As we head into the lazy days of summer after wrapping up an unconventional school year, families with children with special needs must continue to reinforce  the lessons and skills gained throughout the year in order for their kids to maintain forward momentum. The Shooting Star Foundation is helping low income families with special needs children “stay in the swing” of learning during the COVID-19 summer with a $20,000 donation to telehealth and educational therapy providers. The money will pay for the appropriate equipment and technology for families so their children can continue therapy virtually.

“The low income families we support, already struggle to afford these services simply cannot afford to purchase the devices or a monthly Internet fee to connect with their providers.” said Morgan Traynor, member of the Shooting Star Foundation Board of Directors. “As a mother of a daughter on the autism spectrum, I can attest that telehealth has given her structure in an unstructured time which will be particularly beneficial during the summer months. This is the kind of comfort we are hoping to provide for Shooting Star recipients to help their children adapt to the ever-evolving new normal and reach their goals.”

The Shooting Star Foundation was eager to work with providers and offer a solution for families. An initial $20,000 donation was split between two providers, Fraser and St. David’s Center for Child and Family Development to kick-start/jump-start their telehealth presence. Their efforts combined with the Shooting Star Foundations donation for the equipment will help Minnesota families bridge the summer learning gap and stay consistent with therapy that will ensure a more productive adult life for the children receiving it.

“We have had parents in tears and on the verge of making an incredibly difficult decision to put a hold on services until clinics could reopen because they are unable to afford a device to support telehealth services for their children during the Stay-At-Home order.” said a Fraser representative. “The Shooting Star Foundation’s donations have made our ability to serve our most vulnerable clients a possibility.”

As medical professionals are preparing for a possible second coronavirus wave in the fall, The Shooting Star Foundation will continue to work with providers to find innovative ways to make the biggest impact for Minnesota families during this difficult time. The foundation is planning to host a virtual gala in the fall and is continuing to collect donations throughout the summer to continue to support ongoing telehealth initiatives for families who live outside of the metro.

To make a donation to the Shooting Star’s telehealth initiative go to shootingstarfoundation.org/swingingonastar/

To stay up-to-date on the information for the Swinging On A Star virtual gala, follow the Shooting Star Foundation on Facebook facebook.com/theshootingstarfoundation.