Newsletter – June 2020
Transition Academy on Track for Fall
Plans are moving forward for freshmen to begin the fall 2020 Transition Academy program in early August. Enrollment will be capped at 18 participants and we’re nearing capacity. Plans for orientation are underway. If you’re interested in more information, complete our contact us form.
See Our Home from Yours!
Virtual tours run through July on Mondays at 3:30 p.m. and Fridays at 10 a.m. (all Arizona time). We’re eager to meet you and your family, learn more about your interest in exploring First Place, tell you about our community and options for living at First Place–Phoenix, and answer your questions. We look forward to having you “join us” soon!
Summer of Kindness 2020
To stay cool, calm, collected and kind—and to celebrate First Place–Phoenix’s two-year anniversary—our Community Life team has come up with a super-creative plan to involve residents in friendly, fun activities: Summer of Kindness 2020! Throughout July, each week will include various activities following these engaging themes: Resident to Resident, Resident to Family, Resident to Staff and Resident to Community. They’ll be busy with books and movies sprinkling kindness through arts, crafts, games, scavenger hunts—and even over ice cream!
This week also launches of our KinderPHX campaign. We’ll be sharing more about this unique campaign, which starts at home with random and planned acts of kindness and will extend to the broader community as we come together to promote and inspire kindness in the world around us.
Resident Reflections Series
Several of our First Place residents and Transition Academy students are taking the time to reflect on the past, present and future to stay positive. We hope these “Resident Reflections” from a new series on Facebook provide you with some added serenity and positivity, too!
New Video Shows First Place in Action
Catch up on the latest update and watch a quick video showing how we’re working hard to keep First Place healthy—our top priority! Donations to the First Place Pantry are still accepted and always greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Keeping Busy—and Making a Difference
First Place–Phoenix residents are busy with a variety of on-site activities. Arizona Helping Hands has organized several projects for us, including assembling first-aid kits for needy families and writing thank-you notes to healthcare workers on the frontlines. They’ve also been enjoying some much-needed time in the sports pool on these hot summer days, including water aerobics at a safe physical distance.
What Is It Like NOT to Be Yourself?
This compelling question is explored by Patricia Wright, PhD, MPH in her latest blog. Being social under “normal” circumstances is challenging enough for those on the spectrum. But in the era of COVID-19, physical distancing has redefined what it means to be social, creating circumstances with a whole new set of issues to navigate.