A Gift for Special Children

Welcome!

Who are we?

A Gift for Special Children is a nonprofit local to Mason County.  We are run 100% by volunteers, and have been in operation for over 33 years!  As we are volunteers and operate from our homes/offices, over 97% of funds raised go directly to families!  

How does our program work?

Raising a special needs child (and/or a child with disease), takes extra time and unfortunately extra funding.  Often times families must take time off of work to keep up with appointments for their child, which leads to decreased income and offset budgets.  We work to remove barriers 1) for families to access healthcare, and 2) to remove stressors so families can best focus on the health and wellbeing of their child(ren).  We receive referrals from a variety of different sources - school districts, nonprofits, healthcare, DSHS, etc.  Once we receive a referral and complete the application, we work with families to decide the best course of action - whether that looks like referral to other nonprofits, supports from our program, or a mix of both.  We purchase items directly for families such as utilities, rent, laundry cards, etc. based on our expenditure caps and funding.  Families experiencing homelessness always receive precedence.

What type of things do we help with?

Rent

Emergency housing - motel vouchers for homelessness

Utilities - power, water/sewer, firewood, natural gas

Transportation - gas vouchers, car repair, other costs - registration/tabs, etc.

Clothing and hygiene items

Food

Medical costs - copays, equpiment, sensory items, tracker systems, etc.

Home modification for safety and accesibility

Family improvement fund - park passes, GED costs, license fees, etc.

What other types of things do we help with?

We can help with a set amount of funding and caps per family per year, depending on funding.  We can also work with families to fill out difficult paperwork for state and federal assistance.  We always network with school, county/state, and nonprofit partners to best meet the needs of the family.  We also offer a free and by donation event where families can access clothing, toys, and housewares - as well as partner with Nifty Thrifty (local senior center thrift store), for families in need of clothing and housewares.  

Thank you for stopping by our Give Local page, and learning more about the amazing work that we do in Mason County!