The motivation behind this Fund is our oldest son, Tate, who was diagnosed with autism at 3 years old by the school system, followed by a medical diagnosis.
Through his challenges, the hardest part as a parent has been to watch him struggle socially for acceptance. Multiple occasions coming home to tell us nobody would play with him and how much he hates school. Through our Fund, local elementary schools will have the opportunity to be gifted buddy benches, which are benches located on playgrounds for students who may not have someone to play with. The objective is to help students recognize children who may be outcast and to encourage inclusion for all.