Walt Adams:

Star Radio once again it’s time for our Power of Potential with AIM Services. Each week, I look forward to talking with our Executive Director, Chris Lyons. Good morning, Chris.

Chris Lyons:

Good morning, and happy Sunday, Walt. It’s good to hear your voice. It’s good to feel the smile in your words, and you always pick us up a little bit every Sunday in a calm, collected way. So, I want to thank you for that. The show has just been really like a friend to us, and will be even more so as we enter the winter months.

Walt Adams:

I know you’re so proud of the way everyone’s been rallying together to help support each other as well as the individuals during this difficult time. And that kind of vision starts at the top, and you’re leading the way with that ability to show leadership in a time when we all need it.

Chris Lyons:

Well, you’re too kind, my friend, but together we’re giving voice to those people doing those very important things behind the scenes that make the difference during this time. And I’m grateful for you, making sure that happens. Speaking of which, Christmas is right around the corner. The holiday season is upon us. I’m one of those guys that watches Frank Capra’s, It’s a Wonderful Life all the way through at least once every Christmas, and last winter when this first all started I was asked to give a message of hope for the chamber that was published in the local newspapers, and I quoted Capra. It’s about George Bailey who is given a perfect, beautiful gift, a chance to see what the world would be like without him. And I analogize it to this pause, this COVID pause that has caused us to slow down and withdraw for safety purposes.

Chris Lyons:

It’s been a pause to consider what the world would be like if we’re not moving at the speed of sound, and we’re not constantly growing and pushing and pushing and pushing. And that gift has given us all an opportunity to meditate a little more, look each other in the eye a little more, be a little more human. And it’s really been a wonderful opportunity as we enter this holiday season to be thankful for the simple things in life. COVID may have slowed us down, but it’s not going to stop us from emotional, mental health, and spiritual growth, and we can all do it and we have done it. And so, my message this Sunday is there’ll be a light at the end of the tunnel. It’s going to get a little darker before the dawn, but holiday season is in our hearts even if it can’t be in the shopping mall.

Walt Adams:

Chris, that’s great inspiration for us as we all look for those little bright lights every so often this holiday season to perk us up a little bit. We’re going to be introducing Elizabeth Einhart from the Theresa Foundation.

Chris Lyons:

Now, that’s the foundation that has a wonderful vision. That artistic expression, physical recreation are just as important to kids as they are to adults. The Theresa Foundation actually funds these activities for people with challenges, kids that need that extra support. So, it’s an art class, but it’s an art class that’s accessible to anyone with a cognitive or other kind of a challenge. And that’s a special kind of a value added service in our community. And it’s a great story of Theresa and her family and Elizabeth, who I’m so grateful to be able to give her voice today. Her story is compelling and it’s a beautiful story of love. And from challenge can come beautiful things. So, we’re happy to give them a platform. I want to thank them because they do support AIM every year. And we’re able to do some things in our [inaudible 00:03:26] community health programs for kids with challenges that we would not be able to do without their assistance. So, big shout out to Elizabeth.

Walt Adams:

We have her on the other line. Thank you very much for joining us. Once again, look forward to talking to you again next week.

Chris Lyons:

I look forward to having a more normal holiday celebration with you next year. I know we traditionally get together every year and we’ll be unable to do that, but you’re always in my heart, and we’re all grateful of this community for the work you do, and for your kind and compassionate approach. Just play more jazz, will you?

Walt Adams:

You’re on, Chris. Thanks a lot.

Chris Lyons:

Be well.

Walt Adams:

And our special guest Elizabeth Einhart from the Theresa Foundation. Good morning, Elizabeth.

Elizabeth Einhart:

Good morning, Walt. It’s a pleasure to chat with you today.

Walt Adams:

Tell us a little bit about your foundation and your mission.

Elizabeth Einhart:

Thank you. Yeah. So, the Theresa Foundation was founded in 1991, and it is a nonprofit organization in memory of my sister, Theresa Alessandra Russo. Theresa was born in 1986 with microcephaly and cerebral palsy and a seizure disorder and a bunch of other different disorders. And so, she was multiply handicap and I was her older sister. I was three at the time when she was born and she seamlessly joined our family and we loved her very, very much. And unfortunately in 1991 at the age of five Theresa passed away.

Elizabeth Einhart:

What happened then was our family felt this outcry of support from all of our loved ones and our community asking how can they help? And so, my parents, Vincent and Susan founded the Theresa Foundation in her memory. And our mission is to provide exposure to the arts and recreation for children with special needs because my mother is a dancer at heart and a dance educator, and she felt as she was moving through the world with Theresa that there was just a massive lack of opportunities in the arts in the special needs population. So that was where we focused because Theresa just really loved music and movement. And so, our foundation started just a tiny little fill in the cracks organization back in 1991, and we’ve grown. Recently we’ve started providing funding internationally and across the country. And so, our bread and butter is our grant program. And that is how we provide support to organizations like AIM. Organizations who find that they need additional funds to provide services in the arts, dance, music, art, drama, and recreation can apply to our grant program.

Walt Adams:

You’re listening to Star Radio Sunday Jazz Brunch. I’m Walt Adams with our guest Elizabeth Einhart with the Theresa Foundation. One of the things that we’ve discovered at AIM Services is that the arts and dancing, music therapy have all been great tools for supporting people with disabilities.

Elizabeth Einhart:

Absolutely. It’s incredibly important part of society, the arts, and we’re privileged to help get the funds out there and support these programs so that kids can really experience exposure. And we support various types of programs. We have been providing grants to places like AIM for respite programs. We have also supported via grant funding, therapeutic horseback riding programs, various recreation camps, drama programs, drumming classes, arts classes.

Walt Adams:

And what are some of the ways that you can get funding?

Elizabeth Einhart:

We have an application on our website, www.theresafoundation.org, and you can click on the apply now, and you’ll be directed to our application.

Walt Adams:

Elizabeth, how does the Theresa Foundation get its funding and how do people make donations?

Elizabeth Einhart:

Oh, that’s a great question. So you can make your donations directly on our website. We have a donate button. We have various types of donations. We have a general donation. We have the gift of love program. So if you were looking to make a donation in honor, or memory of another individual, and we will send them an acknowledgement card notifying them that a gift was made in their honor or in memory of a loved one. If you are making a general donation, but you’d like it to fund a certain program of ours like Theresa’s Fun Place, which is a park and playground on the grounds of CP Nassau, which is where Theresa went to school on our website as well. And we’re currently selling Theresa Foundation face masks for $20 and that’s free shipping and all the money that we raise goes directly towards supporting the program.

Walt Adams:

During this pandemic, you found some people reaching out who have been helpful?

Elizabeth Einhart:

Absolutely. We typically have a annual golf outing in June and this year that had to be rescheduled and pushed back until October. We were nervous about the numbers and how that was going to pan out. And it was just incredibly heartwarming to see the golfers who come back year after year steadfast in their dedication, in their donations. We provided $115,216 in grant. To maintain the level of support in 2020, regardless of the pandemic. And that is 100% because of our supporters and their dedication to our mission. And it’s been incredibly heartwarming and we remain committed to continuing to do all that we can to further our mission and support programs, focusing on art, music, dance, drama, and recreation for children with special needs.

Walt Adams:

God bless you. This legacy of your sister, Theresa, will continue on and it’s something you have to be so proud of. Thank you for joining us today on the Power of Potential, happy holidays.

Elizabeth Einhart:

Oh, thank you so much, Walt. Happy holidays.

Walt Adams:

It’s Elizabeth Einhart from the Theresa Foundation. For more information on AIM and the services they provide or to join the AIM team, go to aimservicesinc.org for the Power of Potential.