Blagrove Special Needs Services, Inc. (BSNS) as a 501c3 and Georgia licensed Charity organization is the stateside fund raising arm supporting the Montego Bay Autism Center (MBAC) and its nonprofit alternative school in Jamaica. We are an exciting and collaborative organization for people, businesses & other organizations to get involved in giving a hope and future to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other developmental disabilities.
Our Mission :
BSNS is dedicated to support Mrs Adama Blagrove’s ministry, MBAC, by connecting resources, volunteers and funding programs which include educational, therapeutic and recreational opportunities.
Our Vision :
BSNS seeks to provide these children/teens with the highest possible quality of life, dignity and independence.
MBAC Objectives :
•To provide a daily nonprofit alternative school.
•To keep staff and families informed on international standards and trends.
•To have workshops targeting lifestyle skills and training for parents.
•To provide educational, technical, emotional, and social support.
•To provide screening and the service of consultants and experts.
•To have in the future boarding quarters for those coming from towns, rural areas, and other islands.
•To have a future Sensory Gym added that is also equipped for therapeutic and recreational activities
•To use current information to educate the public arena and government.
•To have annual Autism week, creating awareness of the disorder.
Testimonies from MBAC:
“Girl N” In 2010 a non-verbal child diagnosed with Autism, age 10 was admitted to our center/day school. The public school “Girl N” was attending could not address her needs. She would not go into the building but would only walk outside and steal the other children’s food. We began a tailored program using her modalities to help her feel safe and to address her specific needs within our environments. When Girl N left our services and moved back to her country in 2014, she was able to express her needs via PECS (picture exchange communication system) and some sign language. There was great improvement regarding tolerating the presence of others as well as her cognition. Her mother’s testimony is on our website www.montegobayautismcenter.org click “More” - “testimonies”.
“Boy W” age three diagnosed with Autism entered our Center. He was nonverbal and still drinking from a bottle and was eating almost no solid foods. After being placed on an individual plan to address his needs. Within one month, Boy W was no longer using a bottle and was eating different textures of foods. Within six months, one to two words began to emerge using PECS (picture exchange communication system). Currently, he is speaking using 4-5 word sentences and eating independently all foods presented to him. He is now in our elementary school learning module.
Diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, “Boy E” at age three was carried into our Center by his Mother. Boy E was unable to walk, hold up his head, sit up straight in his seat or eat independently among other issues. Boy E was placed on an individual intervention plan to address his needs. Within six months, Boy E was able to eat some foods, hold his head up for about 3-5min and sit upright. Currently, Boy E walks into the Center on his own with his bag on his back and lunch kit in his hand and eats all foods independently.
