AID ANOTHER’S MISSION STATEMENT:

Our mission is to promote awareness and education of special needs families in our community, to empower special needs children with opportunities for social integration and community support, and to create an environment of acceptance, support, and advocacy. Aid Another provides inclusive educational, cultural, and recreational programs that are designed to reduce isolation and enhance social settings.

AID ANOTHER’S BASKETBALL TEAM

SOLUTION STATEMENT:

There are unique challenges associated with special needs families such as lack of social opportunities, societal prejudices, lack of understanding, and difficulty navigating everyday activities. Special needs individuals are among the most underserved and vulnerable populations in our community and in our nation. Special need is an all-encompassing term that involves a wide variety of diagnoses that range from relatively mild to profound that includes developmental delays, medical conditions, psychiatric conditions, physical disabilities, mental limitations, and congenital conditions. Aid Another recognizes the diversity within the population of individuals with special needs and our goal is to meet them where they are and provide opportunities for inclusion and acceptance by providing advocacy and promoting awareness within the community. Our adaptative basketball team/league will provide an opportunity for special needs individuals to enjoy the game of basketball in a safe and accepting environment.

We need your help!

The GOAL of this program is to allow individuals with special needs the same opportunity to participate in any recreational activity as their peers. The goals our of basketball league are: 

• Provides players with the opportunity to play and learn the fundamental skills of the activity through adaptive play;
• Promotes social inclusion and interaction with players, volunteers, and individuals within our community;
• Encourages collaboration with junior and adult volunteers which promotes inclusion and acceptance of individuals with special needs;
• Facilitates opportunities of social acceptance in a diverse environment;
• Increases pragmatic skills, spatial awareness, gross motor skills, patience, teamwork, and cooperation in an accommodating environment; 
• Promotes participation engagement by conducting and performing teambuilding activities by teaching the fundamental skills of a particular sport;  
• Increases communal meaning and understanding of individuals with disabilities; 
• Produces enrichment of life experience by providing a safe, supportive, and structured environment; 
• Promotes an environment of acceptance, inclusion, and diversity; 
• Overcome barriers that prevent individuals with disabilities from playing a sport or participating in an activity; 
• Build self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-awareness; and 
• Create bonds and establish lasting friendships with players, buddies, coaches, and volunteers.