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Landon's Special School

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Thank you for taking your time to consider Landon's educational needs. Landon was recently offered admission to one of the best schools in the country specialized at educating children with the type of brain damage he has. School will cost $61,000/year.

Landon is a bright, sweet, strong, brave, and spunky 5 year old boy with blonde hair, blue eyes and an infectious laugh. He has a great sense of humor and has never met an animal, insect, tree or flower that he didn't like. He's a fan of Monster Jam,  Dodge RAMS, splashing in puddles, digging for worms, lifting weights in the gym, Jimmy John's, Paw Patrol, the Shedd Aquarium, and feeling safe. Landon's life got off to a rough start; in utero he was exposed to drugs, copious amounts of alcohol and violence. By age 4, he had been diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and had lived in 5 different homes, leaving him distrustful of adults and a lacking sense of self-worth. We are joyfully anticipating the completion of his adoption within the next few months, and are excited to begin a new chapter of life together as a forever family.

Financial assistance will be required for Landon to attend Currey Ingram Academy, and it is truly vital for Landon for attend this particular school. Financial assistance is needed for several reasons. First, Landon was an unexpected addition to our family, and although we willingly chose to welcome him into our home knowing his many needs, we had not made a financial plan for a child prior to his arrival in 2019. The financial subsidy provided by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is sadly negligible compared to the astronomical financial assistance these mistreated and overlooked children deserve and require (the estimated lifetime cost of raising a child with FAS is well over $2,500,000). Second, our family's finances have not been immune to the effects of COVID-19. Our income is directly related to the ebbs and flows of the stock market, and our gross income for 2020 will likely be significantly less than what it was in previous years. In fact, we recently backed out of a home we were in the midst of purchasing due to the market crash, which left us terribly disappointed since it felt like the perfect spot for our family. Third, we are relocating from Chicagoland for Landon to attend Currey Ingram, thus incurring moving expenses. We currently reside in a modest 2900 square foot home which we purchased for 210k, and the equivalent, or even less than equivalent home where Currey Ingram is located will cost significantly more than our current mortgage. We feel strongly that residing nearby the school is imperative to Landon making peaceful transitions during our early morning routine, and for him to feel emotionally safe and settled knowing "mommy" and "da-da" are nearby. Fourth, Landon's diagnoses of FAS, Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), and history of early childhood neglect and trauma, cause periods of dysregulation, and the admissions team at Currey Ingram thoughtfully and wisely is requiring Landon to have a one-on-one assistant during portions of his school day. This is an additional expense to normal tuition costs. Fifth and finally, our family pays out-of-pocket for most of Landon's medical expenses and other needs because what DCFS offers is not only minimal, but also of low-quality. There are too many to list, ranging from specialized glasses and vision care, to attachment therapy, trauma treatment and sensory integration therapy, to his service dog (ongoing veterinary care, food, handler, etc) and many more, each of which is an integral partner in Landon's care, with yearly costs estimates totaling $50,000 or more. Landon also has siblings in different states he will be visiting regularly, and these travel expenses are not paid for by DCFS. We are fortunate that prior to Landon's addition to our family, Jake's income alone was sufficient to meet our yearly financial goals. Since bringing Landon into our home, Amy's time has primarily been spent caring for Landon (providing nurture and ongoing emotional regulation, developing and implementing schedules, routines, charts and visuals, daily therapy and medical appointments, caseworker visits, court hearings, behavioral interventions, calming strategies, meeting sensory needs, potty training, and teaching lagging social skills and self-care) and secondarily, researching, advocating and self- educating on Landon's diagnoses. Once we are moved and settled in Nashville, it will be necessary for Amy to start working outside the home in order to meet our financial goals. Jake is also looking for a second job. 

Deciding to become parents to a special-needs child was one of the most difficult, life-altering, and selfless choices we have ever made. It was a decision made out of love, because of love, and one we were only equipped to make because we ourselves have been so well-loved. Like all parents, we are committed to providing everything we can for our beloved son. We are humbly aware of our need to partner with others for Landon to have the greatest opportunity to become his best self. There are several reasons we are desperately convinced Currey Ingram Academy be a member of this partnership, and we will detail those reasons briefly. Well over a year ago, we set out to learn as much as possible about FAS. It quickly became apparent that research is severely lacking in all facets of the diagnosis, and we found only small pockets of anecdotal evidence about best education practices. What was heartbreakingly obvious is the bleak future that lies in store for the majority of children who suffer from this incurable yet completely preventable disease. In one of the few studies available, the University of Washington studied individuals with FAS over the age of 12 years: 90% suffered from mental illness, over 60% had a disrupted school experience (suspended, dropped out or expelled), 60% had been charged with or convicted of a crime, 35% reported alcohol and drug problems, 80% were unable to live independently, and 80% experienced ongoing employment problems. Current projections appear even more devastating. The average lifespan of an individual with FAS is 35 years, and the leading cause of death is suicide. We urgently desire to do everything within our power to keep Landon from falling into these statistics, which are the result of preventable secondary disabilities emerging only when early interventions and supportive services are not provided. We feel strongly Currey Ingram Academy is the one place that can provide the supportive education Landon needs and deserves. FAS is a hidden disability; one would not know Landon has it by looking at him. Many times his disabilities are mistaken as behavior problems, and he is not afforded the compassion he deserves, particularly in academic settings. We know Currey Ingram to be a safe place which uniquely understands and is well-equipped to support and aid Landon's learning impairments, impaired motor/ coordination development, hyperactivity, poor impulse control, short attention span, information processing disruptions, short-term memory deficits, lack of fine motor skills, and difficulty with social interactions.

It is our hope that as our family partners with each member of Landon's team to companion him in his functional difficulties, assists him in "feeling felt" and employs loving and appropriate expectations, he will be honored for the individual and particular person he is, and his story will be one of bright hope which defies statistics and reverses the trajectory of others not only with FAS. but also survivors of early childhood trauma and the horrors of the foster care system. We invite you to join with us, Landon, and others by becoming financial partners so Landon can attend Currey Ingram Academy this school year and in years to come.

Kindly and with deep sincerity,


Jake, Amy and L A N D O N Whipp
April, 2020
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Donations 

  • Shelby Stodden
    • $150 
    • 4 yrs
  • Christina Rush
    • $100 
    • 4 yrs
  • G Klinglesmith
    • $100 
    • 4 yrs
  • Susan F. Omanson
    • $100 
    • 4 yrs
  • Kevin and Lori Shoults
    • $1,000 
    • 4 yrs
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Fundraising team (3)

Amy Schroeder-Whipp
Organizer
Raised $5,817 from 25 donations
Plainfield, IL
Jake Whipp
Team member
Raised $3,300 from 4 donations
Sara Schroeder
Team member
This team raised $2,890 from 17 other donations.

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