FCSN Family Gathering at South Bay Center Hosts a Variety of Activities for Families 

On September 2nd from 4 PM to 7 PM, FCSN’s South Bay center was bursting with music, laughter, warmth, energy, and creativity as FCSN members gathered for the bi-weekly family gathering. Between 4 to 6 PM, youth volunteers guided special needs children and teens through different activities. There were stations for dance and drawing, and the center also hosted a social skills session. Groups rotated after 20 minutes at each station. While the special needs students were busy with the fun activities, in a separate room of the center, speakers CK Lee and Jason Hwan covered FCSN updates and goals for the 2023–2024 year at the parent seminar. Parent seminars go over a variety of topics from self-improvement ideas to FCSN organization updates. At 6 PM, attendees enjoyed a dinner of grilled chicken and vermicelli and cabbage salad over rice, prepared by parent volunteers.  Continue reading FCSN Family Gathering at South Bay Center Hosts a Variety of Activities for Families 

FCSN GYVers 2023: Jennie Wang

Between her work at SNTutoring and FCSN Voices, Jennie Wang’s volunteer service has been invaluable to the special needs community. A hard working and determined volunteer and a strong advocate for neurodiverse children, Jennie has worked tirelessly for the past 2 years with the goal of raising awareness for issues that are commonly brushed over in the neurodiverse community. Continue reading FCSN GYVers 2023: Jennie Wang

Parent Sharing on Housing Topic

Special needs adults are often challenged with the difficulty of finding affordable and sustainable housing. According to the Center for American Progress, nearly 25 percent of more than 580,000 homeless people on any given night in the United States have a disability. FCSN members Alice Liu and Edmend Lin, along with other parents, tried two different approaches – an accessory dwelling unit and a dwelling owned by a parent LLC (limited liability company) – to address this issue for their beloved ones. Continue reading Parent Sharing on Housing Topic

FCSN 2023 Art Exhibition: Color Beyond Lines

On a sunlit afternoon, vibrant energy among FCSN families filled the air with joy and warmth. Laughter, chatters, and smiles were all around accompanied by music playing in the background by FCSN’s talented musicians. Amidst this lively atmosphere, FCSN presented its 2nd art exhibition in 2023 following its first exhibition – Through Our Eyes – at the South Bay Center. The exhibition ran from August 25 to September 1 from 10am to 4pm with a special grand opening night on the first day with guest speakers, refreshments prepared by Friends’ coffee, and great turnouts with 183 guests, 50+ dedicated staff, and volunteers. Continue reading FCSN 2023 Art Exhibition: Color Beyond Lines

FCSN GYVers 2023: Ashley Ma

Every Sunday, Ashley Ma brought not only over ten years of experience as a pianist, but also a heart full of compassion and patience to the FCSN South Bay community through her work at Special Melodies Choir Program, a class for neurodiverse individuals to enjoy singing and dancing in a group setting. Throughout her journey from assistant teacher to Executive Committee member, Ashley’s service over the past five years has been invaluable to special needs students and the Special Melodies program alike. Continue reading FCSN GYVers 2023: Ashley Ma

Almaden Valley-Willow Glen Rotary Club and FCSN Celebrate With Summer Barbecue

On August 11th, 2023, Almaden Valley-Willow Glen (AVWG) Rotary Club hosted a BBQ at John D. Morgan Park with the assistance of the City of Campbell. With over 200 attendees, the BBQ celebrated the camaraderie between the AVWG Rotary Club and FCSN. As the Dream Achievers and the South Bay Percussion Group raised a cheering, dancing crowd with their stellar performances, members of the AWVG Rotary Club served up sizzling hamburgers, chips, drinks, and big smiles.  Continue reading Almaden Valley-Willow Glen Rotary Club and FCSN Celebrate With Summer Barbecue

FCSN GYVers 2023: Natalie Hsia 

Natalie Hsia, a recently graduated senior from Cupertino High School, has left a profound impact as a volunteer at FCSN over the past four years. Her journey began with a realization that every student possesses the unique needs and qualities that deserve attention and understanding. Through her commitment to tutoring at FCSN, she found a wonderful way to connect with each student on a personal level, gaining invaluable insights into their individual personalities.  Continue reading FCSN GYVers 2023: Natalie Hsia 

Osgood Project Update

For the past dozen years or so, on and off, FCSN had been looking for ways to expand its facility in Fremont due to the long waiting lists, and the lack of space for offices and programs. Finally, in May 2021, FCSN acquired an 18000 sf building at 42080 Osgood Rd in Fremont. In 2022, FCSN design team worked with architects from T Square Consulting Group and completed the initial design for the building’s renovation. Continue reading Osgood Project Update

2023 FCSN Scholarship Program Recipients

As FCSN continues its goal of building a welcoming community and improving its programs and events, for the third year now, FCSN offered its scholarship fund to youth volunteers in support of their college education and in recognition of their valuable contribution to the special needs community. As part of the scholarship committee chair, Jason Hwan (co-president of FCSN) explains, “We really want to give this opportunity to recognize and show our appreciation to those wonderful volunteers.” Continue reading 2023 FCSN Scholarship Program Recipients

Drama Camp Performs Another Exciting Play “Despicable Me (With a Twist)”

Have you ever seen a play performed by children with special needs? Ms. Anna Wang, the founder of FCSN, created the FCSN drama camp for children with special needs 12 years ago. In the last 12 years, the drama camp has performed various themed shows, such as Zootopia, Cars, Finding Nemo, and many more. This year, the FCSN drama camp was held from July 26th to July 29th, revolving around the theme of “Despicable Me” and led by Camp and Play Directors Kelly Ko and Penny Sapkunmongkun. With teamwork, beautiful prop designs, well-rehearsed actors, and many funny scenes, this year’s successful drama camp left show attendees entertained and satisfied.   Continue reading Drama Camp Performs Another Exciting Play “Despicable Me (With a Twist)”