Dear Supporter of the Chuck Jones Center,Today, I want to share a special story that demonstrates how the Center for Creativity can enhance the lives of children on the autism spectrum, after which I’d like to ask for your help to expand this type of impact in our community.
Let me tell you about Drew, my son, who is on the autism spectrum, and his friends. As we’ve come to learn over the years, young people with autism, like Drew, face imposing challenges. Physical and social awkwardness. Rejection and solitude. Friendlessness. Hyperstimulation. Attention deficit. Anxiety. Depression. All coupled with a fear of entering new situations and encountering new people.
Because we believe that these special young people deserve to socially engage -- and that creative activities help make that happen for them -- my wife and I, with some trepidation, planned a creative workshop for “our kids” at the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity. Once we arrived, something truly miraculous happened. Thanks to the welcoming atmosphere and the encouragement of our art guide, Drew and 15 other kids just like him overcame their fears—and emerged from their cocoons.
They didn’t draw, paint or build alone, they engaged with each other. According to one mother, her son Todd talked freely with other children for the first time, instead of quietly sitting in the corner of the room. Todd and his newfound friends worked together to construct a “laser gun”—on the way to capturing the Road Runner. He laughed and smiled. For more than a week thereafter, his teachers commented on how buoyant and forthcoming he was in class. They marveled and wondered why. Todd, as his mother related, said: “I really like being creative, mom. It makes me feel good.”
I can’t imagine a stronger endorsement of the Center. However, these programs don’t happen without cost. We’d like to plan next quarter’s creative workshop for those on the autism spectrum. I am asking you today to join me and others like you in donating whatever amount you can afford, to help make that workshop happen.
Todd and Drew are looking forward to meeting up again at the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity and to exercising their creative genius. Your support today can make that happen as well as furthering our ability to serve youth in the community with our after-school enrichment programs, and seniors through our healthy brain-aging programs.
Your contributions to the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity of time, talents or money matters greatly. The work of the Center couldn’t happen without you.
Our programs can impact children from every demographic, every educational ability, and all walks of life.
Please click the Donate Today button on the top right of the Home page to make your donation. If you’d like to support the Center by giving of your time and talents, please contact Cyndi Burgess at 949-660-7793 or at Cyndi@ChuckJonesCenter.org for more details.
Sincerely,
Mike Smith
Board of Directors, Chuck Jones Center for Creativity