Tuesday, September 5, 2006

KANSAS CITY, MO - U.S. Senator Kit Bond today toured the Rainbow Center and highlighted the $300,000 in federal funds he secured for the Blue Springs facility.

“At the Rainbow Center, these children receive the specialized education services they need so that parents can continue to work outside their homes,” said Bond.

As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Bond secured $300,000 in federal funds for the Rainbow Center for Communicative Disorders in the fiscal year 2007 Labor-HHS spending bill which passed the Senate Appropriations Committee in July. Before being signed into the law the bill must be passed by the full Senate and reconciled with the House of Representatives version.

The federal dollars Bond secured will be used to by the Rainbow Center to meet the growing demand for student and adult education programs. The expansion program will allow for 40 new clients to receive services at the Center. Founded in 1976, the Rainbow Center currently provides intensive therapy programs for more than 60 children with communicative or behavioral disorders.

Bond, a strong supporter of early child hood education and parenting programs such as Parents as Teachers, stressed that raising a child is challenging even under the best of circumstances. For parents of children who have autism, cerebral palsy, downs syndrome or severe learning disabilities, these ordinary challenges are compounded. Therapy and support services, such as provided at the Rainbow Center, are important in helping these families.

Bond thanked the staff at the Rainbow Center, and the parents who work hard on a daily basis to provide for their families and children and the community for their support of this important facility.

“This is a group of everyday heroes. I am so pleased to be associated with your work,” said Bond. “Blue Springs has always been known as a community of people who help each other. Today is another example of how working together we can improve our community. “

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