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Kids On The Go
St. Clair Shores
Hero Story
Kids On The Go is celebrating 25 years of service in 2023.
Kids On The Go is a non-profit organization that provides FREE physical, occupational, speech, and recreational therapy services to special needs children (ages 3-17). Kids On The Go (KOTG) was founded in 1999 by Kristy Piana Schena as a community health program. KOTG is overseen by a volunteer Board of Directors comprised of parents and professionals in the community some of whom have special needs children themselves and have been deeply impacted by KOTG.In 2019 KOTG updated their mission statement and announced programs and outreach services that will be year-round. In 2020, services expanded to the Traverse City Region with four programs in operation there today.
The mission of Kids on the Go is to recognize and facilitate the goals of children with special needs and to further develop their current skills through therapeutic and wellness programs for the children and their families. Their vision is to provide a safe environment that will foster opportunities for growth, inclusion and provides valuable resources for our community.
Since its founding in 1999, KOTG has provided services to more than 4,500 Metro Detroit children and now provides more than 50 free programs during the calendar year. Families can choose from a variety of specialized KOTG programs, depending on their child’s specific needs. We serve children who face a broad spectrum of physical and developmental challenges, including autism, Down’s syndrome, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, Fragile X syndrome, and hypotonia among others.
Throughout Michigan there are an abundance of day camps, after school activities, sports programs, and workshops available to “typical” young learners. Parents can frequently choose from a selection of locations, costs, times, and formats. But children with special needs, who learn differently, require the most supportive services, yet have the fewest options. The paucity of programs that do exist are usually out of reach for these families due to the high cost and most these families are already coping with financial limitations. Sadly, parents often become desperate to find the appropriate resources and specialized therapies for their children so that they can maintain their academic level in school. These services can cost up to $115 for fifteen minutes of therapy and little, if any, reimbursement from insurance companies.
KOTG addresses the need for accessible services that pair kids with the professional therapists/instructors they need and provide programs that stimulate and enrich their young lives with therapeutic, artistic, athletic, and social experiences. Families can choose from a variety of specialized sessions, depending on their child’s specific needs at NO cost to them. Classes include a multidisciplinary camp, adaptive theater and dance, music therapy and bucket drumming, adaptive sports- football, cheerleading, tennis, golf, basketball, boxing, literacy, art therapy, social skills groups, cooking and picky eater groups, teens to work, communication/broadcast, Robotics. Kids On The Go is the only program in Southeast Michigan that offers these services for free.
Kids On The Go
St. Clair Shores
Hero Story
Kids On The Go is celebrating 25 years of service in 2023.
Kids On The Go is a non-profit organization that provides FREE physical, occupational, speech, and recreational therapy services to special needs children (ages 3-17). Kids On The Go (KOTG) was founded in 1999 by Kristy Piana Schena as a community health program. KOTG is overseen by a volunteer Board of Directors comprised of parents and professionals in the community some of whom have special needs children themselves and have been deeply impacted by KOTG.In 2019 KOTG updated their mission statement and announced programs and outreach services that will be year-round. In 2020, services expanded to the Traverse City Region with four programs in operation there today.
The mission of Kids on the Go is to recognize and facilitate the goals of children with special needs and to further develop their current skills through therapeutic and wellness programs for the children and their families. Their vision is to provide a safe environment that will foster opportunities for growth, inclusion and provides valuable resources for our community.
Since its founding in 1999, KOTG has provided services to more than 4,500 Metro Detroit children and now provides more than 50 free programs during the calendar year. Families can choose from a variety of specialized KOTG programs, depending on their child’s specific needs. We serve children who face a broad spectrum of physical and developmental challenges, including autism, Down’s syndrome, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, Fragile X syndrome, and hypotonia among others.
Throughout Michigan there are an abundance of day camps, after school activities, sports programs, and workshops available to “typical” young learners. Parents can frequently choose from a selection of locations, costs, times, and formats. But children with special needs, who learn differently, require the most supportive services, yet have the fewest options. The paucity of programs that do exist are usually out of reach for these families due to the high cost and most these families are already coping with financial limitations. Sadly, parents often become desperate to find the appropriate resources and specialized therapies for their children so that they can maintain their academic level in school. These services can cost up to $115 for fifteen minutes of therapy and little, if any, reimbursement from insurance companies.
KOTG addresses the need for accessible services that pair kids with the professional therapists/instructors they need and provide programs that stimulate and enrich their young lives with therapeutic, artistic, athletic, and social experiences. Families can choose from a variety of specialized sessions, depending on their child’s specific needs at NO cost to them. Classes include a multidisciplinary camp, adaptive theater and dance, music therapy and bucket drumming, adaptive sports- football, cheerleading, tennis, golf, basketball, boxing, literacy, art therapy, social skills groups, cooking and picky eater groups, teens to work, communication/broadcast, Robotics. Kids On The Go is the only program in Southeast Michigan that offers these services for free.