Additional Information

[Guest guest]

November 20, 2007

Dearest Advocates:

Additional information that may be useful below.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Heidi

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The City of Roswell

In honor of

National Inclusive Schools Week

Invites you to attend

A special Presentation and Reception

Monday, December 3rd, 2007

Roswell City Hall

7:00 p.m.

Inclusive Schools Week celebrates the progress that schools have made in providing a supportive and quality education to an increasingly diverse student population, including students with disabilities and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The 7th Annual Inclusive Schools Week highlights the accomplishments of families, schools, and communities that have dedicated time, labor, and resources to promoting inclusive education for all of the world's children.

7:00 p.m. - Centennial High School Musical Department

Presents: Suessical

City Hall Rotunda

7:30 p.m. - JROTC, Roswell High School

Brief presentation by our special Guest Speakers

Council Chambers

Reception with Mayor and Council immediately

following presentation

Room 220

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Medical Assistance Available.......

UnitedHealthcare Children's Foundation to Offer Medical Assistance Grants to Families Nationwide

Foundation Offers Grants to Help Parents and Caretakers Pay for Children's Medical Needs and Equipment Not Fully Covered by Insurance

Minneapolis (Jan. 24, 2007) — The UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation (UHCCF) is now offering support to meet the needs of children nationwide with assistance grants for medical services not fully covered by health insurance

Parents and caretakers across the country will be eligible to apply for grants of up to $5,000 for health care services that will help improve their children’s health and quality of life. Examples of the types of medical services covered by UHCCF grants include: speech therapy, physical therapy and psychotherapy sessions; medical equipment such as wheelchairs, braces, hearing aids and eyeglasses; and orthodontia and dental treatments.

The UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation has already helped more than 375 families and provided nearly $1 million in financial assistance,” said UHCCF president Matt . “We are excited about the expansion of the program, and look forward to the opportunity to help many more children access health care services that will enhance their health and quality of life

To be eligible for UHCCF grants, children must be 16 years of age or younger. Families must meet economic guidelines, reside in the United States and be covered by a commercial health insurance plan.

“Receiving a grant from the UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation changed our lives,” said Lucas, whose son Quinn required extensive therapy as a result of spina bifida, a congenital condition. “With the grant, we were able to take advantage of a special program that provides the right therapies and support needed for Quinn’s specific medical needs. That program has opened up a whole new world for him, and the grant from the UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation has eased the financial burden on our family.”

The UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation is a public charity with its own board of directors, operating independently from UnitedHealthcare. While UHCCF continues to be supported principally by UnitedHealth Group and its employees, individual and corporate donations to help provide assistance are deeply appreciated. Donors can designate funds to be used in the region where they reside; otherwise unspecified donations are divided equally among the regions

About UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation: The UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation is a nonprofit 501©(3) organization that strives to enhance either the clinical condition or quality of life of children who have health care needs not fully covered by commercial insurance. The Foundation provides grants of up to $5,000 for costs associated with medical services and equipment. Foundation funding is provided by contributions from employees of UnitedHealth Group as well as individuals and corporations. To donate or learn more, please visit www.uhccf.org.

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Possible Therapy Scholarships Available in the Future......

My goal when I opened Kiddos’ Clubhouse (www.kiddosclubhouse.com) was to increase the number of families that I/we were able to provide great therapy to in the metro Atlanta area. I wanted to set out to surround myself with the best occupational, speech and physical therapists in the area. I wanted to make “work” a comfortable place where when people came in saw people who enjoyed being there because they enjoyed what they did. Nell and I have worked hard to achieve that goal by setting up an environment that is our second family. We started in June 2005 with three therapists and two years later now have 10! We have been very blessed to have found such wonderful therapi

sts to allow us to grow so quickly – so quickly in fact that we have outgrown our space 15 months before we anticipated!

We set out to be able to help more families with children special needs get therapy for their children. Our numbers support meeting that goal. However, over the past year we have watch family after family either decrease therapy or stop therapy completely because their insurance would not pay for it and they could not afford to pay for it themselves. Children with autism, children with Down syndrome, children with cerebral palsy, children with speech disorders, children with special needs…children.

Our staff has spent countless hours fighting insurance companies and Medicaid trying to get therapy for these children paid for. It works sometimes, but not every time. We have watched as family after family make the choice to stop therapy when that system fails their children.

So, I decided to try and make a difference for those families. I created Kiddos’ Clubhouse Foundation in an effort to help children who are let down by the system. In September, we were granted non-profit 501©(3) status by the IRS and it is now time for us to begin raising funds for our first capital campaign. I set up the Foundation with the following vision and mission: The Kiddos’ Clubhouse Foundation recognizes that not all children have the financial accessibility to obtain the proper therapy that they medically require and government benefits to families are decreasing rapidly. The Kiddos’ Clubhouse Foundation provides a vital financial bridge for families challenged by the incremental needs of caring for their children with special needs by affording the best possible therapy through sc

holarship assistance.

Our success is defined by the continued development and dispersion of need-based scholarships to offset the rising costs of pediatric therapy and to empower families and the community through education on all types of childhood disabilities. Our value proposition lies in our ability to provide a proactive and inclusive solution to the decrease in insurance assistance and Medicaid assistance. We employ the help of corporate partners, community volunteers, our member families, and other donors to raise scholarship funds and build awareness for the increasing needs of our children.

Our plans are to provide scholarship assistance to families who are not able to afford therapy. They will have to go through an application process and be approved by our Board of Directors to receive the funds. We are going to start by providing the scholarships to families in Fulton County and the surrounding 14 counties to it. We will be awarding the first scholarship in the first quarter of 2008. But first we need to raise funds. I am sending this to you because you are a part of my life and this foundation is a part of my life too. I am sending this to you to give you a personal connection to a worthwhile non-profit foundation. I am sending this to you to share with you what Nell and I have been doing with our lives over t

he past nine months and share with you our excitement.

You can get more information about Kiddos’ Clubhouse Foundation, watch it grow and donate at www.kiddosclubhousefoundation.org If you know of other families who might be interested in contributing to a wonderful cause, please pass this along. If you know families who might utilize the scholarships, please pass this along as the application process will begin in a few months. We want to spread the word about this foundation, the mission, the vision with as many people as we can. We are starting with you. Our motto is “Yes, WE Can”…Yes, WE Can help children who can’t afford therapy costs. Yes, WE Can help children buy therapeutic equipment they might not otherwise be able to afford. Yes, WE Can provide smiles. Yes, WE Can make a difference in the lives of children.

Brett R. DeVore, MS, OTR/L

Pediatric Therapy Services

678.52-REACH x12

www.kiddosclubhouse.com--Heidi J. (Proud Mother to - 7 years old with Down syndrome & - 6 years old) For more information about how Heidi can help you maximize your child's potential, please go to www.heidijmoore.com "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. For previous advocacy email's, please go to the following website: http://www.lgtinc.org/authors/41/Heidi-J.-. To see how you can advocate for your child go to www.kidshealthcarega.org.