Unity in Diversity: Disability Resource Festival

It was a warm day with the sun shining brightly as crowds of people of all ages and backgrounds eagerly followed the neon markers labeled “This Way to the Disability Resource Festival.” Held on September 24 at Ardenwood Farm in Fremont, the Disability Resource Festival was hosted by the City of Fremont Human Relations Commission, in partnership with FCSN. The goal of this free event was to connect people with disabilities at all ages and to promote safety with law enforcement in the disabled community. In a day full of festivity and information, participants visited many booths by community organizations and attended safety demonstrations by police and fire departments, all while soaking in the lively music, games, and entertainment.  Continue reading Unity in Diversity: Disability Resource Festival

Empowering Social and Emotional Growth: The Kid & Teen Social Play Group for Special Needs Children

Every day, many special needs children face new, uncomfortable, and unfamiliar situations. They need important life skills to handle the complex world of social interactions in various settings. How can they express and cope with their emotions when someone hurts or upsets them? How can they start and maintain a conversation when they want to talk, play, and make friends with others? The Kid and Teen Social Play Group program at FCSN is here to help them by teaching how to identify, express, and manage their feelings, communicate and solve problems with others, take different perspectives, and work as a team. Continue reading Empowering Social and Emotional Growth: The Kid & Teen Social Play Group for Special Needs Children

FCSN GYVers 2023: Rosalie Chiang

As a young actor, 18-year-old Rosalie Chiang has already accomplished impressive milestones in her career, including being the voice actor for the main character Mei Lee of Turning Red. While Rosalie is known for her voice and acting skills, a big part of her identity lies elsewhere: giving back to the community. FCSN has always been a key part of her story. Having joined FCSN at an incredibly young age and growing up with the organization by her side, the recent high school graduate has not only made a defining impact on the organization but has also learned valuable lessons while volunteering.  Continue reading FCSN GYVers 2023: Rosalie Chiang

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

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

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

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)”