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About Kids Together, Inc.™
Mission Statement
"To promote inclusive communities
where all people belong"
The Goals of Kids Together, Inc. include a desire to remove barriers that
exclude people with disabilities.
We support the belief that children with
disabilities, like all children,
have the need to be welcomed, cherished and
embraced in our communities.
Listed below is the history, how to support Kids Together and our goals.
With your help we can make this website an even greater resource to
support and improve the quality of life for people with disabilities,
both children and adults. As volunteers submit useful information that
has helped themselves, their families or others, it will be added so
that the next person doesn't have to try and re-invent the wheel. The
information is intended to be helpful to families, professionals,
educators, advocates, self-advocates and the community!
Don't miss out on the awesome nationwide listserv dedicated solely to
creating inclusion in schools and communities, and our email newsletter!
All free!
Note: Kids Together, Inc is a federally trademarked name,
all use for other organizations is strictly prohibited.
History of Kids Together
Kids Together, Inc began in early 1995 as a large
children's festival attracting over 5,000 people to Quakertown, PA. It
was organized by volunteer parents of young children with
 disabilities.
Our goal was to promote children with disabilities being a part of what
every other child was, and just be kids. We wanted other people to
understand that having a disability was but one small part of our
children, and that they are more similar to all children then they are
different.
The theme of that first year's event was "celebrating
children with disabilities as equals in the community". The festival
continued to grow. Up to 7,000 attended and enjoyed the free
entertainment, activities, exhibits and information for the next four
years. The festival and the informative program was supported by many
local businesses. The entire event was made accessible to people of all
abilities, promoted a positive image of people with disabilities, and
used only people first language in all materials. All material such as
the program, flyers, handouts, t-shirts and all entertainment promoted
inclusion of people with disabilities. Oh.... and EVERYONE had fun,
TOGETHER!
While the festival was a huge success and helped to
educate many about acceptance of people with disabilities and inclusion
in school, recreation, employment and the community, in the year 2000,
Kids Together changed its focus to sharing information and resources
through other means such as the website, listserv, email newsletter
nationwide, and presenting, participating and providing input to state
agencies and statewide coalitions.
Together we can make a difference
Together we are better!
Supporting Kids Together,
Inc.
Kids Together, Inc. is a grassroots 501(c)3
non-profit all volunteer organization. All donations made to Kids
Together are tax-deductible for federal income tax purposes. A
non-member agency of United Way of Southeastern PA. Designate gifts to
Kids Together, Inc. through Specific Care, agency code # 5142.
While donations are needed, and will help maintain
the website, and organizational fees, there are other ways to help
support our organization.
Help improve our website! Notify Kids
Together if you find useful information to share with other parents and
professionals to create inclusion and improve the quality of life for
people with disabilities.
Find a broken link, or outdated information? Research
it and notify us of the error and send the updated link or info, this
would be extremely helpful, because this is all provided by
volunteer work!
Thanks!
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Music from
the Heart
Jeff Moyer
Internationally known songsmith, performer, and writer!
http://www.jeffmoyer.com/
Awesome music for all ages!
Educates, entertains, inspires and unites!
Help Support Kids Together
Use referral code
KTO and 25%
will go to Kids Together, Inc.!!
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Goals of Kids
Together, Inc.
The Goals of Kids Together, Inc. include a desire
to remove barriers that exclude people with disabilities.
We support the belief that children with disabilities, like all
children,
have the need to be welcomed, cherished and embraced in our communities
- make the regular environments of our communities more
special for everyone,
by helping them become accessible and better able to meet a
diversity of needs.
- project a positive image of children and adults with
disabilities
- promote practices that improve the quality of life for
children and adults with disabilities.
- promote practices that improve the support services for
children and adults with disabilities.
- provide information, resources, educational materials and
trainings on inclusion and issues on disabilities for parents,
teachers, school administrators, service providers, businesses,
therapists, recreational facilities and others.
- educate the public about inclusion and it's benefits for
everyone.
- demonstrate inclusive practices through various community
events.
Suggestions are always welcome.
Tax deductible donations can be made to Kids Together, Inc.
Write to:
Kids Together, Inc.
P.O. Box 574
Quakertown, PA 18954email staff @ kidstogether.org
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Pennsylvania
In November 2006 Kids Together started a petition
to
Support Pennsylvania's
Children with Disabilities
AND Dr. Rhen!
http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?drrhen&1
Over 700
signatures were gathered and the petition was submitted to
both the secretary of education, Gerald Zahorchek and
Governor Ed Rendell.
We questioned why Dr. Rhen who was leader in system change
was honored In July 2006 at the state transition conference,
stating in the brochure that Dr. Rhen is a strong advocate
for the preparation of youth to achieve successful post
school outcomes and, under her leadership, the Commonwealth
has made great gains and is viewed as a national leader.
Yet. in November they removed her???. |
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