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The Mya Gonzales Foundation is a non-profit organization that was created to give families with special needs children the resources and support needed to raise their children to their fullest potential. It is a foundation that stemmed out of the tremendous love two parents have for their very special little girl...
Mya's Story: Inspiring a Vision that Became a Reality
In the spring of 2005, Jimmy Gonzales, the director of football operations for Oklahoma State University (OSU), and his pregnant wife, Mary, found out their baby girl was going to be born with Down syndrome. While educating themselves about the genetic disorder and locating resources available to help them, Jimmy had a chance meeting with Mack Brown, the head football coach at the University of Texas (UT), and his wife, Sally. During that meeting, Mack and Sally told Jimmy about the key fundraising efforts they took part in to help establish the Rise School of Austin.
The Rise School of Austin is one of five Rise Schools in the US devoted to the early education and socialization of children with developmental and physical disabilities (see link to their Web site in our Resources section). The original Rise School, located on the University of Alabama campus in Tuscaloosa, opened its doors in 1974. Twenty years later it gained national recognition when head football coach Gene Stallings, who has a son with Down syndrome, helped build a new facility for the school there in 1994. Since that time, Rise Schools have been opened in Austin, Dallas, Houston and Denver.
After visiting three of the Rise Schools and talking with local doctors and educators in their hometown of Stillwater, the Gonzales family became convinced that a new Rise School in Stillwater could provide countless benefits to families like theirs. Their mission suddenly became clear - shortly after Mya was born in July of 2005, they decided to form The Mya Gonzales Foundation.
The first order of business for the foundation was to raise enough money to fund and open a Rise School in Stillwater, OK. With the help of many giving individuals, that dream is now becoming a reality. The Rise School of Stillwater is expected to open its doors in August of 2007. Mya will be one of the first students to attend.
The Foundation's Financial Goals – You Can Help!
The overall financial goal of The Mya Gonzales Foundation today is to raise enough funds to open the Rise School of Stillwater in August of 2007 and offer two classes during its first year of operation. Once that is accomplished, our hope is to add one class every year.
Once the yearly operational costs of the Rise School and our foundation have been met, the remaining funds we raise through the foundation will be used to help families with special needs children across the country by:
- Providing endowments for children to attend Rise Schools for free,
- Funding research grants related to developmental and physical disabilities,
- Offering financial support to other Rise Schools and organizations that help families create more opportunities for their special needs children,
- Community education and classes for adults with disabilities.
(see our "Grants" section for more information)
If you would like to volunteer your time or donate to the foundation, find out more about how you can help!
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