Global Down Syndrome Foundation Invests $1.2 Million in Game-Changing Local Programs

This year’s GLOBAL Education & Employment Awards will fund 20  programs – from medical outreach initiatives to underwriting staff with Down syndrome

Denver – August 26, 2024 – The Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL) is thrilled to announce that the total cumulative giving through its GLOBAL Education and Employment Awards program has reached $1.2 million. Since the program’s inception in 2011, the awards have funded over 337 programs supporting over 24,500 self-advocates, families, and professionals.

This year’s GLOBAL Education and Employment Awards will provide $91,000 underwriting twenty impactful programs to Down syndrome organizations in the following states and countries: Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Albania, and Uganda.

“At GLOBAL, our commitment to enhancing the lives of individuals with Down syndrome drives everything we do,” says Michelle Sie Whitten, President & CEO of GLOBAL. “Through these awards, we are empowering Down syndrome organizations to launch and sustain medical programs and to create meaningful job opportunities. Together, we are fostering greater inclusion and advancing our mission to improve health outcomes and quality of life for the amazing people with Down syndrome we serve.”

David Tolleson, GLOBAL Vice President, Strategic Alliances agrees, “We are so inspired by our local Down syndrome organizations on the front line of service, positively impacting the health, education, and meaningful inclusion of the children and adults in their community. It’s our honor to provide this distinguished benefit to our GLOBAL organization members and support their work as a national partner.”

2024 GLOBAL Education Awards

This year, 11 exceptional programs dedicated to advancing medical care, mental health support, and educational opportunities for people with Down syndrome received GLOBAL Education Awards. The funded programs span across the United States and Albania, impacting over 6,510 professionals, family members, and self-advocates.

“Down Syndrome Indiana is so grateful to receive this GLOBAL Education Award!” says Macy Pohl, Executive Director of Down Syndrome Indiana. “The award will truly be life-changing. We are enthusiastic about starting the Understanding the Diagnosis: Building Bridges for Families and Providers initiative, which will no doubt have a deeply positive impact on our self-advocates, families, and medical providers in Indiana.”

The 2024 GLOBAL Education Award recipients and their funded programs are (in alphabetical order):

Down Syndrome Albania Foundation (Tirana, Albania): The conference “Reach for Health II- Support for adults with Down Syndrome” will educate healthcare professionals on dual diagnoses using resources like the GLOBAL Adult Guideline.

Down Syndrome Association of Central Florida (Winter Park, FL): Community Care: Medical Outreach and Care Project will support the Smile with Stella Tremonti Lifespan Down Syndrome Clinic at AdventHealth and provide resources to local hospitals and families.

Down Syndrome Association of Memphis and the Mid-South (Cordova, TN): Their Medical Outreach program will provide informational prenatal resources to genetic counselors and expecting families.

Down Syndrome Association of Middle Tennessee (Hermitage, TN): EMPOWER ME is a 24-week program for adults with Down syndrome to help them navigate relationships, a healthy body, employment, and social engagement.

Down Syndrome Indiana (Indianapolis, IN): Funding for Understanding the Diagnosis: Building Bridges for Families and Providers will help translate their current resources into Haitian Creole, Arabic, and Burmese, which have been requested in their community.

Buddy Up for Life, Inc (New Albany, OH): Buddy Up Pickleball and Buddy Up Cooking are health and wellness programs that will get self-advocates moving on the pickleball court and cooking healthy in the kitchen.

Down Syndrome Alabama (Hoover, AL): LACE UP for Down Syndrome is a running group that will train self-advocates for five months, culminating in a 5K run.

Down Syndrome Association of Greater St. Louis (Brentwood, MO): Treating Individuals with Down Syndrome: Outreach Program for Medical Students, Residents Doctors, and Providers is a series of videos featuring healthcare professionals and self-advocates that will educate professionals in training

Down Syndrome Association of Northeast Ohio (Independence, OH): DSANEO Community of Care Medical Outreach for All Ages and Stages will increase access to information and resources for low-income, Black, and Hispanic families raising individuals with Down syndrome.

Sharing Down Syndrome Arizona (Mesa, AZ): Ambassadors with Down Syndrome Educational Program for 2024-2025 will offer a paid opportunity to people with Down syndrome to speak to medical students at Mayo Clinic and Arizona State University several times per year.

Upside Downs (Thibodaux, LA): iCanBike and iCanSwim will offer specialized instruction and adaptive equipment to individuals with Down syndrome.

2024 GLOBAL Employment Awards

This year, 9 exceptional employment proposals were funded by the GLOBAL Employment Awards. These awards support programs that either employ people with Down syndrome or are led by them, fostering greater community inclusion and job opportunities.

“We are extremely excited to receive a GLOBAL Employment Initiative Award!” says Katie Hollis, Executive Director of the Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan. “With this funding, we plan to grow our Self-Advocate Level 2 Internship program and set a model in our community for what adults with Down syndrome can do when you harness their passions and potential.”

The 2024 GLOBAL Employment Award recipients and their funded programs are (in alphabetical order):

Angel’s Center for Children with Special Needs (Kampala, Uganda): Funding will support two employees with Down syndrome to work 24 hours per week along with their health insurance.

Down Syndrome Association of Central Kentucky (Lexington, KY): The Next Steps: Learning for Life program will provide general education and vocational skills to better prepare students for the workforce and for independent life.

Down Syndrome Association of Central Oklahoma (Oklahoma City, OK): Funding will support two people with Down syndrome to be office aides while receiving pre-employment training services through the organization’s Employment Program.

Down Syndrome Association of Delaware (Middletown, DE): The award will support an outreach program and two self-advocates to visit new babies and provide information to families at the local children’s hospital.

Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan (Grand Rapids, MI): With this funding, self-advocate interns will learn how to transition from a job to a career by refining experience and building confidence in their fields.

Jack’s Basket (Arden Hills, MN): Funding will help transition a volunteer with Down syndrome to a paid position helping with office tasks.

Jonathan Center (Tirane, Albania): The Hire to Understand and Grow initiative, supported with an award, will prepare job coaches to provide vocational training to people with Down syndrome.

North Carolina Down Syndrome Alliance (Raleigh, NC): Funding will provide a Family Support Assistant for the weekly T21 club that plans activities for teens and adults with Down syndrome.

Yachad JUFNY (New York, NY): The Stepping Up Employment Opportunities for Adults Living with Down Syndrome in New York program will teach participants about employment opportunities and GLOBAL is proud to support these vital initiatives and remains dedicated to advancing the health and inclusion of individuals with Down syndrome worldwide.

To learn more about the GLOBAL membership awards, visit https://www.globaldownsyndrome.org/global-awards/

To learn more about individual and organization GLOBAL memberships, visit https://www.globaldownsyndrome.org/global-membership/

To learn more about Global Down Syndrome Foundation, visit www.globaldownsyndrome.org

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About Global Down Syndrome Foundation

The Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL) is the largest non-profit in the U.S. working to save lives and dramatically improve health outcomes for people with Down syndrome. GLOBAL has donated more than $32 million to establish the first Down syndrome research institute supporting over 400 scientists and over 2,500 patients with Down syndrome from 33 states and 10 countries. Working closely with Congress and the National Institutes of Health, GLOBAL is the lead advocacy organization in the U.S. for Down syndrome research and care. GLOBAL has a membership of over 100 Down syndrome organizations worldwide, and is part of a network of Affiliates – the Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, the Sie Center for Down Syndrome, and the University of Colorado Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center – all on the Anschutz Medical Campus.

GLOBAL’s widely circulated medical publications include Global Medical Care Guidelines for Adults with Down Syndrome, Prenatal & Newborn Down Syndrome Information, and the award-winning magazine Down Syndrome World TM. GLOBAL also organizes the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show, the largest Down syndrome fundraiser in the world. Visit globaldownsyndrome.org and follow us on social media Facebook, X and Instagram.

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