ROCKVILLE, Md. (WUSA9) — On Sunday afternoons, in a studio in Rockville, Maryland, a group of young people with physical and mental disabilities come together to dance their hearts out. For the dancers and their families, the moment is pure joy.
Dance Partners International is a non-profit group that gives kids and young adults with differing abilities a place to express themselves and grow.
If you'd like to donate to this organization, click here. If you'd like to donate to other local non-profits, click here.
“I had a deaf son. It was important for my son to be in the community and not be separated,” said Caroline Kelly, founder of the non-profit.
She brought that sense of community to other families three years ago when she and her daughter started working with this special group. Now, those young people perform at nursing homes, community events and even internationally through Special Olympics.
“It lets them be themselves…as long as you can move from side-to-side that’s all that matters and they feel good about it,” said Kelly.
Darian Packard’s daughter, 17-year-old Joelle is one of the dancers. She was born with a genetic difference called Williams Syndrome. That has certain effects on Joelle, including problems with visual spatial deficit.
“It makes a huge difference in her daily life like the movement, going from one place to another, standing with people, that awareness,” Packard said.
That doesn’t seem to be much of a problem for Joelle anymore. “It’s taught me to go, go, go!” she said.
Darian said Joelle asked about dance for quite some time, but there wasn’t a dance team for her until Dance Partners International came along.
“Please support us, we’re a very big family and we love to dance,” said Joelle.
Donations to Dance Partners International pay for scholarships so students who couldn’t afford the classes or travel overseas for Special Olympics can also be part of the team. Classes are all taught by volunteers, and the studio space is donated.
If you’d like to make a difference for families in our area and contribute to Impact: Give Back, join WUSA9 and the United Way of the National Capital Area's Do More 24 event by donating here. Do More 24 brings the National Capital community together to focus on giving and building the strength of nonprofits.
To give, type the organization’s name in the “Find Your Cause” search bar. When your organization appears in the results, click on their profile and donate on their page.
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What is Impact?
We report on problems all the time, but we’ve heard from you, that’s not enough. That’s why our WUSA9 Impact team is committed to bringing you solutions.
From May 1 until May 18, we’ll be bringing you the stories of the local non-profits in the District, Maryland and Virginia who work nonstop to make our community a better place to live.
“Impact: Give Back” is a partnership with the United Way of the National Capital Area to help raise money, so these groups can keep doing their good work.
