Tag:

autism

Easter Seals of South Florida | Culinary Arts High School for Students with Autism and Special Needs (Video)

by Dan Perez February 15, 2017

For over 20 years, Easter Seals of South Florida’s Culinary Arts High School has uniquely addressed the needs in Miami-Dade County for high quality, developmentally appropriate, culturally competent education and vocational training to help students ages 14-22 with autism and other disabilities.

The Culinary Arts High School Program is accredited, and well known for its effective strategies to teach students with autism, behavior challenges, and developmental
disabilities. Students in the program participate in both academic classroom instruction and vocational skills program including laboratory instruction in their industrial kitchen.

Students in the program have the opportunity to participate in special events and activities that provide real world experience that help them to develop confidence and skills that are essential for their growth and independence. The program also helps these students become more independent, gain self-confidence, and develop interpersonal skills.

Oh, and if you’re wondering, Easter Seals has been helping individuals with disabilities and special needs, and their families, live better lives for more than 80 years. Whether they are helping a young family to overcome the challenges of raising a child with a disability or helping a family struggling to avoid the devastation of a nursing home placement for their loved one with Alzheimer’s disease, Easterseals has been an indispensable resource for more than 1,500 families here in South Florida.

I was contracted by the good folks at Easter Seals South Florida to create a video that helped illustrate the impact of this program on these special needs students. Check it out below and then visit www.easterseals.com/southflorida to learn more, volunteer or support this vital organization here in our community and beyond.

Easter Seals of South Florida | Culinary Arts High School for Students with Autism and Special Needs from DanPerezFilms on Vimeo.

February 15, 2017

Corporate Sound and Vision

Easter Seals South Florida | Small Miracles [Video]

by Dan Perez May 31, 2016

written by Dan Perez

This past spring, I was contracted by the good folks at Easter Seals South Florida to produce a video to be shown at their Small Miracles luncheon, one of their biggest yearly fundraising events. Now, for those of you still unfamiliar with what Easter Seals does, here’s a little history:

Two-thirds of a century ago, in the midst of a polio epidemic, many children in Greater Miami needed therapy and education and could not get those services in public schools. Filling that need was a new organization then called the Crippled Children’s Society. From those days in a church basement has come Easter Seals, who offer a variety of services to help people with disabilities address life’s challenges and achieve personal goals.

In 2006 Easter Seals Miami-Dade merged with Easter Seals of Broward County, gaining more strength in early intervention and autism. Now as Easter Seals South Florida, they serve more than 2,500 individuals and families in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, employing 250 South Florida residents and engaging more than a thousand volunteers.

Through programs like the Easter Seals South Florida Child Development Center, Autism Elementary School, and their Adult Day Services, which offers programs and resources to help provide the best possible care for a spouse, parent, adult child or loved one who needs assistance with daily living, Easter Seals South Florida provides exceptional services so that people living with autism, Alzheimer’s and other disabilities can live, learn, work and play in their communities.

Nationally, Easter Seals assists more than one million children and adults with disabilities and their families annually through a nationwide network of more than 450 service sites. Each center provides top-quality, family-focused and innovative services tailored to meet the specific needs of the particular community it serves.

It was a great pleasure to have been of service to an organization such as Easter Seals South Florida. As for the Small Miracles Luncheon, it was a great success raising over $200,000 for the organization. I’d like to think my video had just a little bit to do with that. Oh, and if you’re interested in volunteering, taking a tour of their facilities or making a donation to Easter Seals South Florida, contact Marta Quintana at marta.quintana@sfl.easterseals.com

Enjoy the video…

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzJjqdymnwI[/youtube]

May 31, 2016

Corporate Miami Children's Hospital Sound and Vision

Autism Aquatic Therapy: Isabella’s Story [Video]

by Dan Perez April 13, 2015

written by Dan Perez

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are both general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors. The most obvious signs of autism and symptoms of autism tend to emerge between 2 and 3 years of age and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identify around 1 in 68 American children as on the autism spectrum – a ten-fold increase in prevalence in 40 years [autismspeaks.org].

With April being National Autism Awareness Month, here’s the story of little Isabella (pictured above with Kimberly Cortez, a physical therapist who specializes in Aquatic Therapy). Isabella was diagnosed with Autism when she was two years old. Since then, her mother has been bringing her to the Nicklaus Children’s Dan Marino Outpatient Center in Weston, Florida, for treatment – treatment that includes Aquatic Therapy.

Aquatic Therapy utilizes the properties of water coupled with traditional therapy techniques to provide comprehensive intervention. Aquatic Therapy is used as a medium to treat children on a one on one basis and is designed specifically for the child’s individual needs. Enjoy the video…

[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/124637869[/vimeo]

Isabella’s Story is the latest in a series of videos I’ve been producing for Miami Children’s Health Foundation who raise funds and awareness for for Nicklaus Children’s Hospital (formerly Miami Children’s Hospital). To help children like Gracie, please visit www.mchf.org/donate.

You can find some good information on the signs, causes and treatments for Autism here > thebabbleout.com/autism

Like us on Facebook and you’ll make us really happy; we’re not sure why, though, but recent studies have shown that people who like our facebook page are 37% cooler than people who don’t…

April 13, 2015

Giving Back

Rett Syndrome: The leading cause of severe impairment in girls

by Dan Perez October 2, 2011

written by Dan Perez

It is a unique developmental disorder that is first recognized in infancy and is the leading cause of severe impairment in girls. It causes problems in brain function that are responsible for cognitive, sensory, emotional, motor and autonomic function. It has been most often misdiagnosed as autism, cerebral palsy, or non-specific developmental delay. It strikes all racial and ethnic groups, and occurs worldwide in 1 of every 10,000 to 15,000 female births. It is Rett Syndrome and, surprisingly, the general public still doesn’t know very much about it.

South Florida recording artist Ayme Loren is looking to change this.

When she first heard about Rett syndrome and was introduced to the International Rett Syndrome Foundation (IRSF), Ayme knew she could use music to help raise awareness for the cause. Inspired by the stories of many families, she composed the song, “Silent Angels” to help guide efforts toward raising funds for research to better understand the cause for this rare disorder.

Here’s a short PSA I produced for Ayme to help her get the message out…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiEaZ3bVRIc[/youtube]

Download “Silent Angels” for only $4.99 and make a donation to help raise funds for research. 100% of all donations are given to the International Rett Syndrome Foundation (IRSF).

To find out more about ways you can help, please visit http://www.rettsyndrome.org.

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October 2, 2011

Corporate

Easter Seals of South Florida

by Dan Perez February 28, 2011

written by Dan Perez

The mission of Easter Seals South Florida is to provide exceptional services to ensure that all children and adults with disabilities or special needs and their families have equal opportunities to live, learn, work and play in their communities.

Nothing can relay an organization’s mission more effectively than video. Here are a series of videos I produced for the local chapter that highlights the vital services they provide to the children and families of South Florida who suffer from: Down Syndrome, Autism, and Memory Loss [Alzheimer’s Disease/Dementia].

Can your organization use a video to boost their fundraising efforts? Can you afford not to have one?

Please share or re-tweet this video post to help generate awareness for the mission of Easter Seals…thank you.

Do You Love Someone With Down Syndrome? We Do.

Do You Love Someone With Autism? We Do.

Do You Love Someone With Memory Loss? We Do.

Visit: www.SouthFlorida.EasterSeals.com for more information

February 28, 2011

Corporate Miami Children's Hospital

Miami Children’s Brain Institute: Mathew’s Epilepsy Success Story

by Dan Perez November 2, 2010

written by Dan Perez

What other people say about your products, your business and the level of service that you provide is much more effective and credible than anything that you can say on the same topics. When you say it, you are making a claim. When other people say it, then it changes from being a “claim” to being a fact. And when those same people claim that your product or service (in this case, brain surgery!) helped save their son’s life, well, it’s hard to keep them quiet.

Such was the case with young Matthew, who suffered his first seizure at 10 months old due to a tumor in his brain. Over the next five years, his doctors tried unsuccessfully to treat his seizures with medication. Finally, Matthew’s parents decided they needed a second opinion and made the trip from Orlando to Miami Children’s Hospital. The rest, as they say, is history…

Few marketing techniques are as effective as video when it comes to connecting with your customers on a “human level” – especially online. These days consumers are hard to convince on things that they may need – especially when their needs are critical healthcare for their most precious possessions – their children. Powerful video testimonials minimize skepticism and gives potential customers the assurance that your product or service is one that they will benefit from.

Does you business or organization have a powerful success story to tell? If so, contact us. Let us help you effectively tell your story to the 147 million U.S. Internet users who watch an average of 101 videos per viewer…per month!

November 2, 2010