WIN-WIN Awarded Grant

For Respite Care

BETHEL — The WIN-WIN Foundation, Inc. (When In Need – Where In Need), has been awarded a grant of $8,640 from a donor-advised fund of the Fairfield County Foundation, the county’s community foundation.

This grant will provide respite care for three months to 20 families with children with multiple disabilities in the Greater Danbury area. Respite care is temporary, short-term, medically qualified relief for the full-time, at-home caregiver. The WIN-WIN Foundation offers four hours of respite care with a nurse or an aide to each family per quarter.

According to Cathy Sulli, the mother of four-year old Brian, “Our son loves the respite visits. Tabitha and Patty, the nurses, make his day. He loves to play with them and they follow his lead. They’ve eased our transition from hospital to home after surgery or extended hospitalization. He always smiles when he sees them. If Brian is too weak or tired to play, they make him comfortable in a cozy spot and cuddle while he watches Barney. We’ve been able to have special time for our other children while the nurses have visited. Our daughter and our other son have had a chance to spend time alone with mom after some of Brian’s long hospitalizations. What a treat a visit to the park can be!”

The WIN-WIN Foundation serves families in the greater Danbury area with children with multiple disabilities including but not limited to Cerebral Palsy, visual and hearing impairments, tube feedings, respiratory problems, seizures, orthopedic conditions, hypotonic and hypertonic muscle tone, metabolic disorders, sleeping difficulties, and reflux issues.

In addition to respite care, the WIN-WIN Foundation offers a monthly integrated playgroup, housekeeping, the Michael Cummins Cheh Adaptive Toy Lending Library, and a variety of handicapped-accessible social outings and events. The most recent addition of services provided includes a hospital care package which families can receive if their child is in the hospital for five days or longer. The package contains gift certificates for food, a gas card, and a phone card, as the children are often hospitalized in New Haven or Hartford.

“We are most grateful to the Fairfield County Foundation for their generosity. This grant will make a significant difference in the lives of the families we work with. Their days are often burdened with non-stop doctor and therapist appointments. Even a few hours of respite care allows them time to spend with their other children, run errands, attend special family events, and simply relax,” said Patty Cheh, president of the WIN-WIN Foundation. For more information on WIN-WIN oundation please call 203/746-8390.