Clark Kipp is 4 and half years old. He goes to school, interacts with his teachers and classmates but just a few years ago, Clark’s parents started to notice a change. Instead of continuing to move forward in his development, he started to go back.

” He used to be able to throw a ball to us and say a few words and then he completely regressed,” said mother Leslie Kipp.

Just before his second birthday, Clark was diagnosed with autism, a disease affecting one out of one hundred and ten children in the U.S. Leslie Kipp is Clark’s mom. After learning of his diagnosis she immediately began to seek out programs to help her son.

“When we first came here he wasn’t a child that would sit down at a table,” said Kipp. “Now he will sit down and have circle time which is a pretty basic skill but a skill you need in life.”

With the help of Easter Seals North Texas she found Texas Star Academy.

“I almost can’t even put into words what this program has done for us,” said Kipp. “It has completely changed my child since he’s been going here.”

And TSA has a unique approach to learning. Developing children are learning right along side their peers with disabilities.

“They see children with disabilities overcoming their deficits so they gain alot of sensitivity,” said Principal Jessie Whitesides. “They learn that children with disabilities are no different and they can interact with them.”

Easter Seals as well as the grocery store chain Tom Thumb are hoping the giving does not stop. With the goal of helping more children like Clark Safeway Incorporated along with Tom Thumb teamed up with Easter Seals to provide resources for children with disabilities. Trying to help people who are less fortunate is something Tom Thumb is used to doing. When shoppers are making their normal grocery run they can just stop at the check out counter and make a donation.

“Tom Thumb blows me away,” said President of Easter Seals North Texas Monica Prather Smyth. “In face when I first became a part of Easter Seals and we had our gala and I remember that Connie Yates was there to make a check presentation and it was for over three hundred thousand dollars.”

“With the help of the generous people in the Dallas/Fort Worth area who are so willing to help with a cause,” said Director of Tom Thumb Public Affairs Connie Yates. “We try to make it easy just by adding on to their grocery total as they checkout at any Tom Thumb store in Dallas/Fort Worth.”

An easy and effective way for Tom Thumb to give back to those who need it the most.

Safeway Inc. official website:
http://www.Safeway.com

Easter Seals official website:
http://www.EasterSeals.com

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