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Press Release

Monday, April 22, 2019

Tres Doux Foundation Makes $20,000 in Grants to Local Autism Programs

Funds Provided by Proceeds from the 2018 Beignet Fest 

New Orleans, LA (April, 2019)The Tres Doux Foundation is celebrating Autism Awareness Month by making grants to local nonprofits that serve children with developmental differences, specifically through summer camp programs. The foundation is using the funds it received from the 2018 Beignet Fest.

“While the occurrence of autism in our community is very high, about 1 in 59 children, our programs to serve children with ASD are limited. Parents often struggle to find programs for their children in the summer when school is out,” said Sherwood Collins, founder of the Tres Doux Foundation and Beignet Fest. “We’re thrilled that Beignet Fest’s success has allowed us to fulfill our mission to bolster local nonprofits that offer these summer programs.”

The Tres Doux Foundation has made grants to the following organizations:

Upturn Arts teaches children to explore and build confidence through arts enrichment programming. To address access and inclusivity of children with special needs, Upturn Arts will use its Tres Doux Foundation grant of $10,500 to work with childhood disability specialists to implement strategies to enhance its staff training, facilities and offerings

Building A Better 2morrow is a nonprofit agency that partners with the New Orleans Recreation Department (NORD) to provide an inclusive summer camp for children who have cognitive, intellectual or developmental disabilities. The Tres Doux Foundation’s grant of $5,500 will fund transportation assistance, arts and crafts supplies, inflatables and more for the tuition-free camp.

– Audubon Nature Institute has made significant efforts to be inclusive of special needs children at its Zoo Camp, which runs throughout the summer and holidays. A $2,500 grant from the Tres Doux Foundation will provide training for staff to help remove common barriers and tailor activities for campers with ASD, thus enabling more families to participate in the summer camp program this year.

In addition to grantmaking, the Tres Doux Foundation also launched a Beignet Buddies program this year to promote partners and events in the community that serve children with developmental differences through the Beignet Fest website and on its Facebook page. New to Beignet Fest 2019, the Tres Doux Foundation will host a Beignet Buddies Resource Walk featuring exhibit tables and activities from a number of local providers including ABA providers, occupational therapists, a pediatric dentist, local nonprofits and more.

The Tres Doux Foundation also made general donations to Families Helping Families of Greater New Orleans and Raphael Academy. Since its founding in 2016, the Tres Doux Foundation has dedicated more than $60,000 to autism programs in Greater New Orleans. For more information about the foundation and Beignet Fest, head to beignetfest.com and follow Beignet Fest on Facebook and Instagram (@BeignetFest).

About Tres Doux Foundation: The mission of the Tres Doux Foundation is to celebrate, embrace and enhance the lives of children with developmental delays and disabilities by presenting them as whole beings, and to support organizations that do the same.

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