Prior to January 20, 2021, I had never heard of Amanda Gorman. Add it to the long list of things I am not cultured about. One can only digest so much content out there in the world, but I digress. On January 20th, I decided to watch the inauguration. In addition to the momentous occasion of our first female Vice President, I’m a huge Garth Brooks fan, so I was delighted to see him walk out in …
speech therapy
Orange Effect Foundation Reaches Milestone 5,000 Hours of Speech Therapy Grants
CLEVELAND - Dec. 16, 2020 - PRLog -- It is fitting that in addition to celebrating the fifth consecutive year of awarding grants for speech therapy and speech devices, the Orange Effect Foundation celebrates another exciting milestone. The Orange Effect Foundation has now funded 5,000 hours of speech therapy for children throughout the United States who otherwise would be …
Different? Not At All
Who’s different now? Watching an autistic grandson grow up, there was no question that in his preteen years, especially until the age of around ten, he was definitely different. He was different in that he did not look you in the eye or look at you at all when you talked to him, although he definitely was listening and understood what you were saying. His reactions to you were simply …
Speech Related Holiday Gifts for Preschoolers
Following our post about gifts for toddlers, we didn’t want to leave out their slightly older energetic counterparts, the preschoolers. You’ll see that in both posts many of the ideas can overlap ages. You’ll know what’s a good fit for the young one in your life. If you have any great suggestions to add please do comment! We love resources! At Home Scavenger Hunt. Any kind of scavenger hunt is …
It’s Not a Coin Flip
Earlier in 2020, I assisted in planning, as well as participated in the 1st Annual Orange Effect Foundation one-day 100-Holes of Golf marathon fundraiser. In the build-up to the marathon, OEF Co-Chairman Joe Pulizzi and I were interviewed by Northeast Ohio Sportscaster Tony Zarrella about the event, the foundation, and what we were hoping to accomplish. One question sort of stumped me, and it …
Reflections on Silence For Speech Therapy
Quick background. Over the weekend of November 13-15, 77 people took on the challenge of staying silent for 24 straight hours. They did this in support of the Orange Effect Foundation. This organization gives grants to kids who need speech therapy or a tablet device in order to communicate. In all cases, the grant recipients' families are unable to afford the needed resources and insurance is not …
Orange Effect Foundation’s Things We Are Thankful For in 2020
There are many people to thank for the success we have here at OEF. I think it is best to just show you by the numbers. 10 Board Members - Each bringing a valuable set of strengths to the whole. They are the champions of the cause. 1 Program Director - There’s always the person behind the scenes who doesn’t get near enough credit. Sometimes they don’t even give themself enough …
My Top 5 Speech and Development Toys for Toddlers
The holiday season is quickly approaching and if you’re like me you may be doing your shopping online this year. That could be due to the pandemic, or time restraints that come with working and parenting, or simply because it is easier. That said, I am also a huge proponent of shopping local. So while the links below are to Amazon, please consider seeing if your local community toy store has …
How to Write Excellent Speech Therapy Goals
The goals of speech therapy are what drives the child's progress and determine the course of therapy. With this being said, it is quite clear that writing great speech therapy goals matters more than people think. The goals are important for each participant in the therapy as you all get a chance to measure the success and exude motivation when the set objectives are achieved. But what if …
Orange Effect Foundation Grants Thirty Thousand Dollars for Speech Therapy
CLEVELAND - Sept. 23, 2020 - PRLog -- The Orange Effect Foundation is proud to announce that in September, the board of directors awarded $30,000 to needy children to fund speech therapy and speech devices. In the United States, one in nine children needs speech therapy. Unfortunately, many go without because their families simply cannot afford to pay. As board member …
Silence For Speech
Can You Go 24 Hours Without Talking? Here at the Orange Effect Foundation we know that some people go their whole lives without being able to verbally communicate. Our mission is to provide early intervention for children who have speech issues and help them communicate. One in nine children need some form or speech therapy. Often families cannot afford it, and insurance coverage is …
Navigating Our New Normal
I had (socially distanced) coffee with a mom last month who reached out because she couldn’t decide if in person or remote learning would be best for her autistic daughter. As we got to talking she mentioned that they had to stop speech therapy because of the pandemic. I was surprised her SLP (Speech Language Pathologist) hadn’t offered online sessions. The mom admitted that she didn’t really …