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I’d like to share my daughter Mia’s story with you.
She is an amazing 11-year old girl, who at age three was diagnosed with autism. Mia’s story is likely similar to others; she was going to public school previously, and let’s just say we had an “adventuresome” time with our IEP (Individualized Education Plan) meetings.
I remember walking in and there would be staff that we already knew were really challenged by my daughter. Even in a classroom with 15 kids, with a special education teacher and an assistant, my daughter was quite the handful.
She was quite a handful, but for good reasons. Ever school day my daughter was woken up about 5:30 in the morning and was on a bus by 6:30. I would then pick her up at about 2:30 p.m. so she can go get ABA therapy (Advanced Behavioral Analysis) at a clinic until about 6 p.m.
The Fayetteville Observer
Inside the home of Master Sgt. Ignacio Jimenez, David Poole, Danny Delgado and Wesley Branch are the photos of Margaret “Clair” Clark riding a bicycle.
The roommates didn’t know Clark, who died in 2012, but the space is dedicated in her memory by her brother, Dr. Franklin Clark.
It is part of the Fayetteville Friendship House community, which is approaching its second year and pairs students or young professionals with special needs adults like Clair Clark.
And in December, Dr. Clark made another contribution $20,000 per year during the next three years to help subsidize the $450 monthly rent of young professionals or college students in healthcare, allied healthcare or human services fields who are willing to be housemates, mentors and friends of adults with special needs.