FEAT OF LOUISVILLE INC

The Endeavor Program, one of our fastest growing programs, is a partnership with Carriage House Therapeutic Preschool. It is a year-round, clinical program which features a unique combination of early childhood education and applied behavior analysis embedded within a developmentally appropriate and natural group environment. Endeavor offers a 2:1 child/adult ratio ensuring intense positive interactions, instructional guidance, and a nurturing safe place to grow. Carriage House was founded in 1969 and now focuses on serving children ages 1 to 6 years with special needs alongside their typically developing peer group. Its partnership with FEAT of Louisville has been going strong for 20 years and more important than ever. With over 100 children on the Endeavor Program waiting list, the need for service expansion is significant, and we have recently expanded the Endeavor Programs facility by 5,100 square feet, offering 1 additional inclusive preschool room and six new clinical Endeavor groups which opened in Jan 2025. Early diagnosis and intervention, as well as ongoing supports, are critical in achieving the best outcomes for individuals with ASD. The Endeavor Program is such an important part of our overall mission and strategy of helping our youngest children with ASD learn and thrive. The Center for Disease Control estimates that 1 in 31 children will be diagnosed with autism. This statistic, released by the CDC in 2023, is an increase from the previous rate of 1 in 44 children, reflecting an overall improvement in outreach, screening, and de-stigmatization of autism diagnosis. Based on these statistics, approximately 266 children with autism are born in Louisville each year. Research has proven that early intervention is the key to lifelong success. Young brains contain more neuroplasticity, which is the ability to learn and change behavior. Accessing early intervention within the first five years of life dramatically reduces the lifelong costs of a child with autism. Unfortunately, our community does not have enough providers to serve the growing demand for autism early intervention. Housing a clinical program alongside an inclusive preschool with typically developing peers is truly what makes Carriage House and the Endeavor Program so unique. Even our children who are still working to build the foundational skills to be successful in the large group environment are provided with opportunities during the day for peer modeling. The goal of the clinical program is to build the foundational skills required to slowly transition from the clinical environment into the inclusive preschool and then on to their next educational stop in the least restrictive environment.

SWIMMING PROGRAM - GET YOUR FEAT WET - AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO LEARNING TO SWIM FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM AGES 3 AND UP, FEATS GET YOUR FEAT WET SWIM PROGRAM HAS SHARED THIS LIFE SAVING SKILL WITH HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY SINCE 2008.