Check out the video of our 2019 holiday toy giveaway (click on VIDEOS above)
|
|
|
(
This is our 2022 fundraiser, we are purchasing these GameBoys to distribute
at special needs schools and programs around Staten Island (so far we have ordered 225 units)
(click on photo to donate)
This is our 2022 fundraiser, we are purchasing these GameBoys to distribute
at special needs schools and programs around Staten Island (so far we have ordered 225 units)
(click on photo to donate)
Our Story
Our first year (2017) - My name is John Louis Sublett, my son is John Jr. (he is 36 and has Autism). When he was a child and diagnosed with Autism, his first school was PS 37. We ran a toy drive for this holiday season and wanted PS 37 to receive all the toys that we received. I posted on my Facebook page, that I was running a toy drive for special needs children on the island. I named my toy drive “Toys 4 Autism”. I set up a wish list on Amazon ( we selected special toys that were good for children with ADD, Autism & ADHD). Before I knew it, my mail was flooded with gifts for these children. In total my son & I were able to put together 180 small gift bags ( each bag had three small toys, a candy cane, a blow pop and a chocolate marshmallow candy bar.)
We started the day by entering the auditorium and were treated to a holiday musical show put on by many of the different classes. We found Santa roaming the halls of the school and enlisted his help to distribute the presents to each classroom. I was amazed at how well structured each classroom was and how well equipped medically this school was. The staff was so friendly and you could see the caring for what they were doing. All in all it was a great day for everyone, the smiles on the children’s faces, when they received their gifts was awesome. But besides the kids, you could see the smiles on all us adults that were there to share some love. This was the 1st annual toy drive for www.toys4autism.org but it will not be the last.
We started the day by entering the auditorium and were treated to a holiday musical show put on by many of the different classes. We found Santa roaming the halls of the school and enlisted his help to distribute the presents to each classroom. I was amazed at how well structured each classroom was and how well equipped medically this school was. The staff was so friendly and you could see the caring for what they were doing. All in all it was a great day for everyone, the smiles on the children’s faces, when they received their gifts was awesome. But besides the kids, you could see the smiles on all us adults that were there to share some love. This was the 1st annual toy drive for www.toys4autism.org but it will not be the last.
|
Our second year (2018) - We actually did 4 events, giving out close to 400 Toy Gift Bags. PS 37 was the first stop with about 150 toys bags distributed. A few days later we hooked up with the ladies of Staten Island Autism Warriors. They had a holiday party with Ink Couture. We gave out about 100 gift bags at this event. The following week we headed to Mount Loretto and joined the holiday party for PS 3 and PS 25. We gave out over 125 toy gift bags at that event. Finally, we joined Hungerford School for their Holiday sale and fair where we sold toys ( for a nickel or a dime) to each class so they could fill their holiday shopping list. ( All the profits were given to Hungerford PTA)
|
Our third year (2019) - We connected with "Lifestyles for the Disabled" They asked for 350 toy gift bags to be given out by Santa at their holiday party. We were so proud to take this on. In the gift bags were our usual assortment of fidgets and a few snacks. What we are most proud of is that in 300 of those gift bags we put an MP3 Music/Video player. We personally charged each one and loaded each with over 500 songs and about 60 music videos. The player also has a built in FM radio and has 8GB of memory. Each came with earphones and a USB charging cable. Feedback from the teachers were very positive, they said all the guys and girls loved their new music players.
Our fourth year (2020) - We are hoping to give out 500 gift bags this coming year.
The main thing in these bags will be a 400 in 1 Gameboy handheld
that can also be hooked up and played on any TV set.
We partnered up with 'Lifestyle for the Disabled' to give out these Gameboys !
The main thing in these bags will be a 400 in 1 Gameboy handheld
that can also be hooked up and played on any TV set.
We partnered up with 'Lifestyle for the Disabled' to give out these Gameboys !
Our fifth year 2021 will be at 2 locations - 30 toy bags were distributed at James Murphey Prep and we did a giveaway at "Lifestyles for the Disabled" for over 300 guys and gals
Our 2021 Toy Giveaway
This is what we are working on for of 5th Annual Toy Drive
A toy giveaway at Eden 2
What are Fidget Toys ?
When you think about autism treatment, you have to first realize that that there is no way to cure autism. But there are ways to help some of the behaviors associated with it.
One of those ways is to address the sensory symptoms of autism.
Children as well as adults with autism have a lot of sensory issues. They are overly sensitive to some sensory stimuli – such as too much noise, smells, light, the feel of clothes or other things, and taste – but sometimes they crave it, too.
By definition, kids with autism and sensory issues have an unregulated sensory system. It doesn’t know how to process the information it’s taking in. They need somehow to achieve a kind of equilibrium that the rest of us takes for granted. They do that by actively avoiding some stimuli and actively seeking out others. This can look a lot like just plain acting out, but there are actually very strong and biological reasons behind it.
So what do you do? Enter the realm of fidget toys.
What are fidget toys?
Fidget toys are anything that can help regulate your child’s sensory system.
Fidget toys as an autism treatment have been around a long time. Sometimes they are some sort of plastic toy in your child’s hand, distracting them and their brain so that they can concentrate. Other times it’s something squishy, something that makes clickety noises, or something that requires tactile manipulation to move or put back together.
What is it about fidget toys that makes them such a desirable autism treatment?
Well, kids with autism have high amounts of anxiety. Do you know how when you have a lot of anxiety, it makes it really hard to focus? Well, it’s like that for kids with autism nearly all the time.
They have so many thoughts and feelings crowding their brain, that to have something they can touch with their hands, suck on with their mouths, or otherwise occupy part of their brain with, concentration is a lot easier.
It’s like if you can keep the part of your brain that is being bombarded with all these sensory and other sorts of messages busy and calm, then you can actually use the remaining part of your brain to think, and to work.
Some kids chew sugarless gum. Some, particularly ones who need oral stimulation, wear chewable jewelry. Some like to play with puzzles in their hands, or feel fabrics that are soft and comforting. Sometimes sitting on a ball, such as a Pilates style ball, will help, because it engages certain sensory systems in the body that allow the sensory system to reach equilibrium, or simply be calmer.
Did you ever find that if you snack on something when trying to think about an important project, you seem to be able to think better? It’s the same principle. Their needs are just much greater than ours.
There are whole websites devoted to nothing more than fidget toys. There are fidget toys of every kind imaginable. But the important thing to focus on, is what kind would most benefit your child?
What kind of fidget toy is best as an autism treatment?You will want to have an occupational therapist do an evaluation on your child with autism to figure out which areas of their sensory system are most in need of work. But in the meantime, observe their behaviors. Are they constantly grabbing onto things, touching everything they see? Are they always putting things in their mouth? Does music seem to soothe them instantly? Follow their lead.
Most autistic kids with sensory issues respond to things in their hands that they can play with quietly. This form of autism treatment is like a sensory integration therapy. A Koosh ball, for example, is something that is easy to get a hold of, cheap, and effective.
The feeling of a Koosh ball is very soothing and distracting in a good way. Other children with autism who like to squeeze will do well with stress balls. Things that are soft, squishy or gooey can work wonders.
When used as an autism treatment, fidget toys can help a child with autism focus more and attend to his environment. But it is important to switch out fidget toys from day to day or week to week. Why? Your child may get bored with them and then they will not hold his attention anymore. Save the really good fidget toys for situations in which attention is extremely important, and take them away after the situation is over.
Packages coming in from donors
|
Putting the gift bags together
|
These are all specialized toys for Autism, ADHD & other learning disabilities
|
|
CATERING
How you can help
|
You are visitor #
