Creating Calming Rooms
August 25, 2021
A Calming Room is a space that is meant to be a supportive therapeutic environment which assists children in self-calming efforts by offering them a designated space to relax and self-regulate. It is a designated place designed to calm the senses where the student can experience calming visual, auditory, and tactile stimuli. Items that should […]
Volunteer Spotlight: Nancy Bunt
February 12, 2018
One person can change a life forever. That’s what Nancy Bunt does with children at Alexander through Reiki, meditation, guided imagery, and relaxation techniques. It all started with ‘Dan the Artist’, a young man who visited Nancy’s second grade classroom just once to lead the class in a guided relaxation exercise. That one moment solidified meditation […]
Service for a Lifetime, Impact for Forever
February 12, 2018
“Our fingerprints don’t fade from the lives we touch.” – Judy Blume You just don’t see many 90-year old women driving a burnt orange Hummer. And if you called it orange, friends say Hazel would remind you it was in fact ‘Solar Flare’. Often spotted jumping into her mammoth vehicle for a quick trip from […]
Bark and Heal
February 12, 2018
There is a special magic that happens when children and dogs connect. An exciting new one-of-a-kind pilot program at Alexander Youth Network launched in January 2018 to accomplish just that. The Bark and Heal program, offered through the support of Furbabies Animal Rescue, pairs dogs in need of adoption with children in our Psychiatric Residential […]
Gimme a Beat!
August 29, 2017
Have you ever found yourself completely lost in a song or piece of music, perhaps bopping your head or walking in step to the beat? There’s a reason why. Joe Heritage, lead trainer at Alexander Youth Network, explains that “Research suggests that music can positively influence brain function, mood, pulse rate, respiration, blood pressure, […]
Cruising with TIAA
August 29, 2017
Albert Einstein hit the nail on the head when he said, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” The use of bicycles not only provides an excellent outlet for the big emotions children at Alexander Youth Network often experience, but the simple act of pedaling has actually been […]
Tips for Back to School Success
August 29, 2017
It’s that time again. The start of the school year can bring excitement, as well as fear and anxiety. Back-to-school time can be exceptionally difficult for the 20 percent of children who suffer from mental health challenges. The ability to sit still, get organized, adapt to a new schedule can be overwhelming for children with anxiety […]
Volunteer Spotlight: Carole and Larry Nicholson
February 2, 2017
Meet Alexander volunteers Carole and Larry Nicholson. They moved to Charlotte from Tennessee and have been living here for 20 years. Carole, now a retired community volunteer, used to work in advertising and marketing and Larry works in the bank security industry. They have two boys and three grandchildren ages 9, 7 and 1 […]
Speedway Children’s Charities Grant Helps Occupational Therapy Program
February 2, 2017
Thank you to Speedway Children’s Charities for providing a $17,930 grant to Alexander Youth Network’s Occupational Therapy program. The funding will help provide the tools to create a calming and healing environment for the kids, including floors, lighting, storage and furniture. In addition, the funds will allow the purchase of necessary activities and supplies, including publications, deep-pressure rolling pins, […]
Volunteer Spotlight: Pressly Williams
September 13, 2016
Meet Alexander volunteer Pressly Williams. Pressly is 25 years old and grew up a couple of miles from Alexander. After college, she joined the family business (Renfrow Hardware). She also operates and manages a small farm in downtown Matthews called Renfrow Farms which sells fruits, vegetables, flowers and honey. She has been married to […]
