The Make A Way Foundation hosted their 2nd Annual Fall Festival on Sunday, Oct. 16, at Camp Helen. They welcomed approximately 75 families to the festival organized for the special needs community.

“These events allow families with special needs to participate in holiday activities in a safe environment. Surrounded by families who empathize with their struggles, there is no judgement when these special people struggle. We always make sure that our volunteers are aware of sensitivities, anxieties, and frustrations so that there is intentional calmness and care. The activities and giveaways are also carefully chosen with sensory issues and diet concerns in consideration,” Stacey Givens said.

Kevin and Stacey Givens founded Make a Way Foundation in 2019 after several years of raising money on their own to help children with Autism, including their own son. “We started with putting in sensory rooms, beginning with Brookhill. We realized that we had the opportunity to serve beyond that. We expanded to all of the city schools and now we are working on the county schools. That has been our mission – to put sensory rooms in each of the schools to enable the children to learn better,” Kevin Givens said. “We are continuing to raise awareness like this and to provide a safe place for special needs children across all spectrums.”

This year’s festival featured a sensory friendly Touch-a-Truck and many other fun activities including crafts, face painting, ring toss, frisbee throw, ball pits, inflatables, bubbles, corn hole, and more. One of the highlights was a fun hayride to the nearby pumpkin patch.

The next planned Make A Way event will be their 3rd annual Santa Spotting on Thursday, Dec. 8, from 6-8 p.m. at 317 Market Street in Athens. Activities will be storybooks, cookie decorating, crafts, elves, and carriage rides. Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, Mother Christmas, and characters from Frozen will also be attending.

For information about any of the upcoming events, how to participate, or how to contribute to Make A Way, please contact Stacey Landtroop Givens at (256) 434-1762 or email info@foundationmakeaway.org.