Every child deserves the chance to realize their fullest potential in life. While others may focus on the challenges of the children we serve, we see possibilities; possibilities for confidence, happiness, achievement and self-reliance. For more than 65 years, The Centers for Exceptional Children has been providing a critical combination of support services, programs and facilities dedicated to one thing: helping children with special needs and their families thrive.

Every year, The Centers for Exceptional Children reaches thousands of people in our community; not j

Source: Nonprofit submitted responses

Goal One: Access to Family Support Services and Resources

Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.

Goal Two: Innovation and Growth of Education Programs.

Goal Type: Focus on core programs to achieve mission and scale back on programs not seen as core.

Goal Three: Financial Growth and Sustainability.

Goal Type: Invest in the capacity of our organization (financial, management, technical, etc.).

Describe an investment in leadership

Participation in Leadership-Winston Salem - Leadership Winston-Salem’s Flagship Program is designed to ignite community leaders with a mission of educating, connecting, and energizing leaders to serve and improve the community. Likened to a “community MBA,” participants benefit through active engagement, attending one Program Day each month, and working in Action Learning teams to address an actual dilemma faced by a local agency. The program challenges participants to increase their personal and collective capacity to transform the community through civic engagement, servant leadership and building social capital. Components include: informative sessions with community leaders, experiential group activities, relationship building/networking opportunities, opportunities for honoring all aspects of diversity, and Action Learning Projects addressing community needs.

This organization mobilizes for mission in the following ways:

• Strategic Partnerships

• Networks of Collective Impact Efforts

• Thought Leadership

• Raising Awareness

What are this organization’s external mobilizaton efforts?

We have representation on many of the collaborative projects in our community focused on better serving children. This currently includes United Way, Pre-K Priority, Local Government (City and County) Committees, and others. Our Executive Director presents regularly at State-Wide Nonprofit Conferences and team members often serve on community panels and speaker series. Our partnership with the local school system is unique in our state and continues to create the best opportunities for students and their families. Our social media and community and volunteer engagement program keep our work front and center which has helped us to become a favorite local organization for many residents.

Science tells us that responsive relationships between children and adults, adults and other adults, and children and other children help buffer us against the effects of ongoing stress. These relationships act as a core building block for resilience and help us navigate life’s ups and downs. In the last year, CFEC expanded its parent programming to incorporate Triple P’s “Top Parenting Tips for Parents and Caregivers During Covid-19” and “Powerful Tools for Caregivers” to provide an additional level of parenting support and information during the pandemic. The curriculum works with parents to: reassure children that family is the top priority; encourage parents to take care of themselves; make sure children know they are ready to talk; be truthful in answering children’s questions; maintain everyday family routines; have a family plan of action; have plenty of interesting things to do at home; recognize positive behaviors; help children learn to tolerate more uncertainty; and reach out and connect with loved ones. The social and emotional health of both parents and children has suffered during the pandemic and the next year will be important for strengthening families. Families who have children with special healthcare needs were hit particularly hard by Covid-19. In a traditional program year, we interact with each of our families 3-4 times; since the start of the pandemic that has grown to 6 - 8 times. With Covid-19, we are facing many more potentially upsetting triggers than usual, and this means parents are at greater risk for feeling emotions that end in conflict with others. Children with disabilities are already at a higher risk for abuse and neglect, but by paying attention to the triggers that leave parents feeling frustrated, impatient, annoyed or angry, we have been able to help them tune in to the emotions that provoke and create awareness of the triggers so they can begin to be more mindful of the way they react and be a better family member.