Local PADLS Program seeks public’s help with grant opportunity
A local, water safety program for autistic and special needs children has an opportunity to win a $25,000 grant, but it needs the public’s help to secure the funding.
Organized by the Florida Helps Foundation, the PADLS – Persons with Autism or Disabilities Learn to Swim – Program teaches drowning prevention techniques to participants. Started with a grant from Autism Speaks, the free program covers how to stay afloat and focuses on swimming to a ledge and more.
In its first year in 2015, the program held six sessions, with each one lasting eight weeks.
“In the autistic and special needs community, we had a huge interest,” Mike VonPlinsky, executive director of the foundation and the founder of the program, said. “But then our funding ran out.”
The foundation has been using this year to establish more funding.
“We’re looking right now at a wide variety of fundraising opportunities,” he said.
One of those is the State Farm Neighborhood Assist grant program.
“They get thousands of people applying,” VonPlinsky said.
Under Neighborhood Assist, State Farm narrows down the thousands of applications to just 200 finalists. The public is then asked to vote for their favorite program or causes via the website.
“We were lucky enough to be selected as one of those finalists,” he said.
The top 40 vote-getters will each receive a $25,000 grant.
VonPlinsky pointed out that the PADLS Program is relatively new and has a small staff compared to some of the finalists. It is also the only cause that supports children with autism or special needs.
“So, obviously, we were extremely excited and humbled,” he said.
To vote for the PADLS Program, register online at: www.neighborhoodassist.com/. Once registered, people can vote up to 10 times per day on the website. The voting ends on Friday.
“That $25,000 will fund a single pool for next year,” VonPlinsky said.
The program holds sessions from May to December at local community pools.
“This gets us back in the water,” he said. “But it also gives us the ability to get more instructors involved.”
Accidental drowning is the leading cause of death in the United States for autistic and special needs youth under the age of 15.
For every child that drowns, four more are hospitalized for near-drownings.
For more information about the program, visit: www.flhelps.org/padls/.
The PADLS Program is also seeking sponsors and donors.
For more information, contact Mike VonPlinsky at mvp@flhelps.org.