Tired of being put on waiting lists for the next available therapist who may or may not have experience with your child’s disability/disorder?

Never have time for yourself or with your spouse and friends?

Having trouble locating resources and support for your family?

Fed up that you can’t find community programs and services that allow you to get out as a family?

I’ve decided that as special needs families, we deserve better.

There should be:

• One Place to connect with families just like mine
• One Place to find therapists with the expertise to work with my child’s disability/disorder
• One Place to find teachers/tutors who are skilled in the unique learning needs of my child
• One Place to help me reconnect with family and friends
• One Place to help me get some needed time for myself
• One Place to find physicians, businesses and services that are comfortable taking care of special needs children, teens and adults
• One Place to help my family enjoy the community just like other families
• One Place to find practical information to help my child succeed at home, school and in the community

One Place for Special Needs...where resources find YOU

Parents send me your e-mail, state where you live and anything else you’d like to share to . I’m also creating a national database of organizations both big and small so please let me know about your group. As soon as the website is up I’ll let you know (soon!).

I am actively looking for therapists, tutors, special ed teachers, retired teachers, paraprofessionals, sitters/caregivers, students in the education/therapy/nursing fields, professionals in the medical and mental health field, vocational/social/life skills coaches and any people, organizations and businesses who help or offer services to those with special needs. You can contact me at and I will let you know when you can enter your information so special needs families can find you.

Dawn Villarreal
President and Mom
One Place for Special Needs

About Dawn Villarreal:
Dawn Villarreal currently provides resources for Illinois families through her website at www.autismcommunityconnection.com and moderates the largest Illinois autism Yahoo group at health.groups.yahoo.com/group/autismcc/. The City of Naperville Mayor’s Advisory Commission on Disabilities recently honored Dawn with their RAMP-Art Award, given to residents that improve the lives of community members with disabilities. She has two children who she prefers to think of as different thinkers rather than their disability labels. Dawn strives for a day when communities can effectively reach out to support families of all special needs.