Help Joel Thrive with Essential Equipment

As some of those close to us may know, our youngest kiddo, Joel, was diagnosed with moderate autism in June of this year. With his level of autism comes some significant challenges and some of the solutions for these issues can be quite expensive.

Joel is an eloper. Anytime we're out in public, if he is not in a stroller or shopping cart, he immediately runs away, and is not aware of the level of safety, or danger, that is around him. We are hoping to get him a wagon that will allow him to sit and see things when we go out to places like the zoo, as he has outgrown his stroller (he's a bigger kid for his age). We currently have the harness backpack and the wrist straps to keep us connected to him, but with the way Joel likes to run from us, they pose their own dangers.

The other item we're hoping to get for Joel is a cubby bed. We attempted to go through insurance to purchase this, but with our deductible not being met, it ends up being an out of pocket expense for us, that we do not have the extra funds for. The cubby bed will provide him with a safe space to wind down and sleep in, while still allowing us to watch him and make sure he is okay. Most mornings when Joel wakes up before us, he will attempt to rip down blinds, play with outlets, and has even pulled an old mattress in his closet down on himself, obviously risking harm to himself. Unfortunately, he is not aware of the danger of doing these things.

These items would give us peace of mind for Joel's safety and his future safety issues that may arise. Any help anyone is willing to provide is so appreciated. If anyone has any questions, please feel free to reach out to myself or Luke.