by Anita Brown, Program Officer

Through PVF’s Special Education Resource Grant program, grants of up to $500 are available to Alameda County and Contra Costa County teachers and therapists to serve special education students.

Marie-Josee Parayre, an occupational therapist in the Brentwood Union School District, requested funding for therapy tools (such as a crash pad, a ball pit, and balls) to address the unique sensory-motor needs of her students.

Brentwood Union School District serves over 1,300 special education students, and as a new Occupational Therapist covering four school sites in the district, Ms. Parayre needed equipment to meet the needs of her students with moderate to severe disabilities.

When she received the Special Education Resource Grant, she sent us this note: “The $500 Special Education Grant I received this school year is having a positive impact on the students I help on a daily basis. As an occupational therapist with 20 years experiences working the schools, I have seen firsthand the decrease in funding affecting our ability to purchase much needed equipment. This grant brought a smile to my face, and now the equipment purchased with this grant is bringing excitement for many children and helping them develop new skills…. Your support is a wonderful gift worth recognition.”

We are out of Special Education Resource Grant funding for the 2017-2018 school year, but we will have funding for this grant program again in the fall. (Please keep an eye out for the announcement of renewed funds on our website.)