A few days before Christmas, thieves broke into a group home for autistic children in Dallas and took almost everything that had any value. The home is a part of a nonprofit organization that runs a number of group homes in that city. In this particular home, all of the children are wards of the state because they were victims of abuse and / or neglect.
The residents had been away attending a class at the organization’s main office. When they returned, their house had been ransacked. Among the items stolen were appliances, television sets, food, furniture, and the children’s own movies.
The children were unable to comprehend what had happened. But the problem created was two fold. The obvious dilemma was repairing the damage, replacing the items stolen, and the unexpected expenses. The second hurdle involved the fact that these children thrive where everything is consistent. It was very important to maintain a routine for them in spite of all the disruptive damage.
The good news is that money, gifts, and help have been pouring in. Another local nonprofit had received an abundance of food during December. They were able to give their entire surplus. A mother of an autistic child wrote that she could not afford to give much because of her child’s medical expenses, but she gave what she could.
One gentleman gave a $50 gift card for every one of the people in all of the group homes. Another man gave $10,000. Another person donated the check he had received from his employer as a Christmas bonus. The group will be able to make up for insurance losses and the excess cash will go to the other homes. The house that was burglarized will be able to purchase a badly needed new couch.
A group of families sought donations for this cause. Several of their children gave quite a few of the toys that they had received for Christmas to the effort.
This story also has significance for our family. My sons have older siblings. Only the oldest boy knows about them, I will tell the others as they get older. They have an older sister who is autistic and living in a group home in Dallas. Someday, we will go and visit her.
Related Blog:
8 Difficult Autistic Behaviors (And Why They Happen)