Member Spotlight: It’s A Sensory World!
The Plano Chamber membership team is thrilled to present our NEW monthly Member Spotlights! Each month, we will be highlighting different Plano Chamber of Commerce members to continue connecting our members with each other and the Plano community at large.
The Plano Chamber would like to welcome and spotlight one of our nonprofit members, It’s A Sensory World!. Heather Wagemann, our Membership Engagement Manager, asked Director of Administration, Ashley Deaver, a few questions about their organization, membership, and role in the community.
1. What would you like readers to know about It’s A Sensory World! and what you specialize in?
We are embracing a problem, educating persons and their families with solutions/tools, and empowering with hope for the future.
It’s a Sensory World! provides therapeutic education, recreation and support for neurodiverse individuals and their families. Our distinct approach integrates each student’s unique support needs in an environment of understanding and encouragement – promoting incredible growth, independence, and the hope of an inclusive future for each person.
Potential: Every child deserves to be embraced and empowered to grow into their greatest potential.
Access + Hope: Accessible, quality support can give neurodiverse people and their families renewed hope for the future.
2. Why did you choose to join the Plano Chamber of Commerce?
Our organization decided to join the Plano Chamber as a way of “reintegrating” ourselves back into the community, post-COVID. Prior to COVID, our admin team were familiar faces in the eyes of the community, and we were eager to get back to a place where we were the authority in customized, unique neurodiverse programming and bringing hope to the people and families we serve.
We serve 70+ zip codes in the DFW metroplex and at the heart of that, is Plano! Plugging into its chamber just made sense for us to grow and continue meeting the needs of the community at large. (Plus, we’ve met some amazing people who feel called to help!)
3. Tell us about your involvement in the community.
It’s a Sensory World! serves neurodiverse people and their families, both at our center and in their communities. We provide training to local businesses about how to be an inclusive employer, host community events (i.e., Boo Bash) and create individualized programs to best serve the neurodivergent population. My favorite ISW Impact Story was sending a team to Disney to support a family whose dream it was to go, have fun, and celebrate their son’s 16th birthday. Without the help of the staff, this would have NOT been possible! ISW is in the business of becoming “a part of the family” and changing lives.
It’s a Sensory World! provides accessible education, recreation, and support for neurodiverse people ages two to 22. This long-term model allows children to develop deep relationships with our committed staff and other students in an encouraging environment. Our distinct approach integrates each person’s customized interventions into a single, more regular program – nurturing incredible growth, independence, and renewed hope of an inclusive future for each individual and their family.
4. What is one thing you hope to learn during your first year as a member?
As new members, we hope to grow, diversify, and engage with a new donor base and cultivate community partnerships that will help us grow into a mature nonprofit that is sustainable for all those in need- now and to come! We will continue to attend and SHOW UP to events, networking opportunities, educational opportunities, and all that the Plano Chamber has to offer.