2022 FCSN Scholarship Recipient: Joyce Lui

Meet Joyce Lui: a senior at Monta Vista High School located in Cupertino, California, who is incredibly passionate about the special needs community. Since 10th grade, she has been very involved in school and volunteering, finding various ways to support special needs children. From hanging out virtually over Zoom to pairing special needs individuals with a buddy at school, her journey of supporting special needs children started with FCSN. Continue reading 2022 FCSN Scholarship Recipient: Joyce Lui

Q&A: How to Help Children With Overeating Habits

Food and Nutrition Series #3
FCSN Voices has recently initiated a series of interviews with Cecillia Sun, Registered Dietitian (RD), on the important topics related to nutrition for children with special needs. In this interview, Cecilia addresses parentsโ€™ concerns regarding children (aged 13 and over) who have a habit of overeating. Continue reading Q&A: How to Help Children With Overeating Habits

Behind the Scenes of FCSNโ€™s Successful Art Exhibit, “Through Our Eyes”

From the opening night on September 9 to the public exhibition on September 10 and September 12-14, Friends of Children with Special Needs (FCSN) held their 1st Art Exhibit, “Through Our Eyes,” a celebration of special needs talents in the arts. FCSN has always valued the arts of their students and wanted to organize this showcase to give exposure to their artists and their art. Continue reading Behind the Scenes of FCSNโ€™s Successful Art Exhibit, “Through Our Eyes”

2022 FCSN Scholarship Recipient: Erica Chiu

Written by: Jessica Hung and Crystal Chen, FCSN Voices Youth/Senior Reporter Graphics by: Barkha Trivedi, FCSN Voices Graphic Artist For UC Davis fourth-year student Erica Chiu, her commitment to FCSN knows no bounds. In her five years at FCSN, she, again and again, defined volunteering as a timeless adventureโ€“continuing through college and into her career. Today, Chiu manages the Presidential Volunteer Service Award (PVSA) Program … Continue reading 2022 FCSN Scholarship Recipient: Erica Chiu

Beyond Picky Eaters: A Parentโ€™s Experience with Special Needs Nutrition

Food and Nutrition Series #2

Friends and family told Stephanie Tom, โ€œKids will get hungry and then theyโ€™ll eat what you give them.โ€ However, that was never the case with her son. โ€œHe could go a day without eating. Once he was diagnosed with autism, it made a whole lot of sense,โ€ Tom said. Tom, mother to a teenage autistic son, provides insight on special needs nutrition for other parents of special needs children as well as the general public. Continue reading Beyond Picky Eaters: A Parentโ€™s Experience with Special Needs Nutrition

Disability Community & First Responder Fun Festival

On Sunday, September 25th, the City of Fremont Human Relations Commission hosted its Disability Resource Festival, a festival to connect people with the special needs community and provide them with necessary resources. In memory of Feda and Muh Almaliti, the festival aimed to educate the special needs community about interactions with police and firemen as well as the necessary safety protocols. Continue reading Disability Community & First Responder Fun Festival

In-Person Workshop Make STEM Accessible to Neurodiverse Students

Written by: Claire Lin and Amanda Wu Graphics by: Olivia Koo When quarantine restrictions forced students to resort to online learning, Vikram saw first hand how challenging online learning was for his brother who has autism. He was determined to help the special needs community overcome this obstacle. Along with Deepesh, Varan, and Anit, who share his love of science and his determination to spread … Continue reading In-Person Workshop Make STEM Accessible to Neurodiverse Students

2022 FCSN Scholarship Program Recipients

Since the inception of FCSN in 1996, the organization has strived to improve and foster community amongst children who have special needs. FCSN encourages acceptance, improvement, and aims to create a feeling of closeness amongst those who take their time to dedicate their skills. In light of this, a scholarship was awarded for the second year in a row, the first of this kind having been given in 2021. The competition was expanded this year, and individuals who were involved in FCSN that showed a commitment to helping, promoting, and expanding opportunities for people with special needs as well as had financial needs themselves were those who were favored in the application process.ย  Continue reading 2022 FCSN Scholarship Program Recipients

Friends Coffee & Tea: Behind the Cookies

Newsletter #2
From almond crispies to snow bliss cookies, Friends Coffee & Teaโ€™s delicious sweets have a special meaning behind them. Each week, the shop holds a cookie training group session, working with a handful of special needs adults (age 22 and above) to teach them how to make these delicacies.ย  Continue reading Friends Coffee & Tea: Behind the Cookies