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North Texas Giving Day – It’s A Sensory World

North Texas Giving Day 2024 It's A Sensory World

In the heart of North Texas, a remarkable place exists where every child’s potential shines brightly. It’s a Sensory World! is not just a center; it is a community dedicated to empowering children with sensory processing differences, autism, and other developmental needs. As North Texas Giving Day approaches on September 19th, we invite you to join us in raising $100,000 and ensure that every child has the opportunity to thrive in their community.

“A million dreams are keeping me awake
I think of what the world could be
A vision of the one I see
A million dreams is all it’s gonna take
Oh a million dreams for the world we’re gonna make”

A Beacon of Hope and Transformation

Imagine a world where individuals with special needs are given the tools to overcome everyday obstacles, where their unique abilities are celebrated, and where their futures are boundless. This is the world we strive to create at It’s a Sensory World!. Every day, our dedicated team of therapists, educators, and volunteers work tirelessly to provide innovative sensory-based therapies and programs that make a tangible difference in the lives of the children and families we serve.

Jacob’s Journey: A Day in the Life

Meet Jacob, a spirited seven-year-old who came to It’s a Sensory World! with significant challenges in communication and social interaction due to his early diagnosed autism spectrum disorder. When Jacob first walked through our doors, he was nonverbal and struggled to connect with others. His parents were overwhelmed and unsure of how to help their youngest son navigate a world that often seemed overwhelming to him.

Through our tailored programs and the unwavering support of our multidisciplinary team, Jacob’s world began to change. He engaged in sensory play, speech therapy, and small ratio social-skill-focused classroom setting designed to meet his specific needs. Slowly but surely, Jacob started to find his “voice”. Today, he not only communicates with his AAC device but also shares his vibrant personality with those around him.  Jacob’s journey from misunderstood to limitless is just one of the countless stories of triumph made possible by the generosity of supporters like YOU.

The Power of Community

The success of It’s a Sensory World! is deeply rooted in the power of community. Our programs are made possible by the contributions of individuals, businesses, and organizations that believe in our mission. On North Texas Giving Day, we have a unique opportunity to come together and amplify our impact. By raising $100,000, we can expand our programs, enhance our facilities, and provide scholarships to families in need, ensuring that no individual is turned away due to financial constraints.

A Million Dreams

This year, our North Texas Giving Day theme is “A Million Dreams”- kicking off our annual fundraising campaign. It reflects our belief that every child, regardless of their challenges, has limitless potential. With your support, we can help more individuals like Jacob reach for their dreams and achieve milestones once thought impossible.

How You Can Help

  1. Donate: Every contribution, no matter the size, brings us one step closer to our goal. Your donation will directly support the children/young adults and families who rely on our services.
  2. Spread the Word: Share our mission with your friends, family, and colleagues. Use social media, emails, and word of mouth to raise awareness about North Texas Giving Day and the transformative work we do.
  3. Get Involved: Consider volunteering your time or skills to It’s a Sensory World! Your involvement can make a meaningful difference in the lives of the children we serve.

On September 19th, let’s come together to make dreams a reality. Let’s ensure that every person has the chance to dream a million dreams. Together, we can create a world where every neurodivergent individual’s potential is limitless. Join us in supporting It’s a Sensory World! on North Texas Giving Day and be a part of something truly extraordinary.

Donate Today. Change a Life Forever.

Thank you for being a beacon of hope and a champion for people with special needs.  Your generosity and support make all the difference. Let’s dream together!

Rekha Suryanarayana

Rekha Suryanarayana has a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Dallas and worked in the Semiconductor industry for 6 years. When her son was diagnosed with Autism in 2001 at the age of three, she left her job to devote herself full-time to his rehabilitation.

The experience of working with various therapists to rehabilitate her son led her to start ISW, a place where the entire family could participate in a child’s rehabilitation. 

She founded It’s a Sensory World! with Angela Stephens in 2007 to fill a void in services for children with special needs including those with autism.

None of this would have been possible without the financial support and encouragement of her husband, P.V. “Suri” Suryanarayana and ISW would never have been conceived but for their son Siddhartha!

Louis N. Lee III (Buddy)

Louis N. Lee, III (“Buddy”) has been on the Board of ISW since July of 2015; and served as its’ Chairperson from August 2015 to September 2018. Buddy also served as counsel to It’s a Sensory World!’s for-profit company since its inception in October of 2007.

Buddy is an attorney with the law firm Weaver Johnston & Nelson, PLLC spending a considerable amount of his time advising and providing legal services to a variety of closely-held businesses in a number of different industries.

During his career, Buddy has served on several Boards of Directors- including three that he presently sits on. Buddy has been on the Board of Directors of the Dallas All Sports Association (“DASA”) since 2005 and was its’ President from May of 2009 until May of 2011. Buddy earned his Undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado-Boulder, his Law degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law, and his Master’s in law (emphasizing taxation) from Southern Methodist University School of Law.

Buddy has two sons and is married to Becky McGee Lee, also an attorney.

John Foley

John Foley and his wife Jennifer have a 16-year-old son on the autism spectrum. They have been very involved in the autism community in Dallas. Originally from upstate New York, John escaped the “Great White North” and relocated to Dallas in 1989.

John is a global human resources executive with more than 30 years of experience in the high-tech, manufacturing and distribution industries. He is currently the Vice President of Human Resources for Builders FirstSource (BFS) in Dallas Texas. BFS is the largest supplier of lumber and building materials to the residential housing market in the US. John has held previous human resources leadership roles with Austin Industries, Maxim Integrated Products and Dallas Semiconductor Corporation.

John received his undergraduate degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University in 1985 and an Executive M.B.A. from Southern Methodist University in 2003.

Sharilyn Getz

Sharilyn has been on the Board of ISW since January of 2018.  She has a BA in Speech Communications from Texas A&M University and a Master’s in Liberal Arts from SMU.

Having grown up with a sister who had special needs, Sharilyn has personal experience with the struggles families face in getting adequate and quality services for their children.

Sharilyn has been an active Junior League volunteer since 1998 and has had significant role in volunteer engagement at the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas.

She also volunteers with several special needs’ programs at Highland Park United Methodist Church: Night OWLS, a respite program for special needs children and their siblings; The Walk, a special needs Sunday School program; and SibShop, a sibling support for siblings of special needs children.

Vipin Nambiar

Vipin is the managing partner of HN Capital Partners, an opportunistic investment manager based in Dallas, TX. He was formerly a Managing Director in the investment group at the Hunt organization in Texas. He has over 13 years of experience in public and private real estate having invested in and managed over $2 billion of assets. He was previously a Vice President at Hunt Realty Investments Inc., and served as the portfolio manager for Presidio Investments, a leading CMBS and CRE structured product investor.

Vipin is passionate about ISW and joined its board in 2015. He has been its Chairperson since September 2018 and finance chair since 2015. He helps develop the school’s budget, fund raising targets, tax forms, and assists in all aspects of governance through his role on the board. He was previously a member of the Urban Land Institute and has served on the diversity council for the Texas Real Estate Council. Vipin has an MBA, with a focus on finance and economics, from the University of Chicago. He was trained as an urban economist and an architect prior to that.

Brady Colby

Brady has served on the Board of ISW since the summer of 2020. Brady received his bachelor’s in economics from the University of Texas at Austin. Shortly after graduating, he moved into working in education and educational
technology where he has spent the bulk of his career. Brady now is the founder and CEO of Thirty Two Edu as well as an Expert in Residence for HolonIQ.

Brady’s wife, Presley has taught at ISW for more than five years, and in that time Brady
has consistently volunteered to help the students and staff at ISW. They now live with their new daughter, Hollis, in Plano.

Janet G. Keckeisen

Janet G. Keckeisen has been on the Board of ISW since April of 2020.

Janet is Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations for Valhi, Inc., a diversified holding company. Prior to her joining Valhi in 2007, Janet was Corporate Controller for Software Spectrum, Inc. Janet is a certified public accountant, and she has held various financial leadership roles during her career. Janet holds a B.B.A. in accounting from the University of North Texas.

Janet serves on the Board of the Junior Charity League of Dallas and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra League. She is married and has two daughters.

Scott Winkler

Scott is a certified public accountant and partner at Weaver, a Texas-based national accounting firm, where he specializes in audits of alternative investment funds. Scott began his career as an intern with Weaver and worked his way to partner for over 11+ years. He graduated from Texas A&M with a bachelor’s in accounting and a master’s in finance.

Scott’s eldest son Wyatt is a student at ISW, and his wife, Lauren, is a regular volunteer at ISW. Together, Lauren and Scott have seen Wyatt benefit from ISW’s tailored “bottom-up” approach to development and learning and remain passionate about the vision and mission.