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Preparese!

La recuperación después de un desastre natural es sumamente difícil para cualquier persona incluyendo a nuestras familias viviendo con autismo. Queremos que su familia esté preparada con anticipación y no ser sorprendidos. No se asuste pero actúe inteligentemente. A continuación le presentamos algunos consejos prácticos sobre cómo prepararse para la tormenta sin pánico.

1. SALGA! Es mejor evacuar a un hotel fuera de la zona de huracanes que estar en su casa. Planifique salir fuera de la trayectoria de la tormenta. No se deje engañar si la tormenta disminuye en intensidad después de pasar sobre las islas. Puede intensificarse y crecer rápidamente dado el caso a que las temperaturas del mar estén más altas. Asegúrese de dejar espacio de 24 horas para evacuar en caso de que el tráfico este complicado.

2. SI VAS A UN REFUGIO! Notifique a los funcionarios de vivienda que necesita un área silenciosa. Una vez en el refugio pida hablar con la persona a cargo para que usted sea el portavoz de su familia según su necesidad. Estamos trabajando con la Cruz Roja en esto, pero los cambios son lentos. Ellos tendrán a alguien asignado para la representar a las familias con necesidades especiales. Si estás registrado con nosotros, podremos obtener su información a ellos.

3. ¡OTRAS FAMILIAS DE AUTISMO EN SU ÁREA! Sea el guardián de su hermano. Favor de darle “me gusta” a nuestra página “Unlocking Autism United States” en Facebook. Favor de difundir la información en los medios sociales, animarlos a pre-inscribirse y llamarlos para asegurarse de que hagan planes al respecto.

4. ¡PRE-INSCRIBIRSE! Usted puede pre-registrarse con “Unlocking Autism” #ASDPlan para el huracán Irma aqui: blog.thepowerofonemarch.org/asdplan-pre-registration/
Esto nos permitirá comprobar como usted esta después de la tormenta. Si su hogar está en la zona del desastre también puede pre-inscribirse con FEMA: www.disasterassistance.gov/ . Asegúrese de incluir su teléfono celular y correo electrónico. Los teléfonos celulares pueden ser la única manera en que podamos contactarlo después del evento a través de mensajes de texto.

5. ¡LLAME A SU COMPAÑÍA DE HIPOTECA! Llame a su compañía hipotecaria para asegurar que su póliza de seguro este intacta o activa. Solicite consejos sobre cómo manejar la situación durante el paso de la tormenta. Cuando pasa una tormenta ellos podrían ofrecerle el aplazar los pagos hipotecarios durante varios meses.

6. ¡RESERVACION DE HOTEL! Reserva en un hotel que tenga una micro-cocina a su alcance para que así pueda almacenar los alimentos y preparar comidas especiales de su niño especialmente si tienen una dieta restringida o comen sólo ciertos alimentos. Mientras más lejos estén de la tormenta mejor – no sólo en el interior de la misma pero fuera de su trayectoria. Si su hogar está en la zona del desastre, FEMA puede pagar las cuentas así que es mejor asegurarse ahora!

7. ¡APOYOS NATURALES! Si tienes familia o amigos que podrían ir a quedarse o que Usted pudiera quedarse con ellos para estar fuera de peligro, llamarlos ahora y pedirles si pueden evacuar a sus hogares. Darle tiempo para prepararse para su llegada. El Huracán de Irma es todavía impredecible por lo que estamos alentando a las familias que viven con autismo a prepararse debidamente.

8. ¡GAS! Llenar sus vehículos de gas antes de que las líneas se pongan largas por la espera. Si usted tiene más de un vehículo y está en una zona de inundación evacue con esos vehículos.

9. ¡EMPAQUE! Asegúrese de tener estas cosas empacadas y listas para usar:

a) ROPA: todos los elementos esenciales que necesita hasta 3 semanas con respecto a la ropa. Empaque algo de detergente para que así pueda lavar la ropa.
b) NECESIDADES DE CONTROL DE ESFINTERES: Pañales y toallitas, si es necesario.
c) COMIDA: Alimentos especiales de su niño que son fáciles de preparar. Suministros para su familia. Si tienes espacio, traer un microondas con usted en caso de que el hotel no tenga uno y una nevera para el hielo.
d) AGUA: Agua embotellada
e) DOCUMENTOS: certificados de nacimiento, tarjetas de seguridad social, papeles del seguro del hogar, IEP’s y registros médicos según sea necesario. Si usted guarda cosas en una caja de seguridad social, vaya a conseguirlos. Pasaportes, etc. Empaque cualquier evaluación de su hijo. Esto permitirá una transición sin problemas en un sistema escolar si usted es incapaz de volver a casa. Aquí esta una página para aprender sobre sus derechos si usted debe inscribir a su hijo en otro lugar: www.copaa.org/general/custom.asp?page=DisplacedHomeless
f) MEDICINA: Llame ahora a sus médicos y solicite una nueva receta si es posible y asegúrese de que su receta se encuentre en una farmacia donde usted pueda buscar desde cualquier ciudad donde usted vaya a ser evacuado. Si su hijo tiene urgencia médica adicional, investigue a donde tendría que dirigirse o pregúntele a sus médicos a donde lo podría referir.
g) ARTÍCULOS ESPECIALES: Asegúrese de traer cualquier artículo que su niño/persona con autismo que necesita para permanecer tranquilo en un ambiente nuevo, incluyendo sus aparatos electrónicos, tarjetas de PECs, mantas con peso, etc. Si vas a estar en un refugio, traiga también los auriculares o audífonos que cancelen sonidos o ruidos.

h) MASCOTAS: Si usted tiene animales domésticos, haga planes para llevarlos. Traiga sus jaulas si es necesario para quedarse con los demás o para hoteles. Empaque alimentos para ellos también.
i) MEMORABLIA: Traiga objetos especiales que desea tener con usted – fotos, álbumes, proyectos de arte para niños, herencias o cualquier artículo especial que desee guardar.
j) DINERO EN EFECTIVO: Las zonas de desastre regresarán a una economía de efectivo después de un desastre natural porque la electricidad no funcionará durante semanas. Saque dinero de su Banco para que pueda mantener el mismo con usted.
k) RUTA DE EVACUACION: Trate de encontrar una ruta que puede tomar que lo mantenga fuera de las carreteras interestatales. La mayoría de las personas intentará evacuar por la interestatal. Las carreteras más pequeñas pueden llegar a donde tiene que ir más rápido.

10. PREPARAR SU HOGAR! Tenga su casa preparada siguiendo estos planes básicos:

a) ASEGURE SU CASA: Cubra puertas y ventanas según sea necesario. Ir a buscar madera contrachapada ahora. Pedir ayuda si la necesita porque todo el mundo estará preparando sus propios hogares.
b) ASEGURE SU JARDIN: Remover cosas de tu patio que puedan convertirse en proyectiles y ponerlos dentro de tu casa o almacén.
c) ASEGURE ARTICULOS PARA EL HOGAR: Mover cosas a un piso superior o ático si usted estará en una zona de inundación. También puede colocar los artículos en cosas impermeables en depósitos de plástico, bolsas de basura o Ziplocs.
d) SACOS DE ARENA: Pida ayuda si es necesario a algún vecino y colocar los sacos de arena alrededor de sus puertas y áreas bajas de la ventana.
e) VERIFIQUE LA ELEVACION DE SU HOGAR AQUÍ: Preste atención a los pronósticos de la oleada de la tormenta y las zonas de inundación. Usted necesita saber qué nivel de riesgo enfrenta con la tormenta y las inundaciones proyectadas. Este enlace le permitirá saber su elevación: www.whatismyelevation.com/
f) AGUA: Conseguir varias cajas de agua embotellada que pueda utilizar hasta que regrese a su casa. Al menos para 3 semanas.
g) COMIDA: Compre alimentos enlatados que pueda utilizar cuando vuelva a casa que sean fáciles de calentar y preparar.
h) PARRILLA Y CARBON: Asegúrese de almacenar la parrilla y el carbón para la preparación de la comida después de la tormenta durante la recuperación.
i) REFRIGERADORES/CONGELADORES: Deseche los artículos perecederos que no se puedan utilizar antes de la tormenta. Trate de cocinar lo que pueda ahora por adelantado antes de la tormenta. Antes de irse ponga toda la comida en su refrigerados y congelador en bolsas de basura. Si pierdes la electricidad y no llegas a casa por varios días o una semana o más, la nariz te lo agradecerá. Sera más fácil agarrar las bolsas y tirarlas afuera y salvaras a tu nevera de la formación de moho y humedad.
j) TOME FOTOS: Tome fotos de todos los ángulos de cada habitación en su casa y envíelo por correo electrónico a usted mismo. Esto le permitirá hacer un inventario de lo que tienes para que usted pueda ser reembolsado después del evento a través de su compañía de seguros y así pueda demostrar la condición previa de su hogar.
k) RECUPERACIÓN DE ARTICULOS: Almacene máscaras, spray para el moho, cloro, esponjas, trapos, martillos y palancas de derribo para demoler más rápido, cubos, suministros de limpieza y bolsas de basura.
l) CONTACTOS DE EMERGENCIA: Asegúrese de escribir los contactos de emergencia en caso de que la batería de su teléfono se muera. Así podrá usar una línea de teléfono fija para dejar saber a las personas donde usted está y lo que usted necesita.

11. TAN PRONTO FINALIZE EL EVENTO:

a) VUELVA A SU CASA CUANDO ESTE SEGURA: Las carreteras o caminos pueden estar cerrados por algún tiempo. Este preparado para alojarse durante al menos 10 días ya que líneas eléctricas podrían estar en el piso lo que sería un gran riesgo para usted y su familia.
b) VERIFIQUE EL TECHO: Aunque su casa se vea intacta, revise el techo. Las tejas o azulejos pueden haberse salido por los fuertes vientos lo que ocasionará que entre agua a su casa durante la lluvia. Contacte un técnico calificado para que revise su hogar. Todavía es una temporada de huracanes activa y es importante que se asegure de que el techo esté seguro.
c) VUELVA A SU CASA CON SUMINISTROS: Reponga los materiales o suministros que necesita hasta 30 días al volver a casa. Tardará un rato para que las tiendas y las farmacias vuelvan a estar en línea. Asegúrese de abastecerse de linternas, pilas, velas, líquido para encendedores (para el carbón de leña), suministros de primeros auxilios y aerosol de insecto. Los mosquitos son terribles luego de las tormentas cuando las plantas se están deshojando.
d) ANTES DE VOLVER A CASA: Si su casa estaba en el camino directo de la tormenta, notifique a su compañía de hipoteca y asegúrese de que haya registrado con FEMA. Una vez tenga electricidad puede tomar 3-6 semanas para restaurarse. Haga todo esto antes de irse. Ellos podrán ayudarlos con cosas como cupones para alimentos después de un acontecimiento así. Entienda que las trailas de FEMA no llegará a su área hasta potencialmente 8-10 semanas después de un evento adverso.
e) BUSQUE MENSAJES DE CORREO ELECTRONICO DE NOSOTROS: Nosotros enviaremos un correo electrónico después de la tormenta a las personas que están pre-registrados con nosotros que nos pedirá la ubicación de la lista e identificar si usted está seguro. Si usted está en un refugio, necesitamos nos informe en cuál de ellos se encuentra para poder notificar a la Cruz Roja.
f) SEGURIDAD ES TRABAJO #1: Leer este blog antes de volver.

Mantenerse seguro es lo más importante. Es devastador el perder su casa y sus cosas, pero mantener a su familia sana y a salvo durante estos eventos debería ser tu enfoque.

Don’t be scared. Be prepared. Have an #ASDPlan!

Recovery after a huge natural disaster is difficult for anyone and that especially includes our families living with autism.  We want your family to be prepared ahead of time and not be caught off guard.  Don’t panic but just be smart. Below are some practical tips on how to prepare for the storm without panic.

1. GET OUT! It is better to evacuate to a hotel room outside of the Hurricane Zone than to be in your home. Plan to get out of harms way.  Do not be fooled if the storm drops in intensity after passing over the islands. They can quickly grow into serious storms once they hit warm water again. Be sure to leave 24 hours room for evacuating in case traffic is bad.
2. IF YOU GO TO A SHELTER! Let shelter officials know that you will need quiet space. Ask them when you arrive to let you speak to the person in charge. Advocate for your family. We are working with the Red Cross on this but change is slow.  They will have disability advocates on hand after the storm. If you are registered with us, we will be able to get your information to them.
3. OTHER AUTISM FAMILIES IN YOUR AREA! Be your brother’s keeper.  Like Unlocking Autism – United States on Facebook. Spread the information on social media, encourage them to pre-register and call them to ensure they make solid plans as well. Check on your neighbors – especially elderly neighbors. Help where you can.
4. PRE-REGISTER! You can pre- register with Unlocking Autism’s #ASDPlan here for Hurricane Irma. This will allow us to check on you after the storm. If your home is in the disaster zone then also take the time now to pre-register with FEMA. Be sure to include your cell phone and email. Cell phones may be the only way we can reach you after the event via texting.
5. CALL YOUR MORTGAGE COMPANY! Call your mortgage company to ensure your insurance policy is in-tact. Ask their advice on how to handle and let them know you are in the path of the storm. When a storm hits they can often defer your mortgage payments for several months and help pay for
6. HOTEL RESERVATIONS! Book now in a hotel that has a micro-kitchen available to it if possible so you can store food and prepare your child’s special meals if they have restricted diets or only eat certain foods. The farther away from the storm the better – not just inland but out of the path. If your home is in the disaster zone FEMA may pay the bills so it is better to secure it now!
7. NATURAL SUPPORTS! If you have family or friends that you could go stay with well out of harm’s way, call them now and ask them if you can evacuate to their homes. Give them time to prepare for your arrival. Irma’s path is still unpredictable so we are encouraging families living with autism to get off of the panhandle.
8. GAS! Gas up your vehicles now before the lines get long. If you have more than one vehicle and could be in a flood zone evacuate with those vehicles. It lets you pack more things.
9. PACK! Make sure you have these things packed and ready to go:
   1. CLOTHING: All of the essentials you will need for up to 3 weeks with regard to clothes. Pack some detergent so you can wash clothes.
   2. TOILETING NEEEDS: Diapers and wipes, if needed.
   3. FOOD: Your child’s special foods that are easy to prepare. Supplies for your family. If you have room, bring a microwave with you in case your hotel doesn’t have one and an ice chest.
   4. WATER: Bottled water
   5. DOCUMENTS: Birth certificates, social security cards, Home insurance papers, IEPs and medical records as needed. If you keep things in a safety deposit box, go get them. Passports, etc. Pack any of your child’s evaluations. This will allow for a smooth transition into a school system if you are unable to return home. Here is a page to learn about your rights if you have to enroll your child elsewhere after.
   6. MEDICINE: Call your doctors now and ask them to give you a new prescription if possible and make sure your prescription is located at a pharmacy where it can be retrieved from whatever city you evacuate to. If your child has urgent additional medical needs, research doctors where you are headed or ask your treating physicians for referrals.
   7. SPECIAL ITEMS: Be sure to bring whatever items your child/individual with autism needs to stay calm in a new environment including your electronics, PECs cards, weighted blankets. If you are going to be in a shelter, bring noise cancelling headphones as well.
   8. PETS: If you have pets, make plans to bring them. Go get cages if needed to stay with others or for hotels. Pack food for them as well.
   9. MEMORABLIA: Bring special items that you want to have with you – photos, scrapbooks, children’s art projects, heirlooms, any special item that you would want to save.
   10. CASH: Disaster zones will revert to a cash economy following a natural disaster because electricity may be out for weeks. Take money out of the bank that you can keep with you.
   11. EVACUATION ROUTE: Try to find a route that you can take that keeps you off of Interstates. Most people will try to evacuate by Interstate. Smaller highways might get you where you need to go faster.
10. PREPARE YOUR HOME! Get your house read by following these basic plans:
    1. SECURE YOUR HOME: Board up windows and doors as needed. Go get plywood now. Ask for help if you need it because everyone will be busy preparing their own homes. Before you leave shut of your breakers for electricity and turn off gas.
    2. SECURE YOUR YARD: Remove things from your yard that can become projectiles and put them inside your house or storeroom.
    3. SECURE HOUSEHOLD ITEMS: Move things to a higher floor or the attic if you will be in a flood zone. Waterproof things in plastic storage bins, Garbage bags or Ziplocs.
    4. SANDBAGS: Ask for help if you need help with this from a neighbor but use sandbags around your doors and low window areas. Pay attention to storm surge forecasts and flood zones.
    5. CHECK YOUR HOME’s ELEVATION HERE: You need to know what level of risk you face with storm flooding projections. This link will let you know your elevation.
    6. WATER: Get several cases of bottled water that you can use upon return to the home. Enough for 3 weeks. You can also make big ice in your freezers now to keep things cool. Be sure to clean your bathtubs and fill them with water so you have that to clean and flush toilets.
    7. FOOD: Stock up on canned food that you can use when you return home that is easy to heat and prepare. Put it on a higher floor in plastic containers. Don’t pack perishable items if possible
    8. GRILL and CHARCOAL: Make sure you have a grill and charcoal stashed for meal preparation after the storm during recovery. Go to the Dollar Tree and buy sterno. It is your friend.
    9. REFRIGERATORS/FREEZERS: Throw away the perishable items you can’t use before the storm. Try to cook what you can now ahead of the storm. Right before you leave put all food items in the fridge and freezer in garbage bags. If you lose electricity and can’t get home for several days or a week or more, your nose will thank us.  It makes it easier to grab inside and pull it out and saves your fridge from molding over.
    10. TAKE PICTURES: Take pictures of every angle of every room in your home and email them to yourself. This will allow you to take an inventory of what you have so that you can be reimbursed after the event through your insurance company and demonstrate the prior condition of your home.
    11. RECOVERY ITEMS: Store masks, mold spray, a spray container, bleach, sponges, rags, hammers and crowbars for faster demolition, mops, buckets, cleaning supplies and garbage bags.
    12. EMERGENCY CONTACTS: Be sure to write these down in case your phone battery dies. You can then use a landline to let people know where you are and what you need.
11. FOLLOWING THE EVENT:
    1. RETURN ONLY WHEN SAFE: Roads may be closed for some time following storms this big so be ready to stay put for at least 10 days. Electrical lines will be down increasing hazards.
    2. CHECK THE ROOF: Even if your home seems in-tact, check the roof. Tiles can come off in strong winds that you might not notice and lead to leaking in the future during the rainy seasons in later fall. Have a qualified person check your home. It is still an active hurricane season so making sure your roof is secure will be important.
    3. RETURN HOME WITH SUPPLIES: Replenish supplies you will need for up to 30 days upon return home. It takes a while for grocery stores, pharmacies to come back online.  Be sure to stock up on flashlights, batteries, candles, lighter fluid (for the charcoal), first aid supplies and bug spray. Mosquitos are terrible after storms like this when plants are defoliated.
    4. BEFORE YOU RETURN HOME: If your home was in the direct path of the storm, notify your mortgage company and be sure you did register with FEMA. Once you get home electricity may take 3-6 weeks to be restored. Do these things before you leave. They can assist with things like food stamps following a major event as well.  Understand that FEMA trailers will not arrive in your area until potentially 8-10 weeks following an adverse event.
    5. WATCH FOR EMAILS FROM US: We will send out an email after the storm to individuals who are pre-registered with us that will ask you to list your current location and identify if you are safe. If you are in a shelter, we will need you to self-identify what shelter you are located in so that we can notify our Red Cross friends.
    6. SAFETY IS JOB #1: Read this blog before you return.

Staying safe is the most important thing. It is devastating to lose your homes and your things but keeping your family safe and sound during these events should be your focus.

We love you and our team is praying for everyone.

Pay attention. Stay alert.  Have an #ASDPlan.

What if we could cause a shift in public policy this April by just remaining still? Sounds counter intuitive during a month full of bustling activity and autism awareness conversations, right?

April 2017 may have a unique opportunity where the mountains we face on a daily basis could fall.

What if members of our community that choose to stand in the gap for everyone would just be still and quiet themselves for three days? How might something so small change our circumstances from a public policy perspective?

Before we go any further, we know what you are thinking, “Be quiet? Are you kidding? It’s IEP season, Spring Break, Prom Season! Our home is never quiet if anyone is awake because we are busy people!”

But we don’t mean silence: we mean quieting your soul for just three days while you examine your heart, pray fervently and ask God to hear you.

Between noon on April 8th and noon on April 11th , Unlocking Autism is calling for God’s people in our community to be still. During this unique period of time connecting Palm Sunday, Passover and the fast of Esther, the windows of heaven are wide open. Each one of these stories demonstrate a common theme of God moving His people from personal reflection to hearts of obedience toward hope, freedom and redemption.

Let’s focus on the story of Queen Esther, who upon finding out that the Jews were to be annihilated by a decree of the King, called for her people to fast and pray for three days before she approached him to ask him to change his policy and save her people. She was really nervous about this request because it could easily have resulted in her death. So she asked her community to ask God for help first. She didn’t jump on this opportunity at first and gave her Uncle Mordecai some very seemingly valid excuses to be quiet and stay in her chambers.

Mordecai’s response to her was very stern in Esther 4:13-14:

“Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”

Mordecai points out this very specific moment in time was critical for the whole community and Queen Esther was perfectly positioned to change history. But Mordecai warns her, if she chooses to remain silent that God will find another willing person to bring relief and deliverance. He does this because when a person in position of authority does this, they bear the brunt of the outcome due to their failure to address the issue.

The particular word for silent in this passage does not mean to not talk, it means not to listen. It means you heard to the issue but gave tacit approval for it to continue by not listening to it and then speaking up. It has the same kind of meaning as someone who sticks their fingers in their ears during an argument and says, “LA LA LA LA LA LA I am not listening to you.”

For nearly two decades, Unlocking Autism has watched lawmakers, policy changers and even leaders and community members hear what is being said but not really listening to them.

But we know these things to be true:

There is no authority except from God, those that exist, have been instituted by God and the king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes.

In 2 Chronicles 7:13-15, God even gives us a clear recipe on how to change our circumstances: “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.”

The thief comes to kill, steal and destroy but God will restore what the “locusts” have taken from us and requires the thief to pay back seven times what he has stolen, even if it costs him everything. Our enemy does that in several ways: by destroying our peace, our hope, our love for each other, our unity, our faith, and the truth. He chips away at it until we are worn out, weary, broken and fighting everything.

And it is up to us to choose which voice to listen to: the voice whispering lies, death and destruction or the small still voice that brings truth, hope and life.

Fasting gives us an opportunity to humble ourselves before God while asking forgiveness for our wrongs then presenting our requests to Him with clean hearts and pure hands. When we are still, does God fight for us – but our souls must be quiet to listen to what He has to say.

176 children are diagnosed with autism every single day in the United States alone. During the month of April, we will add 5,280 new families living with autism to our growing community. One moment of silence for each of these new additions would take 88 hours – which oddly enough is a little over 3 days.

We know it will be difficult for everyone to be completely quiet but here are ways you can participate – pick one that you can commit to:

• Carve out quiet space during these three days to read God’s word and pray.
• Don’t use social media, your phone or return emails (except for emergencies).
• Keep the television and electronics to a minimum.
• Don’t watch the news.

When you find that quiet space and peace, wherever it shows up during the day, pray.

• When you pray, pray in faith – even if you only have faith the size of a mustard seed.
• Pray that God will move our mountains collectively as a community, and move the individual mountains your family faces.
• Pray for restoration.
• Pray for healing in our community and our nation – spiritually and physically.
• Pray for God to move the hearts of our leaders at all levels to come into alignment with His will.
• PRAY BIG.

God tells us to be still and know that He is God. The word for still in this passage means abandoned, alone, helpless, collapsed, discouraged, dropped, a failure, feeble, forsaken, fallen, lazy, afraid, relaxed, waiting, slack and lifeless. We can be a total mess, give it to Him and He is still God. He is able to fix our situation then give us beauty for ashes, joy for mourning and praise for despair.

We have hope that our stillness before God will be heard, that He will help our leaders to speak and not remain silent. We believe that our hope will not be put to shame. God’s ways are not our ways and sometimes we have to do something different to bring the accelerated change we need.

Being still and praying for the next couple of days won’t hurt – and could change everything.

Meet the Sanders family and their beautiful daughter, Amoree.

Early in the morning on August 14, 2016 their apartment was flooded by the Amite River that had crested far above its normal banks and was now raging through their neighborhood.  What is normally a 50 ft wide and 15 foot deep river became 10 miles wide and 46 feet deep.

Her father was trying to evacuate wading through floodwaters with Amoree on his shoulders, but the current was too hard and Amoree came loose!

As her terrified parents watched, Amoree was swept away by the current but suddenly popped back up and began to swim!  Delasbar has been taking her to the Terrific Turtles Swimming Program at the YMCA and said that Amoree has been glued to the television, especially focused on watching Olympian Michael Phelps swim.  Delasbar said that every time Phelps was on tv, Amoree would come running into the living room to watch him.

Those lessons and her interest in swimming paid off! Amoree was able to swim back to her father just in time for the whole family to be rescued by four unnamed heroes in a boat.

The Sanders family booked a hotel room but when they arrived at the hotel it was full. The hotel allowed the family to dry off and charge their phone in the lobby and helped them find another place to stay.  They have a hotel room secured now for a week but no home to return to – everything was a total loss.

Our families know how difficult our children’s restrictive diets can be on a bright, sunny regular day.  When you are in a crisis and have no way to feed your child Tyson chicken nuggets it can be difficult.  When you are staying in a hotel room without a microwave or a refrigerator that can be nearly impossible.

Amoree is missing her Team Umizoomi DVDs and Millie Talking Doll.  She also loves Sid the Science Kid DVDs.  Let’s help her get some of the things that are most familiar to her as soon as we can – maybe someone could get Amoree something autographed by Michael Phelps!

When they stopped by this morning to pick up their emergency gift card to Walmart, Delasbar said she knew she was in the right place when she saw our Unlocking Autism license plate.  Her family has #301 and has been in the UA family longer than we knew! It is a difficult way to meet each other but we are working together now to build a brighter future.  Their car below was lost in the flood. Water rose until it was 1″ from the top of the vehicle.

The Sanders family has lost all of their clothing and would appreciate donations.  If you box them and send them to Shelley Hendrix, Unlocking Autism, PO Box 41312, Baton Rouge, LA 70835 and write SANDERS FAMILY on the box, we will make sure they get them.

Amoree – Girls sizes 16 & 18 and shoes 4.5 to 5

Delasbar – Women’s 28 and shoe 11

Warren – 3X and 12 shoe

All donations made to Unlocking Autism via The Power of One right now are going to help Louisiana Flood Victims. You can make your tax deductible donation to Unlocking Autism and we will continue to provide gift cards to our families so they can get the items that will help their families personally rebuild.  If you don’t want to send monetary donations, Flood Care Packages are a huge help to our families as well.  You can find out what families need here.

Once the flood waters dry up and our families dry out, we will all be working together to ensure that an emergency plan is in place for our community – and available for other communities to adopt – so that no family is ever turned away from a shelter because they don’t take “people like this.”

With great thanks,

The Unlocking Autism Family

General Care Packages

Thanks for helping us and for praying for us here in South Louisiana!  We are all one big autism family!  All of us at Unlocking Autism are so grateful for your help!

Please send USPS Priority Mail Boxes to:
Shelley Hendrix, Unlocking Autism
PO Box 41312, Baton Rouge, LA 70835
(Label box as GENERAL CARE PACKAGE)