OTTAWA, OH (WLIO) - The Putnam County Educational Service Center helped families of people with disabilities find the community support they need.
Their 3rd annual resource fair brought together around 30 vendors to provide information and some take-home activities relating to a wide variety of developmental disabilities. Caregivers could learn more about things like the Special Olympics, sensory toys, and how to work with your child's school to create an individualized education plan or IEP. With so many different services available, sometimes families struggle to find what works best for them.
"This event helps parents and families to be able to come in and talk one-on-one with people to see what they can provide and if it's something they're interested in for their families. It's grown each year, families in Putnam County, we've expanded to Allen, Hancock, and Paulding as well as resources from those areas," said Karen Maag, special education coordinator at the Putnam County ESC.
"Not knowing where to start, where to begin, or where to look for resources, that seems to be a big issue for a lot of our families who are just getting started or who may lose services one place and have to go and start services at another place. This is just a perfect place for them to come in and see where exactly to start and where to begin," added parent mentor Dolores Garcia.
The fair also included several different speakers covering "Hot Topics," like how to help a child with a disability understand and stay calm during the upcoming eclipse. Putnam County EMA director Brian Hilvers recommended showing them videos of an eclipse so they aren't taken by surprise and explaining any changes to their routine for that day.
