MILWAUKEE — Hundreds of families in the Milwaukee area are headed home with a bit more cheer Saturday afternoon following Penfield Children Center’s holiday party.
At the center’s annual event, volunteers helped give away about one thousand presents for kids of all ages, donated by Kohls.
The event, hosted by the non-profit which services kids with varying abilities, featured activities like face painting and holiday craft making in smaller classrooms to help kids get comfortable.
“Particularly for families who have a child with special needs who may get easily dysregulated in a very sensory rich environment, this is a very safe and supportive environment,” Penfield’s President and CEO Polina Makievsky said. “Families don’t have to worry about how their child might act or behave.”
Mom Julie Whiten sends her daughter to Penfield and she said part of the comfort not only comes from the familiar halls and classrooms but the friendly faces of Penfield’s teacher’s that kids know well.
Whiten also said the event is a good chance to connect with other parents about their shared experiences.
“It’s really nice, as awful as it sounds, to see the other meltdowns,” Whiten said. “To see the other kids who are not wanting to maybe listen just as well as yours and it’s really nice to have the comrade and someone who can relate.”
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