http://peerpals.bluestatedigital.com/index.php/site/index/ en jrosparskeffer@hotmail.com Copyright 2010 2010-05-07T17:06:42+00:00 http://peerpals.org/blog/entry/shout_out_to_oyster_bay_high_school/ http://peerpals.org/blog/entry/shout_out_to_oyster_bay_high_school/#When:17:06:42Z A special thanks to the students in Mr. Scott Boris's Advertising and Graphic Design 1 class for participating in a design challenge for PeerPals.org. The students learned about our mission and viewed our web site. They were then asked to design a logo, business cards, letterhead, a flyer, and a trifold brochure. The submissions were amazing! The ultimate design was a result of the collaborative work of the three winners: Tricia Genova, Ashley Bagan, and Megan Cifuni. The new logo is featured in the brochure, flyers and soon to be seen on our web site. The new flyers and brochure will be available to be downloaded from the site soon. Thanks, too, to Mr. Boris for all the time and attention he gave to this project! 2010-05-07T17:06:42+00:00 http://peerpals.org/blog/entry/more_play_dates_being_scheduled/ http://peerpals.org/blog/entry/more_play_dates_being_scheduled/#When:14:43:00Z Thanks to the generosity of our donors, Peer Pals is ready to schedule three more group play dates! We want to include as many pals as possible, so be sure to have you child signed up. 2010-03-24T14:43:00+00:00 http://peerpals.org/blog/entry/donor_hall_of_fame/ http://peerpals.org/blog/entry/donor_hall_of_fame/#When:01:53:13Z The first donor to be inducted in 2010 is H2M, a multi-disciplined Architectural, Engineering, Planning and Environmental service firm in Melville, NY. 2010-01-17T01:53:13+00:00 http://peerpals.org/blog/entry/happy_new_year/ http://peerpals.org/blog/entry/happy_new_year/#When:15:57:49Z Last year was an incredible beginning for Peer Pals. In 2009, over 40 children registered as pals and we made our very first matches. We also held our first group play date supervised by an amazing group of professionals that donated their time. Our website launched and Peer Pals became a 501(c)(3) public charity. As we enter the new year, it's time to look ahead to what we hope to accomplish. It is our goal to bring our mission to as many communities as possible. We are also committed to finding a match for every child that registers. To meet these goals, we need your help. Creating communities of inclusion for children with disabilities as they enter kindergarten starts one friendship at a time. Please help us by taking a moment to tell a friend, or two, or ten, abour Peer Pals. 2009 was a great beginning and with your support 2010 will be even better! 2010-01-06T15:57:49+00:00 http://peerpals.org/blog/entry/thanks_h2m/ http://peerpals.org/blog/entry/thanks_h2m/#When:03:52:19Z I'm very excited to report that H2M, a consulting firm based in Melville, NY, has chosen Peer Pals to be one of the charities to benefit from the raffle at their holiday party! 2009-12-18T03:52:19+00:00 http://peerpals.org/blog/entry/afplis_philanthropy_day/ http://peerpals.org/blog/entry/afplis_philanthropy_day/#When:03:58:32Z The Association of Fundraising Professionals, Long Island chapter held Philanthropy Day on November 20, 2009. This year, a new workshop was added called, "The Ask, The Gift, The Why". Charities were invited to apply to present at the workshop to compete for money for their programs. Peer Pals was one of three charities chosen. A special thank you to Gail Singer for her participation in our presentation. Gail is a donor, a volunteer, and the parent of one of our five year old pals. We are very grateful to have been awarded $1000! This will allow three more group playdates in the upcoming months. As we will be able to accomodate a total of 72 pals at these events, it is important that Peer Pals reaches as many preschool age children as possible. Please be sure to click on the Tell A Friend link on our homepage to share our website with your friends and family. 2009-12-02T03:58:32+00:00 http://peerpals.org/blog/entry/play_date_success/ http://peerpals.org/blog/entry/play_date_success/#When:03:33:01Z I am happy to report that the first Peer Pals play date at Gymboree was a success! The kids seemed to have a great time and no one got hurt...I couldn't ask for more! It was great to meet so many of our pals and their parents, and one set of grandparents. A special THANK YOU to all the volunteers...you made all the difference!!!! Please consider making a donation to celebrate this milestone and to make more of these play dates possible. Looking forward to meeting even more pals next time. 2009-10-25T03:33:01+00:00 http://peerpals.org/blog/entry/peer_pals_first_group_play_date/ http://peerpals.org/blog/entry/peer_pals_first_group_play_date/#When:16:07:17Z Our first group play date is scheduled for Saturday, October 24th at Gymboree Play & Music in Woodbury, NY. If you, or someone you know, may be interested in joining us to celebrate this milestone, be sure to sign up! I couldn't be more excited to meet our pals & parents from right here on Long Island. Looking forward to having more play dates and meeting all of our pals, wherever you may live! To achieve our mission of creating inclusive communities for children with disabilities, we need to keep spreading the word about Peer Pals. Won't you help us? Just click Tell A Friend and get started! 2009-10-01T16:07:17+00:00 http://peerpals.org/blog/entry/five_states_and_growing/ http://peerpals.org/blog/entry/five_states_and_growing/#When:13:45:16Z Peer Pals is now in 5 states!!! Peer Pals is serving children in NY, RI, CT, MA and NC. I am now looking for preschool age children in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. Do you know anyone there? Please help us continue our mission by spreading ...the word about PeerPals.org. The more kids we have signed up, the more matches we can make! 2009-09-23T13:45:16+00:00 http://peerpals.org/blog/entry/a_special_thank_you/ http://peerpals.org/blog/entry/a_special_thank_you/#When:02:46:52Z Just want to thank my college roommate, Michelle, and her son, Jake, for helping to spread the word about Peer Pals. For Jake's birthday guests were asked to make donations to Peer Pals in lieu of gifts. What a gracious gesture, especially by an eight year old. Thanks Jake and because of your generous gift more kids with disabilities will be able to start kindergarten with a new friend! If you have a child going to kindergarten this fall, sign up now. There's still time to be matched before school starts in September. 2009-08-24T02:46:52+00:00