A Ball Pit for Special Education Students
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.
![Ball Pit 2 Ball Pit 2](https://www.venturesfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Ball-Pit-2.jpg)
![Ball Pit Ball Pit](https://www.venturesfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Ball-Pit.jpg)
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.)
![Thank You Cards (2nd) Thank You Cards (2nd)](https://www.venturesfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Thank-You-Cards-2nd.jpg)