Do you want to help, too? Donate, volunteer, or buy them something on their Amazon Wish List on their website. You can read about the grant they won for the 2018 Camp Wakawalu here.

Patten Towers Relief | The Enterprise Center

Did you know the nearly 180 residents of Patten Towers were displaced on March 27th, 2020 when there was a fire in their building? The building was condemned due to structural, smoke, and fire damage and all of the elderly, and or disabled residents are now residing in a series of hotels across the city.

The Enterprise Center, along with others, have been providing assistance in the form of volunteers to support daily meal delivery, help to pick up mail, laundry services, Food Bank deliveries, mental health and health care supports, provisioning of needed clothing and medical devices, and more. One of the biggest challenges has been the residents' inability to be mobile - to shop, to bank, to go to medical appointments, to purchase money orders to pay their rent (due June 1) and to visit with family.

Our $3,000 grant was used to provide each resident who is without transportation with an Uber voucher that would address mobility needs. The Enterprise Center will manage the process and will work with partners to disseminate the vouchers and to train the residents on their use.

Kickstart at Orange Grove Center | Operation Get Active

Established in 2009, a long-term vision for Chattanooga Football Club was to have a foundation to serve the Chattanooga community and enrich the lives of children and families in economically or culturally challenged neighborhoods.  Enter Operation Get Active. So far in 2019, which includes Spring and Summer seasons and the new pilot program, Kickstart, they have served 1,350 kids from 24 schools and 10 YFD centers.

Kickstart was launched in response to a critical need for adults with disabilities to have access to team-based, socializing sports activities to improve their health and well-being. People with disabilities are at a much greater risk for serious health problems associated with a lack of exercise or physical activity. Adults with disabilities were twice as likely to be physically inactive than those without due to a number of barriers, including personal ones such as pain, a lack of energy, or the perception that exercise is impossible, or environmental ones, such as a lack of access to a safe space, transportation, or mobility equipment.

Following Kickstart’s successful summer pilot, the plan is to expand the program to include services at Orange Grove Center for 30 participants in Spring 2020. Participants will work closely with a team of coaches to learn the rules of soccer and how to engage with the game in a friendly and cooperative way. Activities will take place once a week for eight weeks and include warm-ups, team-building, socialization, and of course, soccer. Additionally, they will provide a social outing for all participants to attend a Chattanooga Football game.

UNFoundation funding will go toward soccer equipment, jerseys, field rent, marketing, and salaries.

ASL Inclusion Youth Camping Crew | Southeast Conservation Corps

Did you know there are American Sign Language Inclusion (ASLi) trail crews in every other region in the country but the Southeast? These crews for deaf youth and young adults provide access to job training and skills in conservation or the outdoor environmental field. With Chattanooga gaining national recognition for its outdoor recreational opportunities, Southeast Conservation Corps (SECC) believes those perks should be extended to all members of our community. ASLi crews are one way to increase inclusion to a population of people who otherwise have greater barriers to access and less opportunity to work and explore our natural places. 

Our $985 grant will be used to purchase eight sets of camping equipment, one for each member of the ASLi crew. This includes eight tents, eight sleeping bags, and eight backpacks thanks to a pro deal from The North Face. This gear will be used by both crews in 2019, as they run consecutively, totaling the number of people being supported by the gear to 16 teens (16-19 years in age) in 2019. After launching the pilot crew this summer, SECC believes this program will build upon itself and operate annually as our other SECC teens crew do each summer. Get outside, folks.

Two Sensory Paths | Siskin Children's Institute

Siskin Children’s Institute is a staple in Chattanooga. They work to improve the quality of life for children with special needs and their families. They serve over 2,200 children a year through education, pediatric healthcare services, home & community-based programs and outreach services in the field of developmental disabilities. Our $3,000 grant will bring them two sensory paths, one in their Early Learning Center and the other in their Center for Developmental Pediatrics.

When a child with a sensory processing disorder such as Autism is in a general education classroom, their brain is trying to process several different things at once. From sitting up in the chair, the climate in the room, the other children next to them, the smells, the teacher talking, another child talking, the movements in the room, everything we usually can tune out, they are tuning into. 

SIskin’s children will have the opportunity to enjoy the sensory paths when they are feeling overwhelmed, need a break, or need to master a new skill. Their staff can also use it as a motivator as well as a tool for children to reach certain goals, such as following simple directions, counting to a certain number, recognizing letters, and so on. Parents will also benefit from having the sensory path as a motivator for their children and can enjoy seeing them achieve their goals. #winning

Camp Wakawalu | Theresa Nix

Theresa Nix runs Downside Up, a parent-directed non-profit providing support, education, and encouragement for parents, families, and others who love and care about people with Down Syndrome. Children are connected with the resources they need to grow and thrive. Our $2,500 grant will be used to make Camp Wakawalu free for all families who wish to attend. It will cover expenses like lodging at Camp Lookout, food, art, entertainment (Jennifer Daniels), & recreation for 150 campers May 4-6, 2018. 

Why fund this? Because uniting families who have loved ones with disabilities, creating more understanding in our community about the importance of inclusion, teaching PT and student teachers in our area who they will be helping someday when they graduate, and improving the lives of the families involved sounds like a win to us.

Sensory Friendly Concerts with CSO

The Chattanooga Symphony & Opera’s Sensory Friendly concerts feature performances by the String or Wind Ensembles in a space that allows for movement, interaction, or easy listening. Perfect for kids and families of all ages and abilities, these short performances feature themed programs with kid-friendly pieces, opportunities to meet the musicians and the instruments, and let kids (and parents!) experience the magic of music together!  Join us this season for one or all of our sensory friendly concerts in October, December, February, and April.  

We are excited to be partnering with the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga to provide this sensory concert series at no cost to Chattanooga families.