Playing Hooky for a Good Cause!

Last Monday I did two things I haven't done in quite a while. Played hooky and played golf. Signs Designed had an opportunity to help sponsor a GREAT organization called The Allegro Foundation. This foundation helps children with disabilities and has been doing it since 1991. Signs Designed helps with disabilities behind the scenes every day by specializing in ADA signage but we wanted to do a little more. We chose to sponsor a hole and donate a sign package to The Allegro Foundation 10th Annual Golf Tournament. This turned out to be a GREAT DAY for the foundation, not a great day for my golf game though. Anyway, I encourage you to check out their website www.allegrofoundation.net and donate, sponsor, or volunteer to help champion children with disability.

The Allegro Foundation Mission Statement

 Mission Statement: Allegro Foundation…a Champion for Children with Disabilities is a nonprofit 501(c) 3 organization that combines movement instruction with medical and educational expertise, creating new techniques to teach children with disabilities and enhance their quality of life.  Who We Serve: Allegro teaches 500 children with intellectual disabilities, Down syndrome, orthopedic challenges (wheelchairs and walkers), Spina bifida, Autism, cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, muscular dystrophy, visual and hearing impairments, children “at-risk”, and children with cancer in FREE classes every week! **Allegro Foundation does not discriminate against any type of disability!**  What does Allegro do? Our specially-trained movement instructors reinforce the academic lessons that children with disabilities are learning in their regular classrooms by combining cognitive and muscle memory to stimulate sequential and conceptual learning, problem-solving skills and communication. Academic learning is an important element of Allegro: our students with disabilities learn to count, develop problem-solving skills, improve their fine and gross motor skills, and increase creativity and self-esteem!  Allegro Volunteers: More than 700 youth and adults volunteer their times and talents each year to Allegro’s programs for children with disabilities! Corporate employees, community organizations, church congregations, and high school groups take time out of their busy lives to volunteer.  Allegro Foundation has been operational for over 22 years! Originally founded in 1991 in Los Angeles by Pat Farmer, Allegro has taught THOUSANDS of North Carolina’s underserved children with disabilities and at risk, providing medical, social, emotional, and educational benefits for the past 13 years!  Allegro is an Independent Organization: Unlike national nonprofits, you can actually see donations at work right here in the Charlotte area. Allegro is not a United Way or Arts and Science Council funded agency. Allegro is not an affiliate of any other organization. Your donations stay right here in our community!  Allegro is a Nationally Recognized Leader in Teaching Children with Disabilities: In 2004 Allegro’s students made history as the first organization of children with disabilities to perform at The White House and were invited back in 2005 and 2008, showing our nation what children with disabilities CAN do.  Throughout the 2013-2014 school year, Allegro will serve more than 500 children with disabilities and at risk alongside 700 volunteers in 20 FREE programs at Charlotte-Mecklenburg elementary schools, Title 1 preschools, and after-school community outreach locations, including Carolinas Medical Center.  For more information, please contact Allegro at (704) 412-5229 or email pfallegro@aol.com.