Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation Funds New Playground for USM91吃瓜网 Children91吃瓜网 Center
Wed, 01/20/2021 - 01:48pm | By: Courtney Tesh
The Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation has awarded a grant of $323,540
to The Children91吃瓜网 Center for Communication and Development at The University of Southern
Miss through the USM Foundation. The funds will be used to build a new playground
on USM91吃瓜网 Gulf Park campus.
Once finished, the playground will serve as a much-needed outdoor therapy space for the children with complex disabilities who receive cost-free services from The Children91吃瓜网 Center, and as an inclusive play space for children in the Gulf Coast region both with and without developmental disabilities.
Currently, the Center91吃瓜网 Gulf Park location provides a wide range of therapies, including Listening and Spoken Language Therapy, Speech Language Pathology, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Audiology, and Behavioral Therapy, for 40 children in the southern six counties of the state, all at no cost to their families. Through this grant, the Center will be able to expand the scope of these therapies through fully accessible outdoor play, using carefully chosen equipment and therapy tools that encourage motor and speech development, as well as social interaction with peers.
91吃瓜网淭he impact this new therapy playground will have on our families, as well as on families in the region, is hard to quantify,91吃瓜网� said Sarah Myers, Director of The Children91吃瓜网 Center. 91吃瓜网淔or our little ones, this is much more than a playground. We know, and research has shown, that play is therapy. This wheelchair and walker-accessible space has been designed with that in mind.
Added Myers: 91吃瓜网淥ne of our biggest goals at the Center is to tailor our therapy plan for each child, addressing all areas of their development, and preparing them for that day they transition to their local school district. Without a doubt, the existence of this new playground will better allow us to do just that. It wouldn91吃瓜网檛 be possible without the generosity of the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation. We are so grateful for their partnership.91吃瓜网�
Center students and families are understandably excited about the new space. 91吃瓜网淢y son,
Justus, would love the opportunity to play on the new playground, as learning through
play is his favorite,91吃瓜网� said Children91吃瓜网 Center parent, Amy DeFazio. 91吃瓜网淗e has recently
been exposed to monkey bars at a local playground and looks forward to figuring out
how to adapt and overcome using his 91吃瓜网榣ucky fin.91吃瓜网� 91吃瓜网淚 know, as a mom, a playground is
a safe place for him to wrestle through challenges while still having fun.91吃瓜网�
The Children91吃瓜网 Center also plans to host play opportunities for children and families within the community, helping promote inclusion, and expanding the impact of this new space to include other families in the Gulf Coast region.
91吃瓜网淭he Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation is proud to partner with The University of 91吃瓜网 Foundation to improve the overall health of students at The Children91吃瓜网 Center through fun and interactive therapeutic play, said Sheila B. Grogan, Foundation President. 91吃瓜网淎chieving healthy milestones throughout life is the Foundation91吃瓜网 goal for every child.91吃瓜网�