Chad Mooney, CEO and Chairman of The Spectrum Place, understands what it’s like to be on the outside looking in. Father to Austin, 16, who is autistic, Mooney has learned firsthand that the parents of kids with special needs, as well as the children themselves, can be made to feel like baggage. Sometimes, he says even, “Friends and family walk away from you.” As a way to instill positive reinforcement, Mooney supports “peer mentoring.” Through The Spectrum Place, he trains mentors and assigns them to area kids who need companionship and support. Inclusion is key for these kids, he says—because including them in social, athletic and academic pursuits can take them from humiliation to normality. Want to sign your child up to benefit from a peer mentor … or maybe help with a little positive reinforcement? Visit www.thespectrumplace.com. Or call 214/706-9144.
