Brady Valcho Foundation | Supporting The Advancement Of Children With Special Needs
Brady Valcho Autism Foundation is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization that supports Southern Wake County, NC autistic families & organizations.
Their goal is to advocate and support families and other local organizations in funding the costs associated with raising, educating, and supporting the advancement of children with special needs.
Their philosophy is that many voices together build communities and spark ideas. This is why they bring together special needs children with first responders, service providers, and area businesses.
Autism Sensory Tool Kits
According to the CDC.gov, 1 in 36 children in America were diagnosed with autism in 2020. One of their goals is to provide local police and fire departments with Autism Sensory Tool Kits. Although police are trained to handle extensive situations, these tool kits are designed specifically to assist those on the autism spectrum. The tool kits come equipped with fidget toys, sunglasses for visual support, stress balls, and a “PECS” (Picture Exchange Communication System) Emotions Chart to help officers assist the non-verbal community. The kits are an additional tool the officers can use to better serve our special needs population.
ACES Training For The Autism Community
The Brady Valcho Autism Foundation takes pride in their dedication to all aspects of the local autism community. They feel that by coming together with law enforcement and families and autistic individuals they help make a bridge with relationships and build trust.
With their ACES Training they provide:
Autism: Each year, they host along side their partners the Holly Springs Police Department, a free community autism acceptance day event. This event provides a resource fair, music, food, and games in a family and sensory-friendly atmosphere for all neurodiverse individuals.
Community: Each year their goal is to provide scholarships to one or more children to the Autism Society’s Camp Royall in Pittsboro, NC for a week of summer camp.
Enforcement: The safety of children and adults with autism is their primary concern at the BVA Foundation. They provide local first responders hour-long training presentations. These free trainings give first responders a new insight into autism and can enhance officer communication and response skills.
Schools: They provide free autism sensitivity talks to K-12 schools. These talks help children understand that all of us are unique and different, learn to respect differences, and how to be a good friend to someone with autism.