On November 5, 2022, Friends of Children with Special Needs (FCSN) held the “Expand Our Dream” fundraising gala, and over 400 guests, supporters and volunteers attended the event at the wonderful Pearl Bay Restaurant in Fremont. Continue reading FCSN Gala 2022: Expand Our Dream
On October 29th, the long-awaited FCSN Halloween event returned to Ardenwood Historic Farm for a second year of fun-filled festivities. Visitors, FCSN students and their families, were welcomed to participate in a variety of events, including a haunted railroad ride, pumpkin decorating, and trick-or-treating. Continue reading Halloween Event for the Special Needs Community
Food and Nutrition Series #1
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 provides helpful tips to parents of picky eaters (ages 2-12). Continue reading Q&A: Helpful Tips for the Parents of Picky Eaters
Food and Nutrition Series #2
Friends and family told Stephanie Tom, “Kids will get hungry and then they’ll eat what you give them.” However, that was never the case with her son. “He could go a day without eating. Once he was diagnosed with autism, it made a whole lot of sense,” 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 Parent’s Experience with Special Needs Nutrition
From June 20 to July 18, FCSN held its 2022 Summer Dance Camp at the South Bay Center in San Jose. The camp consisted of weekly Monday lessons from 3:30-4:30 PM. Instructed by student volunteers Claire Luo and Melinda Wong, this summer dance camp taught students fun dance moves, while also encouraging overall fitness and being physically active. In a typical lesson, the two instructors would first lead students in warm-ups, stretches, and “across the floor” exercises. Then, they would spend the remaining 30 minutes teaching students two dance practices. Continue reading First Post-Pandemic Summer Dance Camp 2022
From June 27 to July 8, rising high school sophomore Aarav Sharma instructed a two-week badminton summer program dedicated towards introducing FCSN students to the sport. The camp was a major success, receiving plenty of positive feedback from the community. Continue reading How 14-Year-Old Aarav Sharma Made an Impact in Creating the FCSN Badminton Summer Camp
Newsletter #1
First started in April 2018, Friends Coffee & Tea is no ordinary coffee shop. In addition to offering a wide and unique array of drinks and pastries, it is a community mainly operated by special needs individuals where they can make friends and learn. In collaboration with FCSN, the larger mission of Friends Coffee & Tea is to provide workplace training for special needs individuals, who face high unemployment rates. At this shop, they have opportunities to learn shop management skills, exercise their creativity through baking, crafts, and art, and gain experience in a work environment. Continue reading Friends Coffee & Tea: Empowering the Special Needs Community
“Channeling hope, support, and awareness toward the special needs community” serves as the core mission of 16 FCSN clubs across California, each fully dedicated to supporting the special needs community. From introducing FCSN programs to students to increasing understanding of the special needs individuals in their communities, FCSN Clubs has grown from a tiny seed into a large family tree, extending its branches of inclusivity and love of neurodiversity to youth in schools and universities. Continue reading FCSN School Clubs: A Mission of Support and Awareness of the Special Needs Community for Youth
This is the inspirational story of Lydia who garnered the courage and strength to let her son Alex join their local Boy Scout troop. It was not easy for Lydia, and Alex also faced many challenges, but through meaningful participation over the years, and the support of troop members and other parents, Lydia saw Alex achieve goals that were beyond her expectation. Continue reading A Rewarding Experience in Boy Scouts
On April 12, 2022, FCSN unveiled a new name for their first Fremont Center: “Chenming & Margaret Hu Center” to honor Dr. Chenming and Margaret Hu for their on-going support and latest donation of half a million dollars to FCSN to help build better programs and improve its facilities. Continue reading FCSN’s Fremont Center Named “Chenming & Margaret Hu Center”
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