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 A word from our founders, David and Anjali As autism families navigate the ever-changing landscape of challenges before them, Family Initiative has been working hard to be there for them across Florida. Whether it’s establishing a new innovative educational program to offer parents’ choice in their child’s education by launching Thrive Academy, or by being in the Big Bend community with boots on the ground to assist in hurricane recovery for families, FI is on the move. Read more about these updates here and please join us for All In For Autism Casion Night to support our continued efforts to redefine autism across Florida!  1st Annual Family Initiative Open House We are thrilled to be hosting our 1st Annual Open House on September 13th at our Autism Support Center: 734 SW 4th Street Cape Coral, FL 33991! Start time is 5:30pm. We will have appetizers from G3 Catering and beverages for a laid-back, open-door event dedicated to teaching our community about our services, programs, work force training, and our brand new Thrive Academy High School! Feel free to bring a friend! RSVP to Rachel at [email protected]  Our FI team was fortunate to serve alongside our partners with Florida Department of Children and Families and APD Florida (Agency for Persons with Disabilities) in supporting families impacted by Hurricane Idalia in Madison, Taylor & Suwannee counties. Our team distributed over 100 sensory kits, headphones, food & water to families in need. FI continues to work tirelessly across Florida to ensure special needs families are supported when facing the most challenging moments.        Thrive Academy- A Family Initiative Project School Serving Southwest Florida Students with Autism Opens in Cape Coral Made Possible by $5 Million in State Funding CAPE CORAL, Fla., (September 7, 2023)—The board of directors of Family Initiative Inc. announce the opening of Thrive Academy, a private high school for students on the autism spectrum. Family Initiative, a non-profit serving child on the autism spectrum and their families since 2015, recently received $5 million in state funding thanks to the efforts of local and state officials. State Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka and State Sen. Jonathan Martin supported the bill to acquire the funding to help fill a gap in special education in Southwest Florida. This bill was passed and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to fund a world-class, scalable education model for teens and young adults on the autism spectrum. The state funding is to acquire a school facility and further develop an integrated curriculum/therapy program to include grade appropriate classes, workforce training as well as on-site Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Occupa- tional Therapy (OT) therapy. Thrive Academy will build on the micro school Family Initiative piloted during the 2022 school year where 10 high school students on the autism spectrum were enrolled in a specialized educational, vocational, and clinical program to prove concept and collect data on student outcomes. The newly opened Thrive Academy will enroll 50 students in this 2023-24 school year with the goal to increase enrollment to 200 within the next two years…. For More Click Here  Join us for our 3rd Annual All In For Autism Casino Night at Overtime Sports Pub on October 21st! This amazing night of fun and fundraising will kick off with delicious buffet items from the Overtime kitchen, complimentary bar, live and silent auction prizes, all the amazing casino tables you’re used to, live music with DJ dancing, Showgirls, and MORE! Bring your friends and support amazing kids and families right here is SWFL! Visit http://www.fi-florida.org/casinonight for more info or email [email protected] with any questions! We hope to see you there!  Programs at Family Initiative -Sibling Group -Baby & Me -Young Adult Group -Teen Group -FI Creates- dance, photography, music, yoga -ASD Playgroup Parent Group For more information including date, time, and location, check out our calendar at Events – Family Initiative, Inc. (fi-florida.org) or call us at 239-910-0712!   Free Autism Screenings Next screening is Saturday, September 16th! (appointment required) For parents/guardians concerned about developmental delays, we offer free autism spectrum disorder (ASD) screenings on the third Saturday of each month. Early diagnosis and intensive behavioral intervention can make an immense difference, not just in the development of the child, but in their families as well. in 2022, we were able to help 14 families work through diagnosing developmental delays. We welcome children from 1-3 years old. To schedule, call 239-910-0712 or email [email protected].   Autism Social Skills Playgroup Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. Recognizing the importance of socialization and creating connections, Family Initiative offers weekly sessions where social skills development receives our utmost attention. Learn More ►  Playgroup Information NO PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED $20 Per Child Now including Occupational Therapy Activities Christ Community Church 4050 Colonial Blvd Fort Myers, FL 33966          Copyright © 2022 Family Initiative All rights reserved. |