Lyric's Future

Hi, I am Scott Franklin, proud father of Lyric Franklin. Lyric was adopted by us from China when she was eighteen months old. Now she is eighteen YEARS old! She is smart, funny, and kind. From the beginning, she has faced hurdles. At the time of her adoption, she had suffered from malnourishment and institutional neglect. Her experiences as a baby have left her with challenges that will last her lifetime. She has a diagnosis of Autism and has some limiting neuro-muscular symptoms. However, Lyric is a determined young woman and does not want anything to hold her back from living the best life she can. We want to help her make that possible.

Resources for people with developmental disabilities are few. The programs and therapies she needs are expensive. And unfortunately, circumstances around Covid have left us financially strapped. We do not want that to be yet another barrier for Lyric.

Lyric has one semester high school left at a school that specializes in teaching kids on the Autism Spectrum. There are a few updates since I first wrote this. Lyric still continues to thrive at Ignite Achievement Academy. Lyric will need a program that helps her transition to the most independent adult life possible for her. These programs are expensive and there are very few financial resources available to cover the cost.

We now have at least two options for programs that will help her bridge the distance between high school and adulthood. As her parents, we know that she will need the assistance and life-skill training that the program provides. These type programs are very similar in cost to college. Each year costs about $30,000. We are working on finding grants to cover part of the cost. (update: We have secured two grants that total $17,000. We are also in the running for another scholarship that could cover anther $6,000. Through this campaign, we raised about $2500 back in the fall.) We are also spending $10,000 a year to keep her in a school that is specifically for children with her set of needs. By the time she finishes high school, we will have paid $100,000 out of pocket. Unfortunately, that has drained our entire life savings.

In order to secure a spot for her at one of these programs next school year, we will need to raise about $3,000 over what we have so far by the end of March.

We are asking once more that our community of family and friends help set Lyric up for success. She has done and will continue doing her part. But, she needs our support. We are asking you to invest in our daughter's future. Any amount that you can donate will make a difference. Thank you for your support.