Still Time to Register for 13th First Place Global Symposium Next Month!
Join us for the 2024 First Place Global Symposium and hear from a powerful lineup of more than 35 speakers and panelists exploring the myriad dimensions shaping a new marketplace of home, community and healthcare options for adults with autism and/or neurodevelopmental disabilities. Keynote speakers include Danny Combs, Chris Krehmeyer, Liz Pellicano, Keivan Stassun and Richard Stengel. Learn more how you can participate in person and virtually—then register here.
Spark the Spectrum Continues to Fuel Flame of Inclusivity
This month’s Spark the Spectrum event was well received and attended, thanks to participation by public, nonprofit and private sectors alike. Election officials and disability rights advocates teamed up once again to offer a nonpartisan, interactive voting workshop. Participants included a representative from Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes’s office, Disability Rights Arizona, Maricopa County Elections and the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office. Huge thanks to Foundation for Blind Children for so generously offering their amazing property as a venue for the event. Stay tuned for more Vote the Spectrum® news in the weeks to come! Take a minute to view this short video to get a feel for how First Place’s Vote the Spectrum voting initiative is gaining momentum.
Visit with Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Informative AND Fun
In our ongoing collaboration with law enforcement, First Place–Phoenix residents and staff recently paid an informative visit to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office to meet officers and learn more about how to handle real-life situations. Such interaction educates and benefits residents and law enforcement officers alike—while helping build that all-important mutual trust.
Columbia Housing Market Analysis
The First Place Global Leadership Institute just completed the Columbia Housing Market Analysis—our sixth to date! Working with the dedicated people at SOS Care in South Carolina, the First Place Global Leadership Institute completed another comprehensive report identifying housing and support needs and preferences of adults with autism and/or intellectual/developmental disabilities (A/I/DD). With this growing library of reports, we’re helping create a more inclusive and equitable future for adults with A/I/DD.
Longtime First Place–Phoenix champion and employment partner Arizona Animal Welfare League recently welcomed residents for some rewarding volunteer time. Dogs and cats alike got some well-deserved love and attention—and the residents received plenty in return!
Residents have busy schedules, so an hour of yoga in the on-site Zen Room can be a great way to stop, breathe and reset. Thank you, First Place volunteer Tameisha Hudson, for dropping in and helping us get our bodies and minds aligned. Namaste.
Ahh, the sound of hard plastic smacking into more hard plastic…must be the annual air hockey tournament at First Place–Phoenix! It was standing room only for this favorite event. And it didn’t matter who won—because everyone had a smashing good time!
Look who was making waves! Residents recently joined their friends at Arizona Adaptive Water Sports for some big-time fun on Bartlett Lake—and a day filled with skiing, tubing and cheering each other on.
We can all benefit from a cause for pause. That’s exactly what residents did during a recent “Mindful Emotions” lunch-and-learn workshop with First Place volunteer Marian, who gently guided everyone through various exercises to help them better understand and express their feelings.
Ready for What’s Next
Jackson was nervous when he first moved into First Place–Phoenix, the first place he had ever lived on his own. But he sure made the most of it—and helped others do the same.
Staff Family Cooks with Residents for Hispanic Heritage
What better way to honor Hispanic Heritage Month than to cook up something delicioso? Marcy Laguna, First Place employment administrator, brought back her mom and sister for a taste of cultura hispanica—and to make chicken tinga with First Place–Phoenix residents. After much chopping and blending, everyone sat down together to enjoy the fruits of their kitchen collaboration. The meal was topped off with fresh, homemade arroz con leche—rice pudding!
4th Annual YES Day Walk for Autism: Save the Date!
Join First Place AZ in saying “Yes!” to Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC)’s YES Day Walk for Autism. This FREE annual event from 9 a.m. to noon on Sunday, Oct. 27 at Tempe Beach Park focuses on raising funds, awareness and acceptance in Arizona of individuals with autism and their families. We hope you’ll join us and say YES to training and education, health and wellness, employment skill-building and community integration—all with the goal of more independent living. Learn more here.
National Good Neighbor Day Is Every Day at First Place!
September’s National Good Neighbor Day isn’t the only time First Place–Phoenix residents find fun ways to be neighborly—and board games hover at the top of the list. Interactions also include meals out, video games, art projects—and myriad Community Life activities that keep them connected through common interests.