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600 - 800 children with disabilities, their siblings and family membersare expected to participate in the 2008 NAC Olympics. The activities of theday will include everything from relay races (with and without wheelchairs) toring tosses and also basketball competitions. For many NAC children, thiswill be a chance to participate in physical activities which generally are notpart of their daily lives. Many of the children competing in the Olympicgames have multiple disabilities and/or developmental delays; others usewheelchairs or have limited mobility. What will be most inspiring about thisevent is that NAC's children will be out on the field giving their all to winan Olympic Medal. Most of our children are living in poverty; many have hadmore surgeries than birthdays; and too many have lived the first years oftheir life in sterile hospital wards, not out of medical necessity but becausetheir families could not care for them at home. Regardless if they come infirst place or not, June 21st will be a day when all NAC children arechampions!
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We are expecting over 200 volunteers from the community as well asprominent friends and politicians to participate in the day's activities.
Sponsors for the event are: News Corporation, Societe Generale Group,Pepsico, Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream, and Gatorade.
About NAC
Annually, NAC serves 800 low-income, medically fragile children and theirfamilies throughout the metropolitan area. We help children with severedisabilities and/or chronic illnesses achieve permanent and stable lives byenabling them to stay with their birth families through intensive familysupport services or help them to be adopted by loving and nurturing fosterfamilies. Previous to coming to NAC, many of these children resided inhospitals, not because of medical need, but because their parents simply couldnot care for them at home. More than 50% of our children have multiplediagnoses, and approximately 40% use wheelchairs. Diagnoses include spinabifida, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, sickle cell disease, cancer,HIV/AIDS, traumatic brain injury, brittle bone disease, autism or otherchronic illnesses or disabilities. Through intensive family support, medical,mental health, educational, and recreational services, NAC helps our city'smost vulnerable children reach for and realize their dreams. Today, NACchildren are not only living with nurturing families but they are attendingcollege, working in the community, and succeeding in areas never thoughtpossible.****************************** 2008 NAC Olympics Schedule 12:15 pm Opening Ceremonies 12:45 pm NAC Olympian Parade 1:00-3:00 pm Olympic Competitions 3:00-3:30 pm Medals & Closing Ceremonies ****************************** Event Date: Saturday, June 21, 2008 Event Time: 12:00 noon - 3:30 pm Event Place: Riverbank State Park, (679 Riverside Drive @ 145th Street, NY, NY 10032) Contact Person: Jenny Traslavina New Alternatives for Children, Inc. 212-696-1550, ext 251 (office) 646-643-2869 (cell) [email protected] or Kenny Juarez The Abernathy MacGregor Group 212-371-5999 (office) 917-324-3922 (cell) [email protected] http://www.abmac.com/
SOURCE New Alternatives for Children
