CanDo4Kids

Infobox Non-profit
Non-profit_name =CanDo4Kids
Non-profit_
Non-profit_type =Charity
founded_date =1874
founder =William Townsend
location = Adelaide
origins =
key_people =
area_served = South Australia
product =Services for children with sensory impairment
focus =
method =
revenue =$5,302,016 (2006/07)
endowment =
num_volunteers =100+
num_employees =
num_members =
subsid =
owner =
Non-profit_slogan =
homepage =http://www.cando4kids.com.au/
dissolved =
footnotes =

CanDo4Kids is South Australia’s oldest charity and works directly with children and young adults with sensory impairment disabilities, such as blindness or deafness, by focusing on what children ‘can do’ and helping them to reach their full potential.

"CanDo4Kids" (formerly known as Townsend House) was founded in 1874 by Mr William Townsend MP, who, after two terms in office as Mayor of Adelaide set about fulfilling his ambition to establish a ‘Blind Asylum in the City of Adelaide’.

ervices

"CanDo4Kids" offers services to children and young adults including: Speech Pathology, Early Intervention, Occupational Therapy, Family Support, Assistive Technology, Youth work, Recreation Auditory Processing Disorder intervention, Auditory Verbal Therapy, Mentor Programs and Counselling.

All services provided by "CanDo4Kids" are provided free of charge to children and young adults who are Deaf, blind or who have a sensory impairment. "CanDo4Kids" works with more than 800 children and young adults (up to 25 years) and their families and has expanded their work by 300 per cent increase in services to the community since 2002.

Funding for "CanDo4Kids" is raised through sponsorship, donations, bequests, grants, lotteries, events and property development, with 30 per cent of overall funding coming from the Government. CanDo4Kids is a affiliated with Charity Direct, an organisation that promotes ethical fund rasing behaviour, [Treadrea,A, The Adelaide Advertiser, 22/04/2008, pp32] which means that every dollar donated goes directly to helping the kids.

"CanDo4Kids" sister organisation is Deaf CanDo and both organisations are managed by parent organisation CanDo Group Charities. Deaf CanDo is the State’s second oldest charity and provides services and programs which help the Deaf community.

History

Originally founded in 1874 as Townsend House, the charity opened its doors to five blind and two deaf students, beginning a commitment that continues today. William Townsend, the founder, was the chairman of its committee from 1875 to 1882. [Dean Jaensch, " [http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A060316b.htm Townsend, William (1821 - 1882)] ", Australian Dictionary of Biography Online Edition. See also Dean Jaensch, "Townsend, William (1821 - 1882)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 6, Melbourne University Press, 1976, pp 296-297. Accessed September 10, 2008]

Over the years the facilities and services have grown and adapted according to needs of the children and the technology available.

See Also

* Deaf CanDo

References

External Links

* [http://www.cando4kids.com.au CanDo4Kids website]
* [http://www.candogroup.com.au CanDo Group website]
* [http://www.charitydirect.org.au Charity Direct Website]