CHANCES of Stone County offers new opportunity for children with disabilities
Club Daybreak Junior is designed especially for children who have not yet graduated from High School.
Kadee Brosseau DeCourley
CHANCES of Stone County serves developmentally disabled people through services, programs, and support. Now, a new program called Club Daybreak Junior is helping to continue that mission.
Club Daybreak Junior is a new branch of Club Daybreak. While the original Club Daybreak serves adults with special needs, Club Daybreak Junior is designed especially for children who have not yet graduated from High School.
“We thought, you know, younger kids should be able to enjoy this and get to know what’s available later on. So, we decided to launch into Club Junior,” CHANCES Administrator Judy Stone said.
Similarly to Club Daybreak, the Junior Club offers special activities, treats, and sometimes a group trip to enjoy a fun outing in the community. Club Junior met for the first time earlier this month. The group will continue to meet one Saturday, every other month.
“It was really fun. We had a great time. We do nice activities so they have something to take home and a snack,” Stone explained. “We just modify things and we fit their needs. And if they don’t want to do something, they don’t have to. That’s the club part of it. We will find something that they will like to do.”
Stone said the addition of Daybreak Club Junior is yet another way CHANCES has been continuing to grow, thanks in large part to the support of the community.
“We have been very fortunate this year to have some really nice donations that we would have never expected,” Stone said, “So, we thought we needed to put it back into the community, back into our population, and all of our clients.”
Stone said providing more support for people with disabilities helps them find confidence and helps encourage them to be themselves.
“Every kid has strengths and when they go to school or when they’re out in society, they don’t always see it. You can always find something that they just excel at. You find those things that make them feel better about themselves,” Stone said.”They get to be with peers and feel like they can do whatever they want. They don’t have to try to meet any kind of expectation for people. They can just be themselves. It’s nice for their parents to see that. It’s nice for them to be able to experience that.”
Daybreak Club serves only adults and meets three times every week. Daybreak Club Junior serves only children and meets once every two months. However, there is a program through CHANCES that serves both children and adults at the same time. M.A.D stands for meetings, activities, and development. M.A.D Saturdays take place once every other month. So, if children attend both Club Junior and M.A.D Saturdays, they have the opportunity to attend a CHANCES event once a month.
Stone said in recent years, programs that serve the developmentally disabled population in Stone County have grown, both with CHANCES and the Stone County Developmental Disabilities Board.
“It has just been a magnificent thing for Stone County. I think a lot of families are being served now,” Stone said. “It’s just such a good track that we are on now in Stone County for the developmentally disabled.”
She said giving everyone something to be a part of helps them truly feel like a member of the Stone County community.
“Just out in the world and feeling it and seeing it, being a part of it. They’re feeling like they have a purpose,” Stone said.
Anyone wanting to get involved in CHANCES or attend any program may call 417-272-0695 or go to chancesofstonecounty.org.
CHANCES of Stone County serves developmentally disabled people through services, programs, and support. Now, a new program called Club Daybreak Junior is helping to continue that mission.
Club Daybreak Junior is a new branch of Club Daybreak. While the original Club Daybreak serves adults with special needs, Club Daybreak Junior is designed especially for children who have not yet graduated from High School.
“We thought, you know, younger kids should be able to enjoy this and get to know what’s available later on. So, we decided to launch into Club Junior,” CHANCES Administrator Judy Stone said.
Similarly to Club Daybreak, the Junior Club offers special activities, treats, and sometimes a group trip to enjoy a fun outing in the community. Club Junior met for the first time earlier this month. The group will continue to meet one Saturday, every other month.
“It was really fun. We had a great time. We do nice activities so they have something to take home and a snack,” Stone explained. “We just modify things and we fit their needs. And if they don’t want to do something, they don’t have to. That’s the club part of it. We will find something that they will like to do.”
Stone said the addition of Daybreak Club Junior is yet another way CHANCES has been continuing to grow, thanks in large part to the support of the community.
“We have been very fortunate this year to have some really nice donations that we would have never expected,” Stone said, “So, we thought we needed to put it back into the community, back into our population, and all of our clients.”
Stone said providing more support for people with disabilities helps them find confidence and helps encourage them to be themselves.
“Every kid has strengths and when they go to school or when they’re out in society, they don’t always see it. You can always find something that they just excel at. You find those things that make them feel better about themselves,” Stone said.”They get to be with peers and feel like they can do whatever they want. They don’t have to try to meet any kind of expectation for people. They can just be themselves. It’s nice for their parents to see that. It’s nice for them to be able to experience that.”
Daybreak Club serves only adults and meets three times every week. Daybreak Club Junior serves only children and meets once every two months. However, there is a program through CHANCES that serves both children and adults at the same time. M.A.D stands for meetings, activities, and development. M.A.D Saturdays take place once every other month. So, if children attend both Club Junior and M.A.D Saturdays, they have the opportunity to attend a CHANCES event once a month.
Stone said in recent years, programs that serve the developmentally disabled population in Stone County have grown, both with CHANCES and the Stone County Developmental Disabilities Board.
“It has just been a magnificent thing for Stone County. I think a lot of families are being served now,” Stone said. “It’s just such a good track that we are on now in Stone County for the developmentally disabled.”
She said giving everyone something to be a part of helps them truly feel like a member of the Stone County community.
“Just out in the world and feeling it and seeing it, being a part of it. They’re feeling like they have a purpose,” Stone said.
Anyone wanting to get involved in CHANCES or attend any program may call 417-272-0695 or go to chancesofstonecounty.org.