Community Groups Coordinator, Amy Iten
Email Amy
The vision of the ‘Community Groups’ is to provide support, connections, information, and be a resource to families while creating a warm, welcoming, empathetic environment. A Community Group is designed to create opportunities for families that have children with Down syndrome to network and share common interests, concerns, challenges, and information.
They do this through community events, informational meetings, and Facebook webpages. Community Groups are categorized based upon “Area Specific” (i.e. Westside or Eastside) or “Special Interest” (i.e. African American or D.A.D.S.). Each Community Group is considered an extension of the DSAGC, but autonomy and decision making authority is given to the groups so they can effectively meet their unique purpose and goals for serving families and individuals in their community.
Butler/Warren Families
Serving families in Butler and Warren counties
BACH Families
Serving families in Brown, Adams, Clinton, Highland and surrounding counties
Eastside Families
Serving families in the Cincinnati Eastside area and downtown Cincinnati
NKY Families
Serving families in Northern Kentucky
Westside Families
Serving families in the Cincinnati Westside area and downtown Cincinnati
African American Family Network (AAFN)
Serving families by providing information, support and networking
D.A.D.S.
Discussion and networking on the aspects of being the father of a child with Down syndrome
Hispanic Family Group
Social and educational opportunities for Spanish-speaking families
*please contact Marina at 513.490.2834
DSAGC Teen Club
Serving teens ages 13—18 through social opportunities and networking
DSAGC Homeschooling Group
Serving all ages through parent connections, resources, social opportunities and networking
Grandparents
Get connected with other grandparents and share great stories about your grandchildren
Don't see a special interest group that you're looking for? Ask us and we'll do our best to connect you with other families with a similar interest.
Serves families with children born the same year as your little one!
8 – 9:30 pm | Zoom
In an effort to support families with loved ones who have or who suspect to have a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and autism (ASD), the DSAGC is offering a newly formed support group for parents and caregivers. The goal of this group is to connect families to help support one another by talking through challenges and successes while guided by a qualified group facilitator. Participants will benefit from the facilitator’s knowledge of strategies to help in extra stressful situations. They will be able to encourage each other as caregivers and can share and learn firsthand about resources to help in the many stages of this journey.
Social Clubs Coordinator, Emma Daniels
Email Emma
Social clubs serve as an opportunity for our adults with Down syndrome to take a leadership role in planning and implementing their own social activities. These clubs were created to empower adults and increase independence.
There are numerous social clubs throughout our twelve-county radius. Each club consists of 4 - 8 adults with Down syndrome and 2 peer partners*. Social clubs meet regularly once a month, and the goal is to create a consistent schedule (ex: 1st Friday of the month at 7 pm). Typically, each member of the social club plans one monthly outing per year to give each member and peer partner an opportunity to host. Activities can include sporting events, bowling, dinners, art classes, grill outs, etc. Activities take place in one location to avoid "in between" transportation. Social club members pay for their own participation in an activity.
Each social club operates independently by developing their own schedule and communication methods. For example, one social club might communicate by Facebook and meet on the 2nd Friday of the month from 6 – 8 PM. While another, might do all communication by phone and meet on the 1st Friday of the month from 7 – 9 PM.
Each March and November, ALL social clubs meet together for their monthly activity. In March, the clubs receive social etiquette and communication training. They also plan for the coming year. In November, the clubs gather to HAVE FUN as one big group!
We encourage adults with Down syndrome to continue their social activities and relationships in the community as much as possible. Social clubs are meant to enhance social lives, not be the only form of social activity.
* Peer Partners are volunteers provided by the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati to support the club activities. These volunteers are trained, background checked and committed to one activity per month. Please note, peer partners meet on-site and do not provide transportation to social club members. Members are responsible for their own transportation to and from social club activities.
The Buddy Walk is the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati’s largest fundraising and awareness event of the year, attracting over 13,000 participants and raising half of our annual revenue. Over 380 teams, from across the 12 counties we serve, come together to celebrate our loved ones with Down syndrome. Learn more
