Recently, Down Syndrome of Louisville visited Amazon to conduct Kindness Warrior Training for some of their SDF9 leaders. The Kindness Warrior training is a unique and inclusive etiquette program aimed at fostering empathy, respect, and kindness. Kindness Warrior Training: Cultivating Empathy and Inclusion Kindness Warrior Training is an innovative program designed to equip individuals from […]
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In the pursuit of fostering inclusivity and giving voice to underrepresented communities, Actors Theatre of Louisville has taken a significant step by hiring disabled teaching artists to work with a diverse group of students. Among these exceptional individuals are Madeline Franklin and Megan Mudd, who bring their unique perspectives and talents to the forefront, creating […]
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World Down Syndrome Day is a special occasion that brings together communities worldwide to raise awareness, celebrate individuals with Down syndrome, and promote inclusion. At Down Syndrome of Louisville (DSL), we wanted to mark this significant day in a unique and meaningful way- and this year marked the first annual Lucky Few Tattoo event. In […]
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May 1st: The Bill is signed and it’s now official! Thank you Governor Andy Beshear, #TeamKentucky, and Danny Slaton for this HUGE step forward! DSL advocated for this legislation to prevent discrimination based solely on disability in the organ transplantation process for people with Down syndrome and other disabilities should they experience discrimination. Governor Beshear said […]
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Down Syndrome of Louisville members, Lucas Fortwengler and Chris Payne are attending the 2023 NDSS Advocacy Conference on March 17-19 in Washington DC along with Board Vice-President, Danny Slaton, and Executive Director, Julie Torzewski. They will be learning about all of the legislative priorities on the Down syndrome community on the hill and then advocating […]
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TAKE ACTION ACTION ALERT: ASK CONGRESS TO FULLY FUND THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), originally passed in 1975, guarantees all students with disabilities the right to a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. Along with the rights to students and families conferred by IDEA, […]
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Hallmark to Debut Romance Centered on Lead Character With Down Syndrome (Exclusive) By Philiana Ng 10:56 AM PDT, April 13, 2022 Link to original article Hallmark Movies & Mysteries will premiere a new romance centered on a lead character with Down syndrome, ET can exclusively reveal. Color My World With Love, which recently wrapped production, follows […]
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World Down Syndrome Day is this month on March 21st! We’ll be celebrating all month long by sharing spotlights of the amazing members in our community with Down syndrome! My name is Miracle. I’m 4yrs old and the youngest of all my siblings. I love to see people smile and be happy. I’m a pre-k […]
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Funds raised at Louisville Penn Station locations will be donated to Down Syndrome of Louisville For the third year in a row, Penn Station is hosting its Round-Up for Down Syndrome campaign from March 1-21, which will benefit Down Syndrome organizations across the country, including Down Syndrome of Louisville. During the campaign, participants can grab […]
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Down Syndrome of Louisville Fundraiser Returns to Live Format The 11th Annual Gallop Gala presented by MHS Louisville, Ky. (Feb. 2, 2022) – Down Syndrome of Louisville is celebrating the 11th year of it’s popular fundraising event, the Gallop Gala, by returning to an in-person format. The event will be held at Churchill Downs on […]
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BIG congrats to Bailee – today is her first day of work at her first PAID position, at Burkes Outlet!! We are so proud of you, Bailee! A big thanks and congrats to Kristen Falcone and the DSL Career Solutions Team for training Bailee and prepping her for success!! Another proud Career Solutions moment today […]
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We can’t let #CHDAwarenessWeek go by without acknowledging all our #HeartWarriors! Did you know that about 50% of infants with Down syndrome have some form of heart condition? Let’s celebrate our #HeartHeroes in the Ds Community – share an extra hug with your #CHDWarrior today! Here are stories from two of our own Heart Heroes: Ellie Parnell: Ellie’s new […]
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Thank you to everyone who stayed the course and voted for Jeff each day during this exciting season! We are so excited to announce that our votes paid off and Jeff won NASCAR’s Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award! This is a huge win for Jeff and DSL! The $100,000 will allow us to continue to support, […]
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Meet Scott Burt! Scott works at Best Buy & Geek Squad as a Receiving Utility Agent for the Parts Team. Scott has been with Best Buy GSC for more than a decade!! This is nothing short of amazing! So proud of Scott and his eleven years with the company! “Scott likes to keep everyone on […]
Read MoreIan Mauney has been with Best Buy’s Geek Squad (GSC) for twelve years, serving as a Parts Product Agent! Way to go Ian! “There is never a dull moment with Ian. He is always willing to help wherever he is needed. Ian not only unboxes for us in the receiving area but he also makes […]
Read MoreWe just can’t stop with these #DownSyndromeAwarenessMonth posts! This is Aubrey Paige! Aubs is 4 years old & a lifetime ambassador for Nothing Down Out of NJ! Aubs recently moved to Louisville a year ago & went to her first DSL event this past month! We absolutely had a blast & can’t wait to get more […]
Read MoreJust because #DownSyndromeAwarenessMonth is over doesn’t mean we can’t keep celebrating! Meet Asher! He is 17 months old and loves the ABC song, eating, dancing, and hugging Mama. He loves DSL because they send Ms. Dawn to his house for therapy! #DownSyndromeAwareness #DSLKindnessWarrior #TheLuckyFew #DownSyndromeLove
Read MoreHi! My name is Eli and I am 10 years old. I love watching YouTube, playing video games, and Spiderman. I enjoy doing softball and bowling with Special Olympics, and I am very athletic and outgoing. I love going to summer camp at DSL and seeing my friends. #DownSyndromeAwareness #DSLKindnessWarrior #TheLuckyFew #DownSyndromeLove
Read MoreHey! I’m Ellen! Ellen was born in 1991, so she and DSL are the same age! Ellen loves going to ADA, BDC, tutoring class, and all the parties at DSL like the Luau Party and the Halloween Party. She has made lifelong friends at DSL. She loves all the staff too! #DownSyndromeAwareness #DSLKindnessWarrior #TheLuckyFew #DownSyndromeLove
Read MoreMeet Alex! **Also known as AP (short for Alexandria Paige)!** This 11-year-old is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside! She is in 5th Grade and is a Middle School Cheerleader! Dancing and singing seem to be her favorite things to do right now! Her smile lights up each room she […]
Read MoreOne more #NationalDisabilityEmploymentAwareness post to celebrate another hard worker! Meet Yug Tyagi! He works in Health and Beauty Care 38 hours a week at Walmart, straightening shelves, stocking new products, and processing returns. When it comes to his job, Yug is fast, precise, and focused. He not only keeps up with his typical peers, but […]
Read MoreMeet Mabelle Jane! She is 2 years old and loves to dance and sing songs with her family. She cherishes playtime with her older brother and sister, and when she needs some quiet time she likes to discover new animals on her “tap-tap”. She can even enter the passcode on her own! Currently, her favorite […]
Read MoreThis is a special #TeamTuesday post celebrating #NationalDisabilityEmploymentAwarenessMonth and one of our most special employees! Kristin has been at DSL for almost 17 years, helping to keep us organized and on the ball! She loves to help other staff members and especially loves working on fundraising tasks. Kristin is loyal, sassy, spunky, and hardworking! We […]
Read MoreAiste is 18 years old and is new to Louisville but has been a part of DSL for a while now via the internet. She loves Wonder Woman, Shania Twain, cheerleading, and helping her Papa cook. She is originally from Lithuania and is the first older child ever adopted internationally from that country. What a […]
Read MoreThis is Jace! He is 2 years old and loves to throw ball, play golf, chase the dogs, and swim. Jace has a laugh that is contagious! He also enjoys reading books and building lego towers. Jace is currently working on his colors and getting ready to go into preschool next year! He loves to love […]
Read MoreMeet Christopher (Chris) Payne! I’m 38 and new to Louisville and DSL after living in Michigan my whole life. Both my older brother and younger sister live here – so we got the family back together in Louisville. I’ve been active in the Special Olympics for many years as a Powerlifter, Bowler, and Bocce player. […]
Read MoreAnother #NationalDisabilityEmploymentAwarenessMonth proud moment! Career Solutions Specialist, Kristen Falcone, caught this on camera earlier last week: Derrick being a proud papa and taking photos of his independent trainee Aaron! DSL member Aaron is applying for an opening at Big Lots where member Derrick has been an employee for over 15 years. Aaron shadowed Derrick at […]
Read MoreCole Santiago Quintela is 13 years old – youngest of 6. He loves to watch funny videos and listen to music on his iPad. He enjoys dancing and is thrilled when the folks around him APPLAUD! He is absolutely beautiful inside and out. If you would like to share a spotlight for someone you love […]
Read MoreDid you know October is not just #DownSyndromeAwarenessMonth but also #NationalDisabilityEmploymentAwarenessMonth! We want to celebrate Penni Williams for 10 years of service at BestBuy – Way to go Penni! “Penni works with Tiffany Smith and James Baxter in the Parts Department, and she just celebrated her ten-year anniversary with us. Penni came to me and expressed that […]
Read MoreMeet Amber! Amber works hard to promote Down Syndrome and her independence, and she enjoys life to the fullest. She has worked hard to become an independent adult and is spunk, sass, and joy personified! If you would like to share a spotlight for someone you love with Down Syndrome contact ivyf@dsoflou.org #DownSyndromeAwareness #DSLKindnessWarrior #TheLuckyFew #DownSyndromeLove
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