Emmaus Home Core Member Nick Steals the Show With His Talk 

at Philadelphia City Hall in Front of Hundreds of People!

A panorama shows the crowd at the opening celebration of the art show.

As part of the opening celebration for the Philly Autism Project Art Show at City Hall, Emmaus Home core member Nick spoke about his experience with art and what it meant to him.

Public speaking, especially for such a large crowd- could be a challenge for any of us, but Nick absolutely stole the show and blew everyone away!

Of course it was ambitious to have a core member with Autism speak in front of a large crowd, I think many of us involved were nervous in the weeks leading up to the event. However we kept Nick's best interest in mind- always mentally prepared to say, "This won't be beneficial for him, he cannot speak at this time." However he was very excited, and the performer in him came through!

The takeaway for me was about limitations. Along the way, we were all nervous, thinking, "Can he do this? Are we putting too much pressure on Nick?"

Of course, we gave Nick the option and free will to decline, but he was happy to do it. He knew he could back out at any time, but he also knew he had our support. We helped him write his speech, helped him practice, and encouraged him.

After the speech, his family were so appreciative that the Emmaus Home staff intuited that he could do this.

This is what sets Emmaus Home apart - we do not set limitations that do not have to exist. We want our core family members to achieve their greatest potential, all they need is opportunity and support.

Nick, along with fellow Emmaus Home core member Kevin, both had their artwork featured in the art show. Their work is encased in glass, along with the exceptional work of many other artists with intellectual disabilities, at City Hall now through April 27.

We could not be more proud of both men, and it was a very positive experience for all!

For more information visit Philly Autism Project Art Show Website by clicking here.

It's definitely worth a trip!

Philadelphia Autism Project Art Exhibit

The art works have already been submitted but the show is open to the public. Emmaus Home will be there. From the Philadelphia Autism Project:

 In honor of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, the Philadelphia Autism Project is launching the first collaborative art show Philadelphia: A Spectrum of Experiences.  Artists of all ages from the autism community in Philadelphia and surrounding counties are invited to submit for inclusion in the March – April 2018 exhibit.  This inaugural event is aimed at recognizing the talent of individuals with autism and increasing awareness of autism within the Philadelphia community. (Read more.)

Mass for Persons with Disabilities

From the Archdiocese of Philadelphia:

The Annual Archdiocesan Eucharistic Liturgy with Persons with Disabilities, The Deaf Community, Family, Friends and Caregivers: This annual Liturgy is held once a year at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul at 18th and Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia. Archbishop Charles Chaput, Archbishop of Philadelphia is the principal celebrant and homilist.  A light reception is held following the Mass.  All are Welcome. Save the date. This coming year the Mass is scheduled for March 24, 2018.  We encourage parish participation and individuals/parish groups to volunteer in assisting with all aspects of the Mass and reception. (Read more.)

From the Archdiocese of Philadelphia

Office for Persons with Disabilities & the Deaf Apostolate

1. Please assist in inviting families and individuals to this annual Mass. Parish groups or individuals who wish to assist with the Mass or reception are asked to contact the Office for Persons with Disabilities.   For more details or to register go to www.opdarchphilly.org or click here.

The Annual Archdiocesan Mass Honoring the Gifts of Persons with Disabilities, The Deaf Community, Family, Friends and Caregivers is Saturday, March 24, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul at 18^th and Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia.  Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., will be the principal celebrant and homilist.  There will be a reception immediately following the Mass featuring entertainment by Santino Dragon New Year Brigade.  All are Welcome.  To RSVP go to www.opdarchphilly.org, or call the Office for Persons with Disabilities at 215-587-3530.

2.       Spring Contact Meeting for the Office for Persons with Disabilities, April 28, 2018: The workshop will consider how to foster active participation in worship for children with disabilities and their families.  The disability contact/advocate for each parish is asked to attend. Clergy, parish staff, parents and other parish volunteers are welcome to attend. For more details or to register go to www.opdarchphilly.org or click here.

You Belong - How to Foster Active Participation in Worship:   This workshop will be offered on April 28, 2018 from 9:30 am to noon at the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center. Parish Contacts for the Office for Persons with Disabilities and other parish leaders are encouraged to attend. The presenters are: Dr. Geralyn Anderson Arango from Holy Family University and  Gilian Lally, a Behavioral Specialist.  For the flyer or to RSVP go to www.opdarchphilly.org, email: opd@archphila.org or call 215-587-3530.

3.      Mothers of Children with Disabilities Retreat, May 1, 2018:  Click here for the online flyer and registration.

Mothers of Children with Disabilities Retreat:  Tuesday, May 1, 2018 at Malvern Retreat House, Sr. Suzanne Mayer, IHM will direct a retreat for mothers and grandmothers who are raising children with disabilities and also those who have adult children with disabilities.  Fr. Jim Olson will be the celebrant for Mass.  There will be time to pray, reflect, and chat with other mothers.  To register on line go to www.opdarchphilly.com. For more information please contact Malvern Retreat House at 610-644-0400 or the Office for Persons with Disabilities at 215-587-3530. 

Sr. Kathleen Schipani, IHM
Director, Office for Persons with Disabilities & Deaf Apostolate

Archdiocese of Philadelphia

222 N. 17^th Street, Philadelphia PA 19103
215.587.3913 phone /267.507.1215 video phone
sr.kschipani@archphila.org

www.opdarchphilly.org / www.deafcatholicphilly.org / www.religoiusASLapp.com

 

Summer in the Forest

We at Emmaus Home love the 2017 film Summer in the Forest. From the film's website:

Like countless others Philippe, Michel, Andre and Patrick were labeled 'idiots', locked away and forgotten in violent asylums, until the 1960s, when the young philosopher Jean Vanier took a stand and secured their release - the first time in history that anyone had beaten the system. Together they created L'Arche, a commune at the edge of a beautiful forest near Paris. A quiet revolution was born. Now in his 80s, and still at L'Arche, Jean has discovered something that most of us have forgotten - what it is to be human, to be foolish, and to be happy.

SUMMER IN THE FOREST invites us to abandon the rat race and forge new friendships. Amid the ancient trees, Philippe, Patrick, Jean and the others welcome us into their lives. If there are rules to break, they will be broken and if there is a truth to be told, they will tell it. Michel reveals his war torn past, Andre is desperate for a date, and young David will prove himself a hero in the fight against the forces of evil. (Read more.)

Cooking Class at Emmaus Home

Cooking class is an excellent way to develop fine motor skills, practice following directions, and other practical and necessary skills as well.

To help our work with God's children at Emmaus Home, please donate HERE. May the Lord reward with eternal life all who do good to us in His Name.

Emmaus Home at the Franklin Institute

Emmaus Home recently had an exciting outing to the Franklin Institute. It is important for our adults to be in a such a fabulous learning environment with others to practice social skills and increase the thirst for knowledge.

To help our work with God's children at Emmaus Home, please donate HERE. May the Lord reward with eternal life all who do good to us in His Name.

Ben Franklin

The Franklin Institute

The Giant Heart

Technologies to Lessen the Distress of Autism

From Behavior Imaging:

While the incidence of autism has risen precipitously in the last decade, one thing hasn’t changed much. It is still enormously expensive to provide ongoing education and therapy for autistic children. One proven treatment for autism is early and intense educational intervention. However, for many parents, that intervention is cost and/or distance prohibitive. In some areas, there are few or no options for after-school care or babysitting.

The increased incidence of autism paired with an ongoing dearth of professional resources means that families often wait for weeks or months for an appointment and must travel to the nearest major medical center for care, sometimes over great distances. As they wait for meaningful care and instruction, the family faces a host of risks.

In the paper, we said:

The constant vigilance to protect one’s child, one’s family, and one’s partner as well as one’s self can leave parents irritable and on edge indefinitely. These symptoms may cause clinically significant problems in daily social and occupational functioning, both from the perspective of PTSD and other physical and mental/behavioral health perspectives

(Read more.)

Finding a Sitter

From Healthline:

The first place — and, arguably, the easiest — most special needs parents look to is within their own families and friend groups. Trust them? Absolutely! And they work cheap! But as grandparents age, or aunts and uncles move away, it can be difficult for parents to tap into that existing network. Additionally, you might get the sense (whether rightly or wrongly) that you are “imposing.” But, honestly, if you had abundant resources for your child care needs, you wouldn’t be reading this post anyway. (Read more.)

Autism Acceptance

From the Herald Sun:

Researchers from the University of Surrey have observed that when there is a lack of acceptance around the needs and preferences of autistic students in mainstream learning environments, they feel “limited” and “different”. They internalise the negative attitudes and reactions of others and unrealistically compare themselves with students who are neurotypical — as distinct from developing a sense of what they’re capable of.

I’m autistic, and the fear of not being accepted has shaped the person I’ve become. Wanting to seem “normal” often takes precedence over what might be better and safer for me. Rather than saying no, I’ll act like I’m enjoying brunch out at a restaurant, even if a quieter space would make it easier to connect with friends and family. If I feel besieged in a crowd, rather than slowly finding a way out or meditating to stay calm, I’ll spend most of my energy ensuring that I don’t appear to be affected. Which doesn’t mean that I’m not. It just means that I’m pretending not to be. And doctors have congratulated me for that. They have commended what they describe as my “adaptation skills” and the ability I have to not seem autistic. (Read more.)

Night to Shine

Friday, February 9th - 7:00pm
St. Malachy - Actors' Chapel
239 West 49th Street

Register HERE.

Night to Shine is an unforgettable prom night experience, centered on God’s love, for people with special needs ages 14 and older. On one night, February 9, 2018, more than 500 churches from around the world will come together to host Night to Shine for approximately 90,000 honored guests through the support of 175,000 volunteers! - Night to Shine Website

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Watch Last year's highlights here.

ADHD and Autism Diagnosis

From Health Beat:

 Like most 7-year-old boys, Darren Meeks loves to play with his monster trucks and ride his scooter, but Darren knows he's different. "I'm autistic, so I'm more sensitive," he said. Darren was diagnosed with autism at age four.

"He was diagnosed with ADHD a year later," said his mom, Myranda Meeks.

"Forty to 60 percent of children with autism also have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD," explained Dr. Geraldine Dawson, the director of the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development. Dawson said it's unknown why the conditions tend to overlap, but she said children with both may get a delayed autism diagnosis.

"In fact, those children are 30 times more likely to be diagnosed with autism after age six," she said. So, researchers at Duke University are conducting a study that focuses on early detection.

"We're going to be following 9,000 children from the community," stated Dawson. Researchers will measure the brain's response to information to help them better understand the link. "We want to see whether treating the ADHD symptoms will allow the child with autism to better benefit from early intervention," Dawson explained.

Myranda admitted life has changed after the dual diagnosis, but Darren is thriving in school and has lots of friends. (Read more.)

When Your ADHD Child is Upset

From the Child Development Institute:

Children with ADHD are more prone to meltdowns for a number of reasons. Often their brain circuitry for emotional regulation is dysfunctional in which it takes less to trigger an anger episode that lasts for a longer periods of time than other children. This is the result of faulty wiring. Working with them on relaxation techniques like taking deep breaths or counting to ten at the first sign of being upset can help. It is important for them to practice these when they are calm.

These kids often aren’t fully tuned in to what is going on around them and miss important information that causes them to misinterpret a situation and then react to what they think is going on rather than what really happened. If you are having a discussion with your child, pause frequently to make sure they are getting your point. Ask questions to make sure they understand and encourage them to ask you questions as well.

Some ADHD kids lack the ability to be flexible causing them to go into meltdown mode when there is a change in routine or an expected event does not happen. For instance a boy may be having a great time “rough housing” with his dad but does not want to stop when dad feels it has gone on long enough. This can become ugly and lead to fewer such play situations. Agreeing to use a timer and stop when the timer says to stop rather than dad might help avoid this. (Read more.)

Kevin and Martin Receiving Gifts!

Kevin

Kevin and Martin of Emmaus Home are recipients of the Christmas Giving Tree at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Media, PA! We wish to thank Fr. Bell and his parish for this great honor!

To help our work with God's children at Emmaus Home, please donate HERE. May the Lord reward with eternal life all who do good to us in His Name.

Martin

At Longwood Gardens

Patrick, Martin and Nick at Longwood Gardens

Emmaus Home Day Program visited Longwood Gardens today for a brisk walk around the lovely, festive displays!  Longwood Gardens participates in the Access Program which enables our participants entrance using their access cards - a TREMENDOUS DEAL - and savings. We are very grateful for the opportunity this program provides for us!

 For more of Longwood Gardens, visit their blog, HERE.

 To help our work with God's children at Emmaus Home to continue, please donate HERE. May the Lord reward with eternal life all who do good to us in His Name.

Ribbon-cutting at Emmaus Home

Anne and husband Larry get ready to cut the ribbon!

Our ribbon-cutting ceremony at our new facility was Saturday. It was a happy, festive day and we look forward to a bright future. We thank all of the friends who made it possible! Our new Day Program is located at 2989 Dutton Mill Road, Aston, PA. For more information contact us at 484-490-5623.

We're officially open for business!

To help our work with God's children at Emmaus Home to continue, please donate HERE. May the Lord reward with eternal life all who do good to us in His Name.

The Holidays at Emmaus Home

Nick and Grandmom

Anne at the Polar Express

Anne with State Representative Tom Killian

It's cold and snowing in Pennsylvania but at Emmaus Home there are warm hearts and happy times. And our work for adults with intellectual disabilities goes on. Christmas is coming and we need angels to pray for us at Emmaus Home, and help in any way they can, so that we may continue to offer shelter to God's vulnerable ones. Offerings in the name of the Child Jesus are accepted HERE. May God reward you! And may He reward with Eternal Life all who do good to us in His Name!

Marty Hugs Mrs. Santa

Anne with Emmaus Home treasurer Bob Moore

Christmas Party with the Third Order of St. Francis

Our local community of Third Order Franciscans invited Emmaus Home to their annual Christmas Party. Everyone had a wonderful time.

At the North Pole Express

It's snowing in the Philadelphia area. Caitlin and Kevin were at the North Pole Express!! It was a chilly but happy time! It is important for our adults with intellectual disabilities to enjoy outings!

Christmas is coming and we need angels to pray for us at Emmaus Home, and help in any way they can, so our work with God's vulnerable ones can continue. Offerings are accepted HERE. May God reward you! And may He reward with Eternal Life all who do good to us in His Name!

December 2017 Newsletter

Our new Day Program is located at 2989 Dutton Mill Road, Aston, PA. It is the perfect location and a beautiful space for our participants. After waiting for its completion and meeting in parks, libraries and nature centers for several months,we are very excited and proud to be in our new program’s home. It features professional administrative offices, reception area and conference room. The ABA compliant facility has a computer lab, kitchen and ADL training area. A bright and spacious creativity area facilitates our Art, Music, Crafts and other group activities.

We now have two residences: one at 601 Vernon Street in Media, PA, and another at 1519 Black Rock Road in Swarthmore PA. They are beautiful, well-appointed homes in safe and welcoming communities. The Media home can house 3 residents with our wonderful house parent, RoseAnna Yap, who has a master's degree in special education from the Philippines, and the Swarthmore home is the residence of two adults and our newest houseparent, Dr. Rafe Martinez Arrue, with a PhD in psychology. The Franciscan Sisters have welcomed the participants of our Day Program to their Tuesday Afternoon Bingo. Every week our guys gleefully yell out their number or “bingo” and the regulars lovingly cheer them on.

Our Advent Season began with the generous gift of Christmas trees from Schmidt's Nursery and Linvilla Orchards. The Christmas trees were duly erected and decorated in Marty and Kevin’s home, the Day Program, and in our Media home. All of our men love Christmas, but Kevin goes crazy over Christmas trees. And the trees were particularly beautiful.

We are having an open house ribbon cutting ceremony on December 15th. We invite everyone to come and join us for beverages and snacks. And join us for our Wednesday Morning Coffee House from 10:00 to 11:00 beginning on December 13, with fresh coffee, donuts and pastries.