Past Events

SPECIAL EDUCATION SUCCESS WORKSHOP FOR PARENTS: THIS CAN BE YOUR CHILD’S BEST SCHOOL YEAR EVER! PRESENTED BY Catherine Whitcher www.catherinewhitcher.com CONNECTIONS CHARLOTTE 435 South Tryon Street, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28202 SCHEDULE 7:00 p.m – 7:15 p.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks 7:15 p.m – 8:15 p.m. Presentation 8:15 p.m – 8:30 p.m. Q&A COST Free of charge. Space is limited. Registration is required. SESSION DESCRIPTION • Bring Your Child’s IEP • Learn what should and should not be in your child’s IEP • Learn…

Join us for an afternoon of hockey with our very own Charlotte Checkers.
The puck drops at 1pm against the Toronto Marlies.

Bring your friends for a evening of Karaoke and Dinner. RSVP to coachpath@aol.com  and extraspecialcatering@gmail.com

We are excited to have Kayla McKeon speak with our families and self-advocates! Kayla is a self-advocate and manager of Grass Roots Advocacy with the National Down Syndrome Society RSVP REQUIRED

We are teaming up with the Charlotte Hornets this season to host a fundraiser, and are very excited to be recognized as the Non-Profit of the Night on March, 19th vs the Philadelphia 76ers! The fundraiser will give $5 back from each ticket sold *only through this Groupmatics link* to DSA of Greater Charlotte. In addition to this, we will also have a special VIP "Behind the Scenes" experience available to us! This experience will allow us to watch pre-game…

Along with Invites You to Celebrate World Down Syndrome Day! "Crazy Sock Hop" World Down Syndrome Day Celebration is a family-friendly festival open to the community provided by a partnership between Davidson Day School, KennedyStrong Foundation, Gigi's Playhouse Charlotte and the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Charlotte. Date: Thursday, March 21st, 2019 Time: 5:30pm - 7:30pm Location: Davidson Day School, 750 Jetton Street, Davidson, NC Stay tuned for more information coming soon!

INVITE YOUR CHILD'S CLASS/SCHOOL TO SHOW THEIR SUPPORT! IT IS EASY! Dash-With-Class "How To" Guide Dash with Class Letter 5K & World Down Syndrome Day The 3-2-1 DASH for Down Syndrome is a 5K fundraiser; run an extra .11 mile to the 2nd finish line for a 3.21 finish! Event proceeds benefit Education Programs for individuals with Down syndrome (Ds). Educational programs in the greater Charlotte area are helping to support educators and enable students with Ds to live up…

WORDS MATTER. ATTITUDES MATTER. WE MATTER. Filmmaker Amanda Lukoff grew up advocating for her sister Gabrielle, especially whenever she heard the word retard(ed). With The R-Word, she unravels the history and lasting effects of this word through the lens of the sibling experience, captivating animation sequences, and self-advocates speaking truth-to-power - ultimately making the case for why the conversation surrounding people with intellectual and developmental disabilities needs to change. Join us on Tuesday, June 11th for a FREE screening of "The…

Camp Holiday is a day camp for campers with Down syndrome, ages 5-21. Participants may choose from two two-week sessions. Participating campers enjoy weekly yoga, drama and music/movement classes facilitated by trained professionals. Each group of campers is supported by a certified teacher and 1-2 camp counselors – offering a 1:3 counselor-to-camper ratio. Camp Holiday is all about learning and fun! Session 1: Monday, June 17th - Friday, June 21st and Monday, June 24th - Friday, June 28th. NEW IN 2019:…

This event is cosponsored by The Exceptional Foundation, Best Buddies of North Carolina and the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Charlotte. Dance the night away at the Summer Swing! Enjoy an evening of fantastic music, refreshments & fun! The event will also feature a V.I.P (Very Important Parent) lounge. RSVP required. EVENT IS FREE! Free parking: 163 W. 9th Street, signs overhead as you enter the parking deck should say 525 North Tryon, United Methodist Church. Take the parking deck…

Camp Holiday is a day camp for campers with Down syndrome, ages 5-21. Participants may choose from two two-week sessions. Participating campers enjoy weekly yoga, drama and music/movement classes facilitated by trained professionals. Each group of campers is supported by a certified teacher and 1-2 camp counselors – offering a 1:3 counselor-to-camper ratio. Camp Holiday is all about learning and fun! Session 2: Monday, July 15th - Friday, July 19th and Monday, July 22nd - Friday, July 26th. NEW IN 2019:…

Elevation Church is sponsoring THREE Moms Mornings Out the week of July 29th - August 2nd for kids in grades K-5. July 29, 9am-12pm July 31, 9am-12pm August 2, 9am-12pm These are FREE, but space is limited to 20 kids per day. For more details and to RSVP visit: https://dsagreatercharlotte.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=517

Join us for a SUPER SUMMER CARNIVAL! Sponsored by Elevation Church Saturday, August 3rd, 2019 11am-1pm SMS Catering, 1764 Norland Road, Charlotte, NC 28205 FREE! RSVPs recommended so we can plan accordingly!

Join us for dinner and Bingo! $14.00 per person included dinner (menu forthcoming). After dinner we will play  BINGO  for great prizes! Please respond by 7 pm on Monday, 9/9, with the total number in your party so we can get the count for the ordering of food. Please respond to: extraspecialcatering@gmail.com Remember everyone in invited, family, friends, classmates, work colleagues etc .

Join A Special Needs Plan, INC. as they host a three-part seminar series for families of children with disabilities. Topics include: 9/14/19 - Planning for Two Lifetimes 10/12/19 - Overview of the ABLE Account 11/16/19 - Transition to Adulthood: Ages 17-21 RSVP for one or more of these three workshops starting August 19th. Stay tuned!

NEW DATE: September 21, 2019 For new and expectant parents, any opportunity to connect with other parents who have had similar experiences can be invaluable. DSA of Greater Charlotte will hold a training event for parents interested in becoming mentors to families that have recently received a diagnosis. Prospective parent mentors should have a child with Down syndrome under the age of 8. However, all interested families are invited to attend. This training is for parents to become certified in…

This series of three 90-minute workshops will focus on empowering adults with Down syndrome & Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities to become contributing members of their communities and workplaces. When: Wednesdays, 1x/month (September - November) Location: Park Road Baptist Church, 3900 Park Rd, Charlotte, NC Time: 6:30pm - 8:00pm Cost: $20 per session NOTE: This series of workshops is developed so that each workshop can stand alone, but the series is most impactful when all three workshops are taken together. Wednesday, September 25,…

This family workshop, sponsored by the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Charlotte, will feature Terri Couwenhoven, MS, AASECT Sexuality Educator.   Terri Couwenhoven MS, CSE is a well known sex educator and author, specializing in the design and implementation of sexuality programs and resources for people with cognitive disabilities, their parents, and the professionals who support them. Her gentle, matter-of-fact approach combined with extensive knowledge and experience make her a popular speaker with self advocates, parents and professionals around the…

This FREE family workshop, sponsored by the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Charlotte, will focus on understanding the roles of temperament and personality in developing healthy family relationships. This family workshop, sponsored by the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Charlotte, will feature Terri Couwenhoven, MS, AASECT Sexuality Educator.   Terri Couwenhoven MS, CSE is a well known sex educator and author, specializing in the design and implementation of sexuality programs and resources for people with cognitive disabilities, their parents, and…

Join us for dinner and Motown Karaoke The menu will be an Oktoberfest theme ($14/per person): Pork Schnitzel German Potato Salad Braised Red Cabbage Pretzels Apple Strudel Need your RSVPs (including # of people in your party) by Monday, October 7, 2019, including any karaoke song you want to sing. Please RSVP to both extraspecialcatering@gmail.com and coachpath@aol.com Remember everyone in invited, family, friends, classmates, work colleagues etc .

Join A Special Needs Plan, INC. as they host a three-part seminar series for families of children with disabilities. Topics include: 9/14/19 - Planning for Two Lifetimes 10/12/19 - Overview of the ABLE Account 11/16/19 - Transition to Adulthood: Ages 17-21 RSVP for one or more of these three workshops starting August 19th.  

This series of three 90-minute workshops will focus on empowering adults with Down syndrome & Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities to become contributing members of their communities and workplaces. When: 1x/month September – November Location: Park Road Baptist Church, 3900 Park Rd, Charlotte, NC Time: 6:30pm – 8:00pm Cost: $20 per session NOTE: This series of workshops is developed so that each workshop can stand alone, but the series is most impactful when all three workshops are taken together. Wednesday, September 25, 2019…

We will be playing Bingo for GREAT PRIZES! Extra Special Catering will provide one free meal for a new Meet-UP guest for tonight. This will be for one individual  who has not attended a Meet-UP group dinner during the past year. Thank you Chefs for doing this and for your great support of our program.   Our menu will be: Kefta Beef Kabobs Moroccan Couscous Salad (GF version available) Moroccan Spiced Roasted Vegetables Dessert: Moroccan Baklava (GF dessert available) Cost…

Join A Special Needs Plan, INC. as they host a three-part seminar series for families of children with disabilities. Topics include: 9/14/19 - Planning for Two Lifetimes 10/12/19 - Overview of the ABLE Account 11/16/19 - Transition to Adulthood: Ages 17-21 RSVP for one or more of these three workshops starting August 19th!