Fundraiser focuses on improving lives of area children with autism
A fundraiser in Darlington Sept. 19 seeks to raise money for special programs for children with autism in the Pee Dee area.
Culinary Kids/Culinary Arts Initiatives and its representative Chef Marion Moses are planning the fundraiser and private art auction, to be held at the Purple Fish at 210 S. Main St., Darlington, from 5-8 p.m.
Formerly based in New York, the organization has now moved to Darlington along with Moses.
“I came back home because my father was originally born here in Darlington,” Moses said. “I came back home to take care of my parents but also to extend what we had been doing in New York.”
“The autism programs (the group does) really are special to my heart because my son, one of my twins, has autism. … Right now, he goes to Darlington High School. … I’m finding that a lot of young adults (with autism), when they graduate high school, after high school, there’s nothing for them to do. (And) a lot of them are capable of working.”
Moses’ group offers “a gardening program, a farm program. We deal with raising tilapia, shrimps, lobsters, mussels, crabs. … What’s important to us is to develop job training where individuals that have autism can be employed. … Their work is not just to be at McDonald’s or something like that. They can be trained to be employed with technologies. This is something we need to look at.”
“The whole idea, the concept behind what we’re doing, is to raise funds so that we can better train for jobs … and also work with the parents in a way that they can be included in this bigger discussion.”
Moses expressed special thanks to the Darlington Garden Club for helping him make connections in the area.
Advance tickets for the event are $25 per person through Eventbrite on the Internet or $30 at the door. A light menu and beverages will be served. For more information, contact Moses at 347-321-0423 or e-mail culinarykidscsa@yahoo.com.
— Bobby Bryant
