My Final Year as President of the Special Kids Foundation

My Final Year as President of the Special Kids Foundation: A Reflection from Denise

This year marks my final and 8th year on the executive board of the Special Kids Foundation (SKF), first as Vice President, then President.  As SKF approaches its 100-year anniversary, I find myself reflecting on what this organization has meant to me over the past 13 years, to my family, and to the hundreds of children and families it has touched.

Although SKF’s name has changed several times throughout the decades, one thing has remained constant:

Our mission is to support organizations that make a positive, inclusive impact in the lives of children with developmental disabilities.

Through grants, we help fund programs that provide therapy, education, arts experiences, social gatherings, work training, and other opportunities that build confidence, function, and community.

A Board With Many Voices

One of the things that makes SKF special is the diversity of experience represented on our board. We are therapists of all kinds, nonprofit professionals, financial experts, parents, and family members of children or adults with developmental disabilities. Each person brings a different lens, and together we look at every grant request through the question:

“Will this grant make an impact on the children’s lives?”

As a physical therapist working with adults, I often view my role through the lens of function. Every day, I teach people how to move their bodies efficiently, how to sit and stand without pain, and how to return to the activities they love. Children and adults alike build the foundations for independence through therapy — but they also need places to use those skills out in the world. SKF helps create those opportunities.

Why This Work Is Personal

My connection to this mission is not only professional but deeply personal.
I, too, grew up with a family member with special needs — my Uncle Kenny, my mother’s older brother. He passed away 15 years ago and would have been 85 this year.

Uncle Kenny had developmental delays and cognitive challenges. As he grew older, he also developed mental health issues and physical limitations. He was born at a time when services for children with special needs were extremely limited. But my grandparents gave him what they could: love, stability, and a place where he belonged.

He attended regular school in what was called an “ungraded classroom.” He worked for many years at my grandparents’ grocery store, Mickey’s Certified in Rogers Park, where he was known fondly as “the produce man.” Later, as an adult, he participated in “workshop,” one of the few available programs for adults with developmental disabilities at the time.

In his later years, when he moved into Little City, something remarkable happened. The arts director recognized that my uncle was a storyteller. With encouragement and support, he wrote a book titled Fruits, Vegetables, and Beautiful Women. Our family had heard his stories for years — especially the one about his beloved redheaded lady — but through this program, we finally got to see them honored and appreciated. His work was even showcased in a city art exhibit.

Now, as I’ve begun to explore storytelling myself, I feel a new connection to him. It’s a way of keeping his spirit close.

Not Every Child Gets the Chances My Uncle Had

My uncle was fortunate. He was born into an accepting family who embraced him fully and found ways for him to contribute. It wasn’t always easy, and my grandparents navigated many challenges without much guidance, but they did the best they could.

Many children like my uncle do not have those opportunities — not then, and not now.

They want what we all want:

To be productive. To be included. To love and be loved.

This is why I am so grateful that organizations like SKF exist. They provide the support, programs, and experiences my uncle never had access to as a child.

Stepping Back, With Gratitude

Serving as President of the Special Kids Foundation has been an honor. I have learned from incredible colleagues, supported life-changing programs, and stayed connected to a mission that holds personal meaning for me.

As I transition back into the role of board member, I do so with pride, gratitude, and full confidence in the future of SKF. Our work still matters — perhaps more than ever.

Here’s to the next hundred years of impact.

Denise