The Owen Foundation

10/28/2025

Please remember….. 🎃 👻

No matter how it’s shared, spoken, signed, typed, or selected, communication is communication. Let’s celebrate all the ways we connect!

10/24/2025

💙🙌🏻💙

SEOSU will launch a new M.Ed. concentration in special education focused on autism and developmental disabilities amid national teacher shortages.

10/23/2025

This🙌🙌💯

10/20/2025

This week is Invisible Disabilities Awareness Week!

Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a neurological motor speech disorder that makes it hard for children to speak. Children with the diagnosis of apraxia of speech generally have a good understanding of language and know what they want to say. However, they have difficulty learning or carrying out the complex movements that underlie speech. There are often co-occurring challenges that can last into adulthood in the areas of residual speech errors, language, reading/literacy, academics, and social skills. There is no cure, but with intensive and appropriate speech therapy, most children learn to produce intelligible speech and can overcome many of their challenges.

Learn more about by visiting: https://www.apraxia-kids.org/new-to-apraxia/

10/15/2025

We are so grateful for the incredible generosity of the Durant Education & Service Sorority! 💙

Yesterday, The Owen Foundation had the honor of receiving a donation that will directly impact our inclusive programs and events for children with autism and other special abilities.

Thank you, ladies, for believing in our mission and helping us continue to enrich the lives of children and families in our community. Your kindness makes a lasting difference! 💙✨

10/15/2025

Very cool challenge!

🧣✨ Blanket Drive Challenge! ✨🧣
This Christmas, our Angel Tree has one extra wish: that every single child gets a blanket to keep them cozy and warm.

We’re calling on student groups of ALL ages! To all college, high school, middle school, even elementary, we invite you to join us in making it happen!

Here’s the fun part ➡️ The group that collects the most blankets will win a $500 donation to their organization!

At The Payton Project, we believe our passion for helping others should be passed on to the next generation. That’s why we love investing in the kids and students who are already stepping up to give back.

📩 For more information and to receive a collection box, please email us at angeltree@thepaytonproject.org

10/12/2025

When I tell people my daughter uses an AAC so many respond asking “why not teach her sign language?”

So my question is…. How many of you are fluent in sign language? Besides the simple and basic signs, similar to basic Spanish you’ve learned throughout the years.

Why is teaching her a language that’s not accessible and understood by majority of people a better idea than a high tech AAC app where she pushes a button and it speaks for her?

October is AAC awareness month! Let’s continue to normalize our technological advancements that are so beneficial and important for our disabled children.

We started on Proloquo2go before my daughter’s second birthday. We modeled it as often as possible. Gave her a large grid with robust language. We normalized it around different environments & with as many different communication partners as possible.

It didn’t happen over night. But it happened. She started using the device every single day to communicate her wants and needs. Then she started forming sentences on it.

And then she started speaking more words vocally with her own voice. And I swear it’s because of the AAC device. The way her brain learns and connects, when the device speaks words the same way consistently with no change in tone or dialect, it’s helped her.

She can say all the words, but she still has a language disorder and is not conversational. She rarely replies to questions. She can’t tell you how her day was, what she did, or what she ate yet.

Autism is complex. It’s understandably misunderstood. So I share our journey to give perspective. Because it’s important.

My daughter is 5.5 years old. She is joy, and she is Autistic.

10/09/2025

Thank you, PerdueWorks Therapy Group for these amazing tips!

Some fun Halloween Tips for making it a fun/safe holiday for everyone to enjoy! 🎃🍬

10/09/2025

Go Blair! Beats for Baby Blair