by Helen Hammer, WAAA Social Work Intern
Washington Autism Alliance & Advocacy (WAAA) joined other local agencies committed to increasing the health of our community on Saturday, September 9th, at the second annual Community Fair hosted by HealthPoint in Redmond.
Sponsored by Community Health Plan of Washington, HealthPoint’s gathering is a prime example of agency collaboration making a difference in the community. The focus of the community fair was to connect families with community resources while simultaneously providing fun activities for children. In addition to WAAA, other fair participants included:
- HopeLink
- Sound Mental Health
- National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) Eastside
- Washington Colon Cancer Stars
- League of Women Voters (LWV)
- Consejo Counseling and Referral Service
- Open Doors for Multicultural Families
- Youth Eastside Services (YES)
- Redmond Fire Department
- Redmond Police Department
Gathered together in the parking lot of the Together Center, the home for WAAA and other social service agencies, the three-hour event gathered considerable attention from children and their families. The event was marked by colorful balloons, a bouncy house, vibrant music playing in the background, and dance performances.
WAAA took the opportunity to connect with local families and share our mission to help families meet the health, social, and educational needs of children and adults with autism and developmental disabilities.
Beyond the participants listed above, East King County has a wide variety of support organizations addressing issues ranging from basic needs like housing, nutrition, and healthcare, to specialized agencies like WAAA. Together, we are working to made a difference in the lives of vulnerable populations across Washington.