We were raised under the theory that to whom much is given, much is expected. The theory that our parents instilled in us was not that people were supposed to give just money to passion projects, but to give our time, education, hard work and passion to those things we strongly believe in.
I am on the Board of a wonderful organization called Stand Up For Downs, which uses comedy to help raise fun(ds), awareness and to better the lives of individuals with Down syndrome.
What is so incredibly super cool about this organization is that the events we put on are not only first rate comedy, but they are also reasonable in cost and the funds we raise go towards supporting Down syndrome education, advocacy and awareness both in greater Northeast Ohio as well as nationally and internationally.
Our first local Stand Up Comedy Event is Saturday, June 15 at The Tangier!!
Here are the important details:
Where Does the Money Go? Why is it Important to Raise Funds for Down syndrome?
The money raised by Stand Up For Downs will be going to a variety of non-profits who are leaders in supporting individuals with Down syndrome.
Research Needs:
Did you know that federal funding for Down syndrome research is the least funded genetic condition that receives money from the NIH? Fragile X Syndrome is projected to receive approximately $28 per individual worth of research in 2014, Autism is projected to receive $192 per individual, but Down syndrome is projected to receive a mere $21 per individual despite being the most commonly occurring genetic condition.
In short, the federal funding for research of Down syndrome is not a priority and as parents of children with Down syndrome, we believe we must push and help support additional research and funding for individuals with Down syndrome.
Life-Saving Adoption:
Did you know that in Central and Eastern Europe there are more than 1.5 million children who have been abandoned by their parents and placed in public care? It is estimated that 2,000 of those children have Down syndrome. In Russia there are over 700,000 children available for adoption and it is estimated that nearly 1,000 of those children have Down syndrome. In Asia there are over 3.5 million children available for adoption and it is believed that there are over 5,000 of those children who have Down syndrome.
The staggering statistic is that many of those children with Down syndrome are either killed at birth or will not survive past their 4th or 5th birthday once they age out of the orphanages and are sent to adult mental institutions. It is believed that 50-80% of these little ones with Down syndrome will die within their first year of being transferred to the adult units.
One of the organizations Stand Up For Downs is raising funds for is Reece's Rainbow, which is a non-profit that raises money for grants for families adopting orphans with Down syndrome from overseas. To date, Reece's Rainbow has helped bring over 900 children with Down syndrome home to their forever families.
Local Advocacy, Education and Support:
Parent to Parent Network
Buddy Walk
Family Grant Program
Undergraduate Scholarship Program
Social Events
Parent Support Groups
Disability Awareness Program
Education Conferences
How to WIN Two $50 VIP Tickets to the Stand Up For Downs Comedy Night on June 15 at The Tangier in Akron, Ohio!!!
One of Joey's friends and supporters contacted us and said that while she cannot make it to the Comedy Night on June 15th, she wanted to buy and donate two $50 VIP tickets for us to have a contest and giveaway!!!
Joey has some super cool, super kind and super awesome friends, doesn't he?
The contest is simple and ends at Midnight, ET on Tuesday, June 11. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on the blog saying why you would like to support Stand Up For Downs and attend the show. Alternatively, you can email me and tell me the same thing. Easy, right? Just leave a comment or send an email by midnight of next Tuesday and tell us why you would like to support Stand Up For Downs and attend the show on June 15th. We will have a family meeting to pick a winner and announce the VIP ticket winner on Wednesday, June 12th.
Good luck and a special thank you to Joey's beautiful and kind friend who gave this generous donation! You know who you are and Super Joe thanks you!!!
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