The American Health Care Association (AHCA) recently awarded Delaware’s Exceptional Care for Children with the 2018 “Non-Profit Program of the Year” award — in part because of the organization’s extraordinary ability to bring fragile, technology-dependent children to Disney World.
Exceptional Care for Children’s “Magical Journey to Disney” brought some of their residents to Orlando on three different trips — in 2011, 2013 and 2015. On each visit, kids swam in the warm Florida sunshine, played games at the resort, met several of their favorite Walt Disney characters, and had a spectacular time at theme events like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Plans are in the works for another trip in 2019.
Each year, AHCA recognizes individuals and organizations from across the country who selflessly care for people in long-term and post-acute care centers and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (ID/DD) residences. Honorees demonstrate selflessness, compassion, and strive to enhance the lives of seniors and individuals with disabilities in their communities.
Six award recipients were recognized this year by the AHCA, including programs in California, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Dakota, Utah, and Delaware.
ECC is a non-profit, pediatric skilled nursing facility that provides residential care for medically fragile and technology-dependent children between the ages of birth and twenty-one years. Located in Newark, Delaware, ECC is the first and only facility of its kind in Delaware and one of very few in the US.
It was the ECC’s Magical Journey to Disney World program that caught the eye of administrators at the AHCA who announced this year’s winners.
“It is such an honor to be awarded the Non-Profit Program of the Year,” said Exceptional Care for Children’s Administrator, Annette Moore. “Our three magical journeys to Walt Disney World are some of the best examples of the value we add to the lives of the children that are entrusted to our care.”
“Many, many things had to be worked out in order to bring our children to Disney World. Mobility is quite difficult for many of our residents. I continually marvel at how this healthcare team tends to make things look effortless all while providing the highest quality of care and service.”
