Dealing with the stress of education and complexities of social life has always been difficult for our precious daughter Grace. Recently diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, it has become clear that Grace requires a specialized environment in order to thrive. She struggles not only with learning and understanding social cues, but also with ADHD, depression, compulsive behavior, and trauma related to her adoption. Even with the full support of family and school staff, she has trouble keeping up with the bare minimum necessary to make it to the next grade.

Thankfully there is a ray of hope. The Academy of St. Louis is an excellent and fully-accredited school that specializes in helping children like Grace to achieve their full potential. Their skilled faculty, staff, and therapists have the knowledge and experience required to guide and meet the needs of children diagnosed with autism, and they provide a safe and nurturing environment where Grace would be able to form healthy relationships and obtain the knowledge and skills she needs in order to succeed in life. It is clear that Grace absolutely needs what the Academy of St. Louis has to offer.

This is where we need your help. Caring for the needs of children with autism and other cognitive disabilities requires special expertise and training as well as enough faculty and staff to provide personal attention and engage students according to their unique needs and capabilities. Because of this, tuition at the Academy of St. Louis costs as much as $35,000 per student. The Academy fundraises to lighten the burden on families and lower the cost to $29,000 per student. They have also offered us a scholarship of $7000, and the state of Missouri has offered to cover another $6,375. This still leaves $15,675 that we require. For the sake of Grace's future, we desperately need your help to raise the additional money to enroll her in the Academy of St. Louis.

MEET OUR FAMILY

Our family’s mission of service toward others has called us to put ministry above monetary compensation. This has put us into a tight financial situation. I, Grace’s father, serve at the Aquinas Institute of Theology, a nonprofit theological graduate school that educates lay ministers, social workers, educators, and academics, as well as priests and religious brothers and sisters. My modest salary of less than $60,000 has to support our family of 8, which has grown so large because of our commitment to helping children in need. Of our 6 children, 2 were adopted privately (including Grace) and 2 were adopted from foster care. We have also had 3 other foster care placements that were not adopted but reunited with their parents.

Almost all of our children have special psychological or physical needs, especially one daughter who was born with Spina Bifida and requires regular therapy and time consuming daily medical care. While my wife Danielle shares her talents through freelance writing and editing for various publishers and authors, the majority of her time is taken up by managing the kids’ education, taking them to medical appointments, volunteering at the kids’ school, and keeping the house a welcoming place for all of us. Her responsibilities are far more demanding than a full-time job, and yet she is not compensated for her efforts.

GRACE’S POTENTIAL

Although faced with significant psychological and educational challenges, Grace carries a wealth of potential. She has many talents that she hopes to share with the world. She only needs the right help to develop her skills and interests.

Grace lights up with joy when she is pursuing the things she loves. She’s particularly fond of flowers, trees, and other plants, and she already has an impressive knowledge of various species. She enjoys helping out with gardening, reading books about plants and flowers, and exploring nature on camping trips. Reading is another one of her strengths. She goes through novels at an impressive speed and is always hungry for the next story. She also likes learning new words and new languages.

Arts and crafts brings Grace a special joy because she can make things for others. She especially loves cooking, baking, crochet, knitting, sewing, and singing.

We’ve always encouraged Grace to pursue her interests as a way of developing her mind and finding her future calling. The right kind of education will continue to nurture her skills while broadening her mind and helping her to expand into areas that are especially challenging for her. We believe that the Academy of St. Louis will provide this kind of education and help her to turn her skills and interests into a career.

HOW YOUR DONATION WILL HELP

Every penny of the money we receive here will go directly toward paying Grace’s tuition at the Academy of St. Louis. If we are blessed enough to receive more than we need, then we will allocate the funds toward next year’s tuition. We intend to cover any other fees and expenses ourselves.

Your generous contribution to Grace’s education would not only provide her with what she needs in order to succeed, but it will also help us as a family to continue our life of service toward others. Please consider helping us in any way you can. Every little bit helps. Thank you, and God bless! We are praying for you! ❤