The Children's Center for Communication and Development

The Children's Center for Communication and Development The Children's Center at Southern Miss provides comprehensive early intervention services to infants, toddlers and preschoolers with complex disabilities.

The Children's Center has been bringing brighter futures to children with complex disabilities since 1974. From humble beginnings to the transdisciplinary program that it is today, one thing has remained constant – the level of commitment on the part of the staff to make a difference in a child’s life. The Children’s Center was built on the notion that every child should have access to the joys (a

nd trials) of life, daily opportunities (and responsibilities), and the chance to build a bright, beautiful future. The specialists at The Center spend their days working to make this vision a reality. Children enrolled at The Children’s Center present a wide variety of special needs and diagnoses, including (but not limited to) speech, hearing and language disorders, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, rare genetic disorders, or other conditions related to premature birth. What sets The Children’s Center apart from its counterparts is the way in which therapies are provided. Research has shown that early intervention is most successful when a comprehensive approach is taken toward a child’s development. What this means for the children enrolled in The Center is that the innovative therapies provided will be custom-fit to each child’s communication and developmental needs and delivered with a cohesive team approach. This team includes speech-language pathologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, special educators, behavioral therapists, and auditory-oral therapists. In addition to providing cost-free exemplary services to infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with complex disabilities, The Children’s Center is also a preeminent research and training facility. By providing pre-professional training to students at USM and other universities and colleges in the areas of speech-language pathology, audiology, special education, physical therapy, occupational therapy, behavioral therapy, nursing, recreational therapy, and music therapy, The Children’s Center is helping to mold the next generation of committed specialists in Southern Mississippi and beyond.

✨⭐️LEGACY SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT⭐️✨CARTER'S COLLECTIVE FINE JEWELRY💎Y'all already know. If you want to take your event up a n...
05/08/2026

✨⭐️LEGACY SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT⭐️✨

CARTER'S COLLECTIVE FINE JEWELRY💎

Y'all already know. If you want to take your event up a notch (okay, or your wrist or neck or ears or...), you contact Chae Carter Wooton and her team at Carter's Collective Fine Jewelry. They will deliver, in every way.

And that's just what they've done for us and our Run for the Roses event every year since the start. Chae and her team provide custom-engraved champagne and julep cups, adding the perfect amount of sparkle, shine, and elegance to our event.

And this year, they added something new! Knowing that Longines was the official timekeeper for the Kentucky Derby, they graciously offered to host a giveaway for one lucky guest. What a fun, exciting, and timely (see what we did there?⌚️) addition to an already generous legacy sponsorship.

Thank you, Chae and team Carter's Collective! We can't wait for next year. (And if you don't follow them on social media, you're missing out.)😉👊

📸: MGL Photography 💫

Hey, did anyone order a Kash-in-the-box? Special 2026 graduation edition? Comes with a twinkle little star accessory. 🤷🎓...
05/08/2026

Hey, did anyone order a Kash-in-the-box? Special 2026 graduation edition? Comes with a twinkle little star accessory. 🤷🎓📦

✨⭐️LEGACY SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT⭐️✨LINCOLN ROAD PACKAGE STORE🥃We're pretty certain these guys need no introduction. Jamie Far...
05/08/2026

✨⭐️LEGACY SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT⭐️✨

LINCOLN ROAD PACKAGE STORE🥃

We're pretty certain these guys need no introduction. Jamie Farris and his team at Lincoln Road Package Store make this all look easy, and we know it's anything but.

They have been an integral part of this event since the beginning and we couldn't do it without them. There is no Derby event without the perfect mint julep and there's no Kentucky without the perfect bourbon pour.

And there's no Run for the Roses without Lincoln Road. Help us thank Jamie and his impeccable team for their contribution to our success each year. Cheers! 🥂

Photos: MGL Photography (🪄😉)

If you’ve been following our Dapper Five ambassadors on their quest to raise funds for The Children’s Center, we have a ...
05/07/2026

If you’ve been following our Dapper Five ambassadors on their quest to raise funds for The Children’s Center, we have a happy ending for you.

Our first Five have set the bar high, raising $36,685 - surpassing their goal by over $11,000! 🤩😮

And we were proud to present the following awards at our event on Saturday:

🏆 Dapper Five Ambassador of the Year went to Dr. Jaime Jiménez, raising $10,595 for The Children’s Center!👏

🎩 Dapperest Five Ambassador 2026 (Best Dressed) went to David Fortenberry!

🫶A BIG thank you to each of you who helped our inaugural Dapper Five exceed their goals, and to the always generous and uber talented Patrick Bond of Bond & Company Woodworks for the perfect custom piece for Dapperest David.👌✨

(Dapper Five: Truitt Taylor, Brandon Tullos, Jaime Jimenez, Seth Hunter, David Robin Fortenberry)

MGL Photography

Okay, back to Run for the Roses! You know the setting was stunning… wait till you see the people! 🤩🤩Have we mentioned th...
05/06/2026

Okay, back to Run for the Roses! You know the setting was stunning… wait till you see the people! 🤩🤩

Have we mentioned that MGL Photography is magic? Okay, just checking. 🤭😁💫

And, as promised, we interrupt your Run for the Roses content for cute kiddos (otherwise known as the reason for fundrai...
05/06/2026

And, as promised, we interrupt your Run for the Roses content for cute kiddos (otherwise known as the reason for fundraisers like Run for the Roses).😉

Check out Madison’s first time trying a gait trainer. Go, Maddie, go! 💪❤️

05/06/2026

✨⭐️LEGACY SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT⭐️✨

THE ALMOND MACARON🪻

This right here👇 is what happens when Haley Friend of The Almond Macaron has a vision and you get out of the way and watch it come to life. Y’ALL (yes, all caps).

This incredibly talented, passionate individual pours herself into this event each year and it shows. Her commitment to The Children’s Center and the success of this fundraiser are a gift and we are so lucky to have her on our side.

And a HUGE shoutout to Jeri Boren Krebs and her event committee for helping make this vision a reality. They work their tails off (see what we did there? 🐎) and donate their time and talents so our staff can focus on treating children and families, and we couldn’t be more grateful.

And we’ve said it before, and we’ll keep saying it. MGL Photography is magic. Period. 🪄 Enjoy! 👀

✨⭐️LEGACY SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT⭐️✨THE ALMOND MACARON🪻This right here👇is what happens when Haley Friend of The Almond Macaron...
05/06/2026

✨⭐️LEGACY SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT⭐️✨

THE ALMOND MACARON🪻

This right here👇is what happens when Haley Friend of The Almond Macaron has a vision and you get out of the way and watch it come to life. Y’ALL (yes, all caps).

This incredibly talented, passionate individual pours herself into this event each year and it shows. Her commitment to The Children’s Center and the success of this fundraiser are a gift and we are so lucky to have her on our side.

And a HUGE shoutout to Jeri Boren Krebs and her event committee for helping make this vision a reality. They work their tails off (see what we did there? 🐎) and donate their time and talents so our staff can focus on treating children and families, and we couldn’t be more grateful.

And we’ve said it before, and we’ll keep saying it. MGL Photography is magic. Period. 🪄 Enjoy! 👀

✨⭐️LEGACY SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT⭐️✨At the heart of Run for the Roses are our Legacy Sponsors. Without them, this event simply...
05/05/2026

✨⭐️LEGACY SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT⭐️✨

At the heart of Run for the Roses are our Legacy Sponsors. Without them, this event simply would not be what it is. Not only have they generously supported us since year one, but they show up, quite literally, in every way. Grateful doesn't even scrape the surface. 🙏

HALF SHELL🦪
Y'all. Half Shell Oyster House, Hattiesburg has stepped up for us every year (and long before, in fact), because they believe in the work that we do and the impact it makes on our community. They know that a successful fundraiser means more families served, and they want to contribute to that success.

And contribute, they do. The photos (by the fabulous MGL Photography) say it all. Wow, WOW.

Anyone suddenly feeling hungry?😋

Go pay Half Shell Oyster House, Hattiesburg a visit, friends. And thank them for the way they prioritize giving back to their community.🫶 Wayne McQueen Amy McQueen Jessie Holmes

As you might imagine, we’ve got quite a lot to say, and share, about our fourth annual Run for the Roses event that took...
05/05/2026

As you might imagine, we’ve got quite a lot to say, and share, about our fourth annual Run for the Roses event that took place Saturday.🏇🤍

If you’re not interested, you might wanna ignore us for the next week. Or two. 😄 Don’t worry, we’ll sprinkle plenty of cute kid pics in there too! 🙌😉

For now, we’ll just start with this. The folks behind the scenes who make it all happen. We’re so grateful, and so humbled by their willingness to pour so much of their time and talents into this event because they believe in the work that we do. Thank you, thank you, team. ✨

Lily is awesome! So well deserved! 👏
04/30/2026

Lily is awesome! So well deserved! 👏

Congrats to Lily Tolar, Outstanding Family Science Student for the School of Human Development and Family Science! 🎉👏🦅

Lily is a junior from Flowood, Miss., who is active in the Southern Miss Honors College, Luckyday Scholars Program of Southern Miss, USM Pre-Professional & Exploratory Programs Ambassadors, Pre-Physical and Occupational Therapists Society and USM Center for Community Engagement Citizen Scholars. She is currently working on her honors thesis titled "Parental Perceptions of Technology Use in Young Children with Cognitive Disabilities."

When she’s not doing schoolwork, you can find her babysitting or volunteering at The Children's Center for Communication and Development on campus. She loves working on arts and crafts projects, both solo and with the children she works with.

Lily is so thankful for the opportunities USM has given her as she prepares to apply for graduate school to become a pediatric occupational therapist.

Address

Hattiesburg, MS

Telephone

(601)2665222

Website

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