March 28, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AWS Foundation, in partnership with the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, Embassy Theatre, Arts United, and the Fort Wayne Tincaps to provide Sensory Friendly Kits at events to individuals of all ages with sensory needs.

Fort Wayne (March 28, 2018) - AWS Foundation, in collaboration with the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, Embassy Theatre, Arts United and the Fort Wayne Tincaps, to provide sensory friendly kits at events available to individuals of all ages with sensory needs. The kits are designed to support individuals and families when attending events where loud noises, bright lights and unfamiliar surroundings can make it difficult to enjoy the experience. Sensory friendly kits are available to check out on request and are recycled for use by others at future events.

Sensory friendly kits will be available beginning April 1st at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, Embassy Theatre, Arts United, and the Fort Wayne TinCaps games along with many other events held at Parkview Field. Inquire at guest services to check out a kit. AWS Foundation sees this ongoing program as another opportunity to address unmet needs of individuals with disabilities in the community and hopes that participation will spread to other venues throughout the area.

Sensory friendly kits contain noise reducing headphones, several small fidget items, a communications deck, identification wristband, a weighted comfort item, and sanitizing wipes. Each item was chosen to answer needs identified by individuals and families when attending an event in a public venue.

“We are thrilled to be involved in this community-wide effort to make the guest experience more inclusive and friendly to those with sensory disabilities,” said Randy L. Brown, CVE, Executive Vice President & General Manager of the Memorial Coliseum. “Welcoming more than one million visitors per year to an extraordinary variety of events, we look forward to serving guests with these new kits.”

ABOUT AWS FOUNDATION

Founded in 2007, AWS Foundation supports a wide range of organizations and service agencies in northeast Indiana working to develop a community in which people with enduring intellectual, developmental and physical disabilities are engaged fully and meaningfully in all aspects of community life. For more information, visit www.awsfoundation.org.