November 2021

Leisure library brings students together

Josh has grown the most since the club began. He had a hard time losing and would turn the game off midway through. Now, Josh lets his friends finish their games, gives them advice, and congratulates them when they win.

 

Recently, the group started playing Super Smash Bros on the Switch. The game pits player against player, and the victor then gets to battle the computer for the opportunity to add a new playable character.

 

When asked what they like the most about the group, Tommy said, “It’s the best! I get to spend time with my friends.”

 

They are all excited to unlock new characters and try other games in the leisure library. We are so proud of their growth and willingness to accept pointers and advice from their peers and staff. We cannot wait to see what more our students will learn in the leisure library.

BFFs heads back into the community

Help people reach their full potential this December

Being a part of a community is essential to living a healthy and happy life. And yet, adults with autism are often excluded. They aren’t given the opportunities they deserve to work, learn, and connect with others. The Summit Center’s adult division provides services that enable people to fully participate in life.

 

This holiday season, The Summit Center will be raising funds to support our adult division programs with this year’s December campaign, “Full Potential Can Be Reached At Any Age.” We are thrilled to announce that every gift will be matched up to $20,000 thanks to an anonymous donor!

 

We will be previewing the campaign on #GivingTuesday, Nov. 30, to raise funds to help outfit a fourth location for S.T.E.P.S. (Success Through Engagement and Positive Supports). S.T.E.P.S. provides opportunities for young adults to become more independent and connect with other people. The campaign will officially kickoff the first week of December. We will be highlighting success stories from our all of our adult division programs as well as ways you can help support individuals to lead their most independent lives possible.

 

Follow along with us on social media or by subscribing to our emails. We can’t wait to share these incredible stories with you!

Pro Tips: Introducing your child to new foods

1. Start small.

 

When presenting a new food, I encourage parents to start by giving them a small piece of the food as opposed to placing a whole portion of a new food on their dinner plate. For example, if green beans were not your favorite food, would you want a whole bowl of them for dinner? Start by presenting bites that are the size of a pea or grain of rice. Once your child is comfortable and accepting small amounts, gradually increase the size of the bite or portion of the food to a normal amount.

 

2. One at a time.

 

Children, especially picky eaters, often become overwhelmed when they’re given new food to try. For these children, it is helpful to introduce them to a new food one a time. Families should include some of their child’s preferred foods on the plate with the new food. Including a preferred food with a novel food often decreases anxiety in picky eaters and increases the likelihood that they will eat something during the meal. When presenting both during a mealtime, encourage your child to rotate through the foods on the plate, instead of keeping the nonpreferred food until last.

 

3. Hold tasting sessions.

 

While mealtimes can be overwhelming for parents, it also can be overwhelming for children. For a picky eater, putting a new food on their plate can cause a lot of stress. Stress and anxiety suppress appetite, which decreases the likelihood that your child will eat during the meal. If introducing foods during mealtimes is not going well, try holding tasting sessions with new foods during a snack time before giving your child these foods during a family meal. This can eliminate pressure and stress for yourself and your child during meals.

 

4. Offer choices.

 

Picky eaters do better when they are given a choice between two new foods or between two sizes of the same food. Increasing the number of foods your child can choose from increases the chances that they will enjoy or be more open to trying the food. Allowing your child to select either a small or larger bite may also increase the likelihood that they will try the food. A child that is afraid to taste new foods may be more willing to try something that is small rather than something larger. Children who are sensitive to the smell, taste, or texture of certain foods may be more likely to tolerate a new food when the bite size is reduced.

 

5. Be consistent.

 

Children need to be exposed to a food multiple times before they will like it. What is considered multiple? Research suggests 15 to 20 times (Birch, L.L., & Fisher, J.O., 1998), so it is important to be consistent. Although it might be hard enough for you to get your child to try a food once let alone 20 times, it gets easier! If your child tries a new food once, they will gradually be more willing to try it again with more exposures. Since it is important that children are exposed to foods multiple times, I encourage families to select foods that they often eat for dinner so it is more likely their child will be exposed to the food.

 

6. Praise.

 

If your child tries a new food, provide lots of praise and positive attention. This will increase the likelihood the child will try a new food in the future!

National Family Caregivers Month

Foundation Board welcomes new member

Gift Gathering event brings in auction items 

Our Gift Gathering Party was a hit! Thank you to everyone who came out to show their support. We received some wonderful items that will be featured in our live and silent auctions at the Party for Summit in January. Events like the Party for Summit provide critical funding for The Summit Center.

Join us on Friday, January 21 starting at 6:00 p.m. at Rich's Atrium, 1 Robert Rich Way, Buffalo. You won't want to miss out on a fun-filled night of live entertainment, casino games, and the Hope Awards honoring Kathy Ralabate Doody, Ph.D., and Gerry and Missy Cornish. 

 

Interested in tickets or sponsoring the event? Visit www.PartyForSummit.com to learn more.

The Home Depot donates $1,000 to Summit

Employee Spotlight - Presented by West Herr

Winter/Spring 2022 S.T.A.R. Parent Trainings

The Summit Center’s S.T.A.R. Training, funded by the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), offers parents and caregivers new strategies to manage various stages of their child’s life. Sessions will be conducted by The Summit Center’s professional staff who have significant background, training, and experience working with individuals with developmental disabilities. Respite opportunities may be available at a future date for participants. 

Eligibility: All sessions are open at no cost to those who are OPWDD eligible. Those with Self-Direction must include this in their budget.  

To register: Please call Laurlen Parry, Coordinator of Community Services, at 716.799.8163 or Ashlee Bronson, Assistant Director of Community Services, at 716.799.8156. For virtual sessions, a link to the training will be emailed to you after you are registered. Please note that the registration/ approval process may take up to five days to complete. Timeframe for approval through Self-Direction may vary. Please allow sufficient time for this approval process prior to each session you wish to attend. 

Give back when you shop this holiday season

Our Mission
Guided by evidence-based practice, we maximize life success for people facing developmental, social and behavioral challenges.

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