Thunderbirds Charities grant supports children with complex developmental disabilities
Thunderbirds Charities, the charitable giving arm of The Thunderbirds—hosts of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, has awarded a $61,000 grant to Southwest Human Development to support young children with developmental disabilities. The funding will provide developmental screening, assessment, treatment and care coordination services at Southwest Human Development’s Children’s Developmental Center.
The Children’s Developmental Center provides services focused on the health and well-being of children from birth to age 5 who have complex developmental disabilities, such as autism, feeding disorders and other delays due to abuse or trauma.
“We are so grateful for our partners at Thunderbirds Charities,” said Jake Adams, chief development officer of Southwest Human Development. “Thanks to their ongoing support, we’re able to help more and more families give their young children a great start in life.”
Through state-of-the-art, comprehensive assessment, treatment planning and intervention services, Southwest Human Development’s integrated service model blends medical, developmental and behavioral/mental health approaches. The funding provided by Thunderbirds Charities will allow children and their families to receive care from a transdisciplinary team of specialists including a pediatrician, psychologist, care coordinators, occupational and speech therapists who work collaboratively with families to help children reach their full potential.
“Early intervention is critical and results in the best outcome for these children who are at risk of future developmental, medical, academic and emotional difficulties,” added Adams. “Specialized assessment and treatment services are in short supply, and can be even more difficult to find and access. We’re trying to make that process a little easier on families.”