The Gannett Foundation, a company that is funded by the USA Today Network recently awarded a new non-profit Mississippi organization $10,000 to invest in community building through student development.
More than 24,000 donors participated in this year’s A Community Thrives Challenge raising over $3.1 million, including $60,000 in matching grants and $200,000 in incentive funds to support hundreds of nonprofits, Gannett Foundation officials said.
Advocates Assisting Students With Disabilities was one of the companies selected.
AASD is a non-profit company in Ridgeland that teaches undergraduate and graduate students in the field of special education students with disabilities on a statewide basis.
Wendell Hutchinson, executive director of AASD said he heard about the grant through one of their staff members and didn’t hesitate at the opportunity to better the organization.
“In order to register for the non-profit grant you have to have a certain number of donors and amount raised prior to receiving the grant,” Hutchinson said. “We are a start-up non-profit organization, and we plan to start taking cases in January.
“Our plan is to ensure more students with disabilities receive appropriate educational services.”
Hutchinson said making sure students receive the proper care in the right environment is essential to the process.
“AASD will provide advocacy on behalf of students with disabilities,” Hutchinson said. “Also, we will allow parents to attend IEP (Individual Education Program) meetings to shape and monitor their child’s progress on receiving the appropriate special education services in the least restrictive environment.
“Students will receive social training and therapy services based on specific needs.”
