The Victory Electric Cooperative, Assn., Inc., is pleased to announce that the Perfect Fit Foundation of SWK is the recipient of the 2023 CoBank Sharing Success Grant. The annual grant opportunity is made possible by Victory Electric’s board of trustees in partnership with CoBank, whose $5 million Sharing Success fund matches customer donations to charities across rural America.
The Perfect Fit Foundation of SWK operates the Perfect Fit Therapy Clinic. The behavioral health facility provides Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy to children with autism. The organization aims to increase acceptance of individuals with special needs throughout southwest Kansas and to provide the services necessary for them to live fulfilling lives and be productive members of their communities. Perfect Fit is in the process of acquiring a larger facility this year and will use the $20,000 grant to construct an outdoor playground with inclusive equipment for the children the clinic serves.
“With this additional facility we will create an outdoor space for playground equipment that allows our students the opportunity to work on gross and fine motor skills in an inclusive and sensory friendly playground during their therapy sessions,” said Trista Fergerson, clinic director and autism specialist.
The Perfect Fit Therapy Clinic was formed to help address the lack of therapy services and providers in the area. Fergerson said, “We are the first and only facility that offers clinical-based ABA therapy in southwest Kansas.”
The clinic currently serves 200 hours per week of in-person therapy and telehealth services throughout southwest Kansas. Perfect Fit has one Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), two autism specialists and six registered behavior technicians on staff. Four staff members are receiving additional professional education and training to receive BCBA or Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) certifications as well.
Since 2012, Victory Electric has awarded $125,000 in Sharing Success grants to nonprofit organizations in its service area. The matching grant program, capped at $20,000 per year, is designed to celebrate the vital role that cooperatives play in individual communities across the country.
“Thanks to the generosity of Victory Electric’s board of trustees and CoBank, the Sharing Success Grant enables us to give back to the communities we serve,” said Shane Laws, CEO of Victory Electric. “We urge all eligible nonprofits to take advantage of Sharing Success, and together we can make a meaningful impact in rural Kansas.”
To learn more about the Sharing Success grant, visit victoryelectric.net/cobank-sharing-success-grant or email askcommunications@victoryelectric.net. Applications for the 2024 grant opportunity will open next spring.