Contribute
Contribute to A Brighter Today
There are several ways you can help A Brighter Today.
Make a Cash
Donation
1. By donating online at Just Give. (Search for "a brighter today".)
2. By calling 510-693-5844 to arrange a cash or credit card donation.
3. Donate via PayPal using the button on the left.
4. By mailing a check
using the donation forms on the left.
A Brighter Today c/o Tracy Ferguson
27 Camelford Place
Piedmont, CA 94611
A Brighter Today
is a California Non profit Public Benefit Corporation,
EIN# 02-0710763
Donate through your employer. Often many employers have a direct donation program.
Volunteer
Volunteers help our center in many ways. You can work directly with our students; help with special projects such as fundraising, operations, or facility improvement; or share your expertise.
ABT Volunteer Program
Subsidy Programs
No child is ever turned away. Due to ongoing state budget constraints the DDS has imparted a $1300 parental co pay. In addition to that co pay the DDS has imparted an additional $6400 share of cost per family. We believe that our services should be available to all special needs children regardless of income. A Brighter Today subsidizes the parental co pay to low income and median income families.
Parent Education/Resources
Program A Brighter Today offers parent education classes once a month on topics suggested by the parents of A Brighter Today. Examples include classes on stages of early childhood development, baby sign language, importance of routines, Regional Center services, parent rights, advocating for children and families, seizure first aide, understanding IEP/IFSP process and implementation, nutrition, sleeping patterns, behavior modification, and different care giving styles. A Brighter Today offers parents resources in order to enable them to make the best choices for their child. We offer “at no cost” consultative services and parent education, assist parents in locating and retaining top therapists and top Physician’s in their respective field, social services, advocacy and mediating for the individual needs of each and every child.
Classroom Volunteers
Any person over the age of 18 may volunteer in the ABT Volunteer Program provided that they have a current TB Test administered and fit the program’s needs. Classroom volunteers will help with daily tasks in the classroom, including, but not limited too, light cleaning (dishes, toys, set-up and clean-up) and engage with children in daily activities. The children at ABT have individual needs that need to be met throughout each day and volunteers will be asked to help in several areas. Feeding, dressing, and Student Volunteers: A supervisor will be assigned to each volunteer according to their interests and needs. There are three areas that are offered in the ABT Volunteer Program:
• Education Students- this area focuses on people who are interested in being in the field of education, teaching, child development, child life, social services or a related field. A teacher or child life specialist will supervise volunteers in this program. It will be important that the volunteer work closely with his or her supervisor to express areas of interest, goals, challenges, and comfort level. Students will spend the majority of their time in the classroom working directly with the children and will perform daily tasks. Journal entries will be due once a week to reflect the volunteer’s experiences and to provide written communication between the supervisor and volunteer. Each student will be asked to complete a project, which will be decided by the volunteer and approved by his or her supervisor.
• Nursing Students- this program is for students that are interested in an area in the medical field. Students will be assigned to a Certified Nursing Assistant, Licensed Vocational Nurse, or Registered Nurse depending on the interests and needs of the student.
Administrative Volunteer Program
A volunteer that is interested in the administrative responsibilities of a program is able to participate in helping A Brighter Today with data entry, making appropriate phone lists, filing, mailing, answering phones, etc.
Volunteers that are in the administrative program are incredibly important to A Brighter Today. By helping with these tasks, the staff is able to focus their attention on serving the children of A Brighter Today, recruiting other children for our program, as well as fundraising. All three are essential for A Brighter Today to sustain and grow its current program.
Fundraising Volunteer Program
A Brighter Today is a non-profit organization that is partially funded through the Regional Center of the East Bay. Other funding comes from private and corporate donations, corporate sponsorships, and fundraising events. People that are interested in helping A Brighter Today with fundraising are able to participate with fundraising events put on by A Brighter Today by helping to sell tickets and/or tables, seek out auction items, donations, etc. Volunteers will play a vital role in helping ABT sustain their current program and be able to open centers statewide, and eventually nationwide.
Volunteers may also be involved in writing grants, doing research to find new sponsors, helping at fundraising events, hand delivering donor packets to corporations, and other important tasks, depending on the interest of the volunteer.
“Date Night Out” Volunteer Program
The first and third Wednesdays of every month, A Brighter Today will extend its hours until 9:00 p.m., to provide respite for families. It is our mission to help support our families and we feel “date night out” is a critical element of this support...
“Date Night Out” is available to any parents that are Regional Center clients. They are welcome to bring their children with special needs as well as their siblings to A Brighter Today for the evening.
Monthly News Letter
Public Advisory Board
Get involved with A Brighter Today. Bring your skill set to our PAB and help facilitate change for Children with disabilities and children that are medically fragile and their families.
Board of Directors
Call, mail, or email us today to find out how you can contribute.
Advocate
Take a stand.
Write to your local representative and let them know how important programs like
ours are. If you are a friend or family member of a person with a disability,
share your story. “No child left behind”, what about children with disabilities?
Where do they fit in this equation? Wouldn’t you like to do something about it?
Mayor Gavin Newsom, I challenge you to unleash the funds available in order
to sustain and grow programs for children's with disabilities. Without these
monies the disability community will digress. Moreover, the likelihood of
mainstreaming these children into inclusive programs will become less likely.
Children are at risk here. Their minds are like sponges just waiting to learn
grow and thrive. Programs like A Brighter Today while in the short term seem
more costly. Isn't the true cost going to come when these children reach of
voting age and cannot care for themselves, much less contribute to the economy.
Stay Informed
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