Take 2: Teaching Children w/ Autism Washington, DC

When someone called saying they’d just heard great things about Take 2 on our local NPR station, we thought they were confused.  We knew nothing about it. 

It turned out, though, that Global Giving gave Take 2 a huge plug during an interview on WAMU’s Metro Connection.  Global Giving was highlighting its “Pulling for the Underdog Fund," and used Take 2 as an example of a deserving local project. 

Below we've pasted the transcript of that portion of the show, in which WAMU's Rebecca Sheir interviewed Global Giving's Chief Giving Officer, Donna Callejon. 

SHEIR

13:29:41

What are some local underdog projects that are involved with GlobalGiving and the, "Pulling for the Underdog," fund?

CALLEJON

13:29:47

Yeah, one person who is just really amazing here is Lisa Greenman who runs an organization called, "Take 2." She's a lawyer so it's completely in her spare time. She and another person started up this organization. And it's very much focused on children with mild cases and forms of autism, like Aspergers Syndrome. There are thousands of kids in the D.C. Metro area who are suffering from these kind of mild versions of autism and so she and her partner created this camp here in D.C. for kids.

CALLEJON

13:30:20

And it's really looking at taking, you know, studies from N.I.H. and a lot of the other medical research groups and applying the latest in the technologies for socialization for kids. She's basically a start-up little, you know, organization. And so she found us and was able to raise $20,000, I think, for her camp through GlobalGiving.

*******************************************************************************************************************************

So now we have yet another reason to thank Global Giving, which has brought us to the attention of so many people we otherwise could not have reached. 

We thank Global Giving and all of you for your support as we prepare for our EIGHTH summer serving DC area children and families!

Sincerely,

Monica & Lisa

Links:

• You can read the entire transcript of the show here
• You can read about the Pulling for the Underdog Fund here
• And of course we hope you'll visit Take 2's Global Giving site h

Dear Take 2 Supporter,

Each year, Take 2 serves children whose social challenges prevent them from participating in virtually any other camp.  The program offers the fun every child looks for in a summer experience, and also something more: a rigorous, carefully structured curriculum that teaches social skills, self-regulation, executive function and self-advocacy to children with autism spectrum disorders and strong verbal skills.  Those are big concepts for children who are just 8, 9 and 10 years old but, as their parents can tell you, they represent the keys to the social kingdom.  For Take 2 campers, it is this set of issues more than any other that will determine their futures.  They have wonderful talents and abilities, great stores of knowledge and terrific senses of humor, but in order to share these gifts with the rest of the world, they need very intensive instruction and support. 

Thank you for your help in bringing the resources of Take 2 to families who would not otherwise be able to afford them.   We’re so grateful for your support.  We know that many of you have given recently and generously.   Thank you!  We love how Global Giving allows us to stay in touch with donors and provides access to so many smaller ($10, $25, $50) contributions that, when added together, keep us financially healthy.  If you haven’t yet made an end of year gift to Take 2, we hope you’ll consider one now.  You can use this Global Giving link: http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/teaching-children-with-autism/ 

From all of us to all of you:  warm wishes for a happy and health 2011.  Enjoy your holidays!

Gratefully,

Lisa Greenman & Monica Adler Werner

P.S.  If you're new to Take 2, you may be curious about the Pink Panther logo above.  The Pink Panther has been a Take 2 mascot each year, and the design above was this summer's T-shirt. We love the Pink Panther for many reasons, including the fact that he’s silent.  During camp, we watch clips from the Pink Panther cartoons (not the Peter Sellers movies, which feature real actors) and talk about how amazing it is that you can tell what people are thinking if you carefully observe their expressions and their body language, even if they say no words at all.  The exaggeration and humor of the Pink Panther make this work memorable and fun. 

Throughout the summer, the Pink Panther helps campers become “Friendship Detectives,” solving the mystery of friendship.  For children with autism spectrum disorders, social interaction is mysterious and confusing.  Often it is also frustrating or even frightening.  After repeated experiences of failure, many children stop trying, and isolate themselves in order to feel safe and less uncomfortable.  Take 2 is a refuge for these kids, but it provides so much more than respite.  Thank you again for your support!