Hi Everyone,

I’m really excited to announce the creation of The Avril Lavigne Rockstar Club at Easter Seals – a program to inspire, create, and support recreation programs for kids with disabilities. We have spent the last year working with Easter Seals to design this project and to solicit grant proposals from Easter Seals affiliates across the country. We received so many great program ideas so it was really hard to narrow it down to the top four but ultimately we chose the four programs that we felt best represent the Avril Lavigne Foundation’s R.O.C.K.S mission:

Respect,

Opportunity,

Choices,

Knowledge,

and Strength.

Please join me in congratulating the four finalists – each will receive a grant from The Avril Lavigne Foundation to help make their program idea a reality:

Easter Seals Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana in Youngstown, Ohio will connect teen volunteers with teens with disabilities who have similar interests through fun recreational and social activities.




Photo courtesy of Easter Seals MTC in Ohio.

Easter Seals Capper Foundation in Topeka, Kansas will create a rock star art camp to provide children with disabilities and their friends a fun opportunity to create artwork that will be part of a travelling art show.



Click to view a video about this program from Easter Seals Capper Foundation.

Easter Seals Massachusetts in Boston, Massachusetts will create the Avril Lavigne Rockstar Club at the existing Easter Seals Explorer camp, a week- long overnight camp providing activities including swimming, art, and games for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).




Photo at the Explorer Camp courtesy of Easter Seals Massachusetts.

Easter Seals Southern California in Glendale, California will add a music and art component to their after school program, including live music instruction, concerts, music field trips, and more.



Photo courtesy of Easter Seals Southern California.

I can’t wait to share more stories with you about each of these wonderful programs over the coming months.

A special thank you to all of the Easter Seals affiliates who applied!

Love,

Avril