Welcome to our Board Member Spotlight, featuring Kristin Erbacher, the Board Chair of the Orange Effect Foundation. Kristin is a driving force behind the Orange Effect Foundation's impactful work. Today, we take a break from our usual topics as Kristin shares her insights about the local dining scene in and around Cleveland. From cozy neighborhood bistros to trendy fusion eateries, Cleveland has …
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The Orange Effect Foundation Announces Second Quarter Grants for 2023.
The Orange Effect Foundation is proud to announce it's Second Quarter Grants for 2023. With a commitment to empowering children and young adults with speech disorders, the foundation has awarded a total of $43,254 to 21 individuals across the United States. These grants have been selected through a rigorous review process led by the dedicated members of the Orange Effect Board of Directors. …
Honoring Dads this Father’s Day
Happy Fathers Day to anyone out there who has been a role model in a child's life. Remember you are a crucial part of that child's upbringing. And to those of us who have lost a parent, I know these holidays can be difficult, but let’s remember how important our parents were in our upbringing and do our best to carry that tradition on to younger generations. Many of those present …
Board Member Spotlight: Pam Pulizzi
Have You Ever Been To Pickwick and Frolic? Cleveland has an eclectic and all inclusive food and entertainment scene. To be honest we have come such a long way just in the last 10 years. So much so that it is often hard to decide where to entertain friends and family when they come to town. One of my favorites though, is Pickwick and Frolic, located on E. 4th Street and also home to …
A Speech Therapy Success Story
Adam* was six when he first walked into my speech therapy office. He had bright, curious eyes and the energy of eight children at their first sleepover. He wanted to touch every toy in the room — and he definitely wanted to talk! When he tried to speak, however, the words rumbled around his mouth like a toddler holding an open lemonade — his words were ice, unable to decide whether to stay …
Speech-Language Concerns? Don’t Wait – Evaluate!
“They’re still young - let’s just wait and see.” Coming from a pediatrician, this phrase holds a lot of power over parents worried about their child’s speech and language skills. The parents may have expressed a concern that their two-year-old hasn't started talking yet, is only saying a few words, or is very hard to understand. When the pediatrician brushes it off as not a big deal, the natural …
National Speech Language Pathologist Day
The month of May brings so many things – signs of summer, graduations, weddings, and so much more. May is also Better Hearing and Speech Month. Part of that is National Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) Appreciation Day on May 18. SLPs are VERY important to us here at the Orange Effect Foundation. One example of this is that every application is required to involve a speech-language pathologist …
Board Member Spotlight: Joe Pulizzi
One of my passions is golf. Ever since I got to the age where I couldn’t hit a fastball, golf became my sport of choice. Golf was the game where I spent two hours with my dad on a Saturday morning or four hours on a Sunday with my friends. Or a random nine holes somewhere on a discounted Wednesday afternoon. For the past 20 years I’ve been in a golf league (St. Bridget’s) where I had the …
Honoring Mothers
I’ve had a lot of people in my life who have been a role model to me. I am thankful to every one of them. However, especially now as a mom, I find Mothers Day to be extra special. It’s fun to look back and reminisce about the things our parents did for us. Most of us don’t recognize the sacrifice parents make until we are adults ourselves. Here are some thoughts from our board members about their …
Spring Showers Bring May Flowers and Summer Vacation! So soon?
Where I live in Ohio, many elementary and high schools finish their school year at the end of May. I know this is not the case for everyone, but no matter where you live, summer is coming up fast. I love summer. I enjoy the break from the rigors of the schedule that comes during the school year. Traffic patterns are different, more kids are out and about playing, and overall the mood …
6 Bedroom Design Considerations for Kids With Autism or Sensory Processing Issues
Lighting, colors, design, and furniture are all elements that help make your child’s bedroom safe and comfortable. For kids with special needs, bedroom design involves more than painting the walls their favorite color and buying sheets with a beloved cartoon character. You must also consider how lighting, colors, and furniture might affect your child’s comfort, safety, and …
When Someone Else Can Put It Into Words
Being the parent of a child with Autism is no easy task. To those of you doing it every day this is not new news. I’ve read so many books by the experts about everything from causes to best practices, but never have I been so struck by a book as I was when I read The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer. Let me backtrack just a little. I am in a book club that I love. After so many years of …
