We need a van for autistic kids on MV!
Since 2008, Island Autism Group has sought to provide the means for autistic children and young adults to reach their potential and live meaningful and fulfilling lives on Martha’s Vineyard. IAG has done this through offering access to high-quality services, programming and equipment at little to no cost to families. As we are entering our third year of afterschool and summer programming, we’re eager to continue expanding upon our success by supporting a growing population of students with new opportunities. We anticipate opening the Island Autism Center in the near future, and this adds additional urgency to our need.
The mission of our programming is to offer students after-school opportunities similar to neurotypical students, to engage in therapeutic, social, and enrichment activities. Our programs serve autistic students as well as a variety of other disabilities. We are one of the only service providers on the island to provide extracurricular opportunities solely for disabled children.
Currently, we are serving 20 students, aged 5-19. Our 5-10 program brings students each week to the Farm Institute, therapeutic horseback riding at Misty Meadows, programs at the Edgartown Library, the Barn Bowl & Bistro. Our 11-19 program brings students to Misty Meadows, therapeutic drumming sessions with Rick Bausman, and sailing on the Lagoon with SailMV. At each location, IAG provides trained staff to support the ability of our students to access each program to its maximum potential.
As we piloted our afterschool and summer programs, a key component of our success was due to the support of transportation provided by MV Public Schools. However, the school department has requested between $10K to $17K per year from IAG to provide transportation for students to IAG programs. With our annual operating costs of $100K to cover partner fees, staff, insurance and more, this is simply not sustainable. IAG does not currently have the capacity to provide transportation otherwise.
A recent donation has allowed us to partner with the VTA to get our afterschool participants to their locations through this winter and spring.
A van of a similar size to the Ford Transit 350HD (pictured) would provide IAG with the means and flexibility to connect our students efficiently and expeditiously to our partner organizations. We employ staff who already have a 7D license who could drive as soon as we are able.
We were thrilled to recently accept a generous $10K grant from the Permanent Endowment earmarked toward the purchase of a van. But we still need your support to help us reach our goal of $40k.
Our population continues to grow. There is evidence that 1 in 45 students in MV schools has an autism-spectrum diagnosis. This is reflected in the national average. As word of our programs continues to spread, and as we anticipate supporting students on MV as well as summer visitors (we had a few students from off-island join our programs this summer), our capacity to support them needs to expand as well. We anticipate the need for several vans in the next few years.
We hope that, with donor and partner support, we will continue on our path toward our vision of all students, of all abilities, living lives to their fullest potential, and having access to the wonderful programs that are offered on the island. It is dependent upon our ability to get them there.
