June GreenApples Charity of Month: The HEAL Foundation (Healing Every Autistic Life)

Founded in 2004 by Bobby and Leslie Weed in collaboration with noted local pediatrician Julie Buckley, MD, The HEAL Foundation works to assist individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders in the greater Jacksonville Area. As parents of daughters with autism, Bobby and Leslie Weed and Dr. Buckley understand the difficulties facing those affected by Autism, and through The HEAL Foundation, they have raised more than $1 million to provide “grants that help support camps, educational programs, community projects and financial aid for families in the Jacksonville Florida area” dealing with Autism (The HEAL Foundation 2010). As mentioned on their homepage, HEAL’s “ultimate goal is to generate enough funding to build HEAL House, a refuge where therapeutic programs and services can be offered under one roof” (The HEAL Foundation 2010).

Below are some services and programs that HEAL facilitates:

• HEALing Families – Support groups for families
• HEALing Hands – financial aid for medical care
• Educational seminars for parents, teachers and therapists
• Recreational and social events for families
• Awards grants to support camps, education, community programs and financial aid
• HEAL monthly e-newsletter
• HEAL Web site – links and calendar of community of events
• HEAL TOGETHER!  Informative monthly meetings for parents, therapists and teachers

Click here to learn how you can further support The HEAL Foundation! Donations will also be accepted at our registers throughout the entire month of June!

Photos from HEAL Foundation Website

The HEAL Foundation. “Our Mission.” The HEAL Foundation — Healing Every Autistic Life. 2010. Web. 01 June 2011. <http://www.healautismnow.org/&gt;.

Feeling overwhelmed by food allergies or a special diet?

Adopting a new diet often coincides with feelings of uncertainty, confusion, and frustration. The previously inviting aisles of the grocery store suddenly seem menacing, turning once hassle free shopping trips into label reading, ingredient-dissecting lessons in food chemistry. Typically, it feels as though every product contains the exact ingredients that must be avoided or eliminated from the diet. Worse, even when a product appears to meet dietary restrictions, a call to the company to confirm allergen statements often reveals the possibility of cross-contamination or a general lack of product knowledge on behalf of the manufacturer.

Despite the potential labeling pitfalls and communication mishaps, shopping for allergen friendly products doesn’t have to be an appetite sapping annoyance. At Native Sun, we take the inconvenience and frustration out of shopping for allergen friendly foods with FREE customer walkthroughs!

Store Walkthrough Service:

For those recently diagnosed with conditions that require special diets, we have always offered free educational walkthroughs to familiarize you with the dietary options available to you.

No matter how restricting a particular diet, we strive to find you suitable alternatives to the foods you enjoy. On average, walkthroughs typically last for an hour and thirty minutes as dictated by customer need. You can expect to leave a walkthrough armed with a newfound confidence in your diet and a better understanding of how to read and interpret labels. We also provide personal product recommendations and introduce our allergen tagging system.

Sign up for a Free Walkthrough today at customer service in either Native Sun Store!