December 2000

Day Care for Autistic Son
Lets Mom Care for Family

Lisa’s 2 ½-year-old son Jacob had stopped responding to anyone, Lisa thought he might be going deaf. Specialists found nothing wrong with his hearing but could not pinpoint the problem. Finally, after a year of tests and one doctor’s familiarity with the symptoms, Jacob was diagnosed with autism. Now at age 6, Jacob is nonverbal, aggressive, often destructive and requires constant attention and activity.

Caring for Jacob

While Lisa never considered Jacob even the slightest burden, living with an autistic child placed a lot of strain on this single mother of three. Her days were consumed with looking after Jacob, leaving her unable to work. So this June, Lisa moved her family to Wichita, from Chicago, because a family member told her about Rainbows United, Inc., a United Way-funded agency.

With no income coming in to support her family, Rainbows began their support process for Lisa. Working with two other United Way-funded agencies, Rainbows helped her find a shelter run by one agency, and then began working with another to help with transitional housing.

Care for Jacob, however, was Lisa’s main concern and Rainbows provided the nurturing support that Jacob needed. "Rainbows provided Lisa with a worry-free, safe environment for her son where people are trained to work with children with special needs," says Kim Fulghum, case manager at Rainbows United.

The recreational activities with other special needs children provide necessary socialization and interaction for Jacob, and the constant one-on-one attention keeps him from becoming agitated and destructive. Jacob attends Rainbows’ summer camp program as well as their day program during the school year—when on breaks from his special education program at a Wichita public school.

With Rainbows looking after Jacob during the day, Lisa used the time that Rainbows provided her to achieve her goal of supporting her family on her own.

"I was able to move through the system and get back on my feet quickly," says Lisa. "We weren’t trapped at home any more…I never had that kind of opportunity before."

Taking Care of Family Needs

"It’s remarkable to see Lisa succeed so quickly, especially with the dependent nature and special needs of Jacob," Fulghum adds. "In just three months she was able to get off the street, find a place to live and finish her technical schooling. It’s rare to see lives change so fast."

Today, Lisa is living on her own and working days through several temporary employment agencies. She is in the midst of searching for a permanent job that fits her skills acquired through the work program.

"It feels like a burden has been lifted off of me," says Lisa. "Just in the fact that when Jacob doesn’t have school he has a comfortable place to go while I am still able to work."

Call United Way of the Plains at 267-1321 to find out more about how your money is helping our community.