When your special child was born, your family's life changed in an instant. The physical and emotional challenges that you face each day can seem all-consuming. But you are not alone in this journey. Because no matter how chaotic or difficult life may feel, The Center will be there with you at every step—through the great days and hard ones, the joy and the tears. Your needs are our needs. Your pain is our pain. Your triumphs are our triumphs. We're not just an extension of your family. We are your family—for life.
“My life and my family's lives, everything has totally changed.”
For a long time, I thought I could do everything myself. A friend finally told me, “You shouldn't have to do this alone. You really need to call The Center.” Now, my son begs to go to the center. He is so happy there. And my life, my family's lives, everything has totally changed.
—Ruth Terzi
“We can give our kids our all because we have a place like The Center”
We need to give our kids our all, and we can only do that because we have a place like The Special Children's Center that will truly be their second home when we need a break. When our daughter is at The Center, we can give her siblings the attention they need. And when she comes home—bathed, fed, dressed in PJs—we're totally rested and rejuvenated for her.
“They said, 'We'll pick him up at 9—don't worry about anything.”
It was my son’s first summer at camp, and he was coming back the next day. There were three weeks left before school, and I was so desperate for help. When I told The Center, they said, “Okay, so you’ll probably want him to start tomorrow. We’ll pick him up at 9—don’t worry about anything.” My jaw dropped. I just could not believe that this was real — that there was an organization that just wanted to help.
—Ruth Terzi
“They didn't call and stress me out—they just showed up”
Once, I was stuck in the hospital with my baby and husband, without any extra clothes or overnight supplies. A volunteer from The Center heard about this and offered to bring up supplies for me and my baby. She couldn’t get into my house, so she went to Walmart, bought everything, and drove it to me—an hour and a half away. She didn’t call and stress me out, she just showed up. That's The Center in a nutshell. They're not a typical organization. They're family.
—Chana Kirkheli
“The Center reminds us that love comes in all forms”
The Center is a reminder that family isn't always blood; it's the people who are there for you when you're at your best, and at your side when you're at your worst. They're the ones who love you because they choose to and not just because they should. They're the ones who remind us that love comes in all forms.
our services
Kids with disabilities aren’t defined by labels. Neither are our services.
Whatever you need, no matter your child's age, stage, or the nature of their disability, we'll be there.
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The Special Children's Center is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, with all donations considered tax-deductible in the United States. Tax ID Number: 22-3800123.