A Sweet Start Preschool Growth Fund

This growth campain for A Sweet Start Preschool in Clarence, NY comes out of the need for wanting to create a safe and positive space where ALL children and their families can feel welcomed, supported, and loved.   In the last year it has been greatly recieved by our local community and we would like it to be able to greater meet the needs of more families in the area.  The families behind this campaign have all been supported and touched by this special school, and we hope that through your support more families like ours can come here to flourish.   

As many families in the area may know, Sweet Charlotte's Indoor Play Place was the foundation from which A Sweet Start Preschool was built.    This community asset has been welcomed over the years as a place where all children of all abilities could come and explore their environments in a safe and nuturing space.  Over time, it became apparent that not only did these children of many vary abilities need a place to play, but also a place to learn.  A place that would encourage and support their range of learning processes.   This gave birth to the idea of A Sweet Start Preschool and in 2016 it became a reality! 

One parent whose child attends A Sweet Start; Nicole LaMonte-DeGolier said "A Sweet Start has been an amazing preschool for my son Jack to attend!   He has learned that friends come in all different forms and that we appreciate everyone for their uniqueness.   I feel that this environment of inclusivity helps him to grow educationally, but also as a little human with heart.   Jack has a brother with Autism, and this just further helps him understand that learning side by side with different peers with different abilities means more ways to look at the world.   I feel that this foundation in his educational pathway will only better prepare him for the big world that awaits!" 

An ALL INCLUSIVE Preschool, is something of a rare gem these days.  It is a place of positivity, acceptance, and love that fosters embracing the concept of different not less.   Catering to two, three, and four year olds in a supportive and nurturing environment, A Sweet Start breeds inclusivity through thoughtful educational practices and out of the box thinking.   Teachers who are certified early ed and special ed are the key to a supportive educational setting here.  There is not just one way to learn, and each child can flourish in their own ability.   Services for IEP students on site make it accommodating to the needs of many.  

 Molly O'Malley Pitman, owner of A Sweet Start, is also the mother of a child with autism who understood the need to seek out support and become her child's best advocate.  She wanted her school to empower other parents with that same message and give back to the community that supported her family in their journey.

We are fundraising to provide the students with more sensory driven activities. Sensory play has proven to have many therapeutic purposes and provide all children the opportunity to learn through exploration of senses.  We also would like to help them expand into a larger space so that they can service more of the children in our area that need a educational setting that bends to their needs, and not vice versa.  

Other noteworthy community supports provided by A Sweet Start Preschool are:

* They open their space for groups of similar interests/needs to gather to ensure they can succeed.  

* They serve as an outreach to a variery of non-profit organizations.

*They donate on a very regular basis to support a range of causes such as: Autism, Down Syndrome, Anti-Bullying, Juvenile Diabetes, Church Groups, etc. 

*They offer opportunities to young adults including special needs interns, volunteers and students needing credit for volunteer hours.

*They take pride in being an informational resource to parents who are looking for; and are needing support during times of great change such as the diagnosis of your child with a special needs.

They aspire to help them grow; so that they may welcome that many more children into their space &  hearts, and into our family. As A Sweet Start grows they can offer more services and more help; they are here to give back to the community in the only way they know how...with love.