On Friday, April 1, 2016, Johnny Stivers of Stivers Decatur Subaru presented Charles Schoen, ALC’s Executive Director, and the ALC team a check from this year’s Subaru Share the Love event totaling $47,953.   We were able to have the presentation take place at Druid Hills Preschool, one of ALC’s Partner Preschools located near the dealership. 

“We chose The Adaptive Learning Center as our hometown charity because of their commitment to making a difference in the special needs community in Atlanta.  Subaru has a culture of giving back and we wanted to take that a step further and put our financial resources to good use right here in our own community,” stated Johnny Stivers when asked why he chose ALC for his charity. 

Between November 19, 2015 and January 2, 2016, the sales team and customers of Stivers Decatur Subaru raised a total of  $47,953 for The Adaptive Learning Center. 

Stivers Subaru contributed the largest amount
of any dealership to their hometown charity.  

The Adaptive Learning Center (ALC) was honored to be named one of the 642 hometown charities and be represented at Stivers Decatur Subaru during Subaru’s Share the Love event. 

ALC joined national charities ASPCA®, Make-A-Wish, Meals On Wheels America® and National Park Foundation during this year’s event.  Customers were able to designate $250 to one charity or $50 to all five charities at each dealership. 

“Through Stivers’ contribution to The Adaptive Learning Center we will be able to place more special needs children in typical classrooms around the Atlanta area and provide adequate resources to support our preschool partners,” says Charles Schoen.

Connect with The Adaptive Learning Center and Stivers Subaru on Facebook!  Watch the impact ALC is able to make because of the generous support of Stivers and the community.

ALC: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AdaptiveLearningCenter/

Stivers Decatur Subaru on Facebook: www.facebook.com/StiversDecaturSubaru

What is ALC?
We are the only organization in Georgia that fully integrates children with special needs into typical preschools – with individualized support from special education support teachers. Our partnerships with some of Atlanta’s finest preschools enable children to learn and play alongside their peers in a warm and caring environment. In classes with 90 percent or more typical children, children with disabilities learn not just basic academic skills; they discover important life lessons through interactions with other children and adults.

What is an inclusive preschool?
Inclusion is the full and active participation of children with disabilities or other special needs, along with typically developing children, in community activities, services and programs, including preschool.

About the Share the Love Program:
From November 19, 2015 to January 2, 2016, Subaru donated $250 for every new Subaru vehicle sold or leased to the customer's choice of the following national charities: ASPCA®, Make-A-Wish, Meals On Wheels America® and National Park Foundation, or a hometown charity selected by the local Subaru retailer. Subaru retailers had the opportunity to add a local charity for their customers to support. This year, 642 hometown charities were represented in the event. With some retailers adding their own donations to these local causes, total donations by Subaru and its participating retailers may exceed $15 million.

About Stivers Decatur Subaru: 
Stivers Subaru is located in the heart of Decatur, GA (ATLANTA). We are the ONLY Subaru dealer located INSIDE the I-285 loop. Stivers Subaru is Family owned and operated by the Stivers Automotive family. Stivers Subaru sells and services Subaru vehicles. Stivers Subaru is the SECOND Subaru franchise in the Automotive group (Columbia SC). The Stivers Family also operates a Ford store in Montgomery AL. The Stivers Family are not new to this business, having operated new car dealerships since the 1930's. Stivers provides a hassle free buying process both on the showroom and over the net.

Grant Troutman, an Inclusion Specialist with The Adaptive Learning Center was nominated and awarded the “Queenie Award” from the Ellis School of Atlanta.   Grant works with ALC on the campus of Peachtree Presbyterian Preschool, one of our preschool partners.

The Queenie award was created in honor of a special member of our community "Queenie", Rena Lawson Everett (grandmother to Adair O'Gorman).  The award was given to Grant this year, as he is a deserving individual from metro Atlanta that goes above and beyond to champion individuals (of all ages) with disabilities.

Grant was presented with the Queenie Award on Saturday, March 19^th at the Ellis School’s annual “Walk and Roll” event help in the Historic 4^th Ward Beltline Park.  Members of the ALC team were there, including his wife Katie, as Grant was given this award. 

Grant has been a member of the ALC team since 2007.  He currently works at our Preschool Partner, Peachtree Presbyterian Preschool, and has also worked during summer camps at both the Sunshine School and the Weinstein School.

About the Ellis School:
The Ellis School of Atlanta is a non-profit special needs school for children with complex communication needs and multiple disabilities, located in the in-town Atlanta area. 

Hear what others from ALC have to say
about Grant and the impact he is making!

“Grant is a wonderful insightful educator with an amazing ability to connect with children and their families.” – Kathy Ward, ALC Program Director

“Since working with the Adaptive Learning Center Grant has changed the lives of many children and is a great asset to the ALC inclusion program.” – Kelly VanSant, Program Coordinator

The ALC has, quite literally, given us back our child, due in no small part to the incredible skills, passion and devotion of Grant Troutman.  Certainly, there were many talented individuals within the ALC and Peachtree Presbyterian Preschool who helped along the way during our son’s four years within the program, but his year with Grant in the 5/6 program was the final icing on the cake that fully prepared him to become a confident, happy and thriving student in a mainstream elementary school.  Without question, along with countless others, we owe a debt of gratitude to Grant which we can never repay.” – Jim, ALC Participant’s Parent

Grant has helped Marshall to grow in amazing ways.  He truly understands our child, and we have watched Marshall's confidence and independence flourish under his guidance.  He looks into the heart of a child and pushes them to reach higher.  The true measure of a teacher is one that is passionate about seeing all the possibility a child holds, and helping them discover their fullest potential. - Tricia, ALC Participant’s Parent

1 in 68 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) according to estimates from CDC's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network.  

With the rise of autism spectrum disorder being diagnosed there is a greater need for children, in preschools who need assistance.  The Adaptive Learning Center being in 9 partner preschools around the Atlanta area has been able to make a difference where it is needed most. Schools play a vital role in evaluating and serving children with ASD, according to a study from the CDC. 

Children in the ALC program have the opportunity to be fully integrated typical preschools – with individualized support from special education support teachers. ALC’s partnerships with some of Atlanta’s finest preschools enable children to learn and play alongside their peers in a warm and caring environment.  In classes with 90 percent or more typical children, children with disabilities learn not just basic academic skills; they discover important life lessons through interactions with other children and adults.

Learn more about ALC’s involvement in our partner preschool,
Peachtree Presbyterian Preschool.