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HOPE

The Utah Down Syndrome Foundation's mission is providing hope to individuals, their families, and the community through support, education, activities, outreach, and advocacy.

 

Better Together

Hello and Welcome. 2023 is the year to be! UDSF is here to support the remarkable Down syndrome community in Utah and help make 2023 the year to be anything you want to be. When you become a member of UDSF, you become family too. But you can also be a supporter, an educator, an activity goer, a sponsor, a donor, an advocator, a volunteer, or all of the above. No matter what you choose to be in 2023, you have the best membership card in your back pocket to the best show in state.

We have lots to do, share, and enjoy together!

We are better together!

 

One of the many ways the Utah Down Syndrome Foundation fulfils its mission, is by providing social events for its members, their families, friends, and community. When you love someone with Down syndrome, you want to shout their worth. Coming together as a Down syndrome community and celebrating, is a great way to do this! What used to be called the Buddy Walk, is now called The Mighty Steps for Down Syndrome EXTRAvaganza, in Utah. It is one of UDSF's biggest events! Because this event is more than just a walk, the word EXTRA has been added to its title. Not only is it a time to walk, play, advocate, and educate, it is a time to celebrate the EXTRA 21st chromosome! We invite anyone who has that EXTRA special person in their life to join us at one of our events. Anyone else who wants to see what they are missing (which is literally a chromosome), we welcome you too. "Sorry you're missing an extra chromosome." 

UDSF holds 3 Mighty Steps events in Utah. One in Cache Valley, Salt Lake, and Southern Utah. Pick one or attend them all. (Salt Lake invites all surrounding areas including Tooele, Davis, Morgan, Weber, Salt Lake, Wasatch, Utah counties, and not excluding any counties that are in the metro area.)

The Mighty Steps for Down Syndrome EXTRAvaganza may have slight variations depending on the location, but overall the registration fee includes: admission, activities, food/treats, swag item, entertainment, music, and more. The walk portion is a minimum distance (loop around the park), but it allows each team to gather together to strut their stuff while others are cheering them on from the sidelines. 

We encourage you to register, create a team and a team t-shirt (optional and at your own expense and time) for your team members. Invite your family, friends, neighbors, community members. Provide them with your team link so they can register, join, and donate to your team. Text, email, or share your link on social media. Not everyone will be able to attend or join your team in person, but they can still support your team . *Donations and sponsorships will continue to help UDSF provide programs, activities, events, education, new and expectant parent resources, medical outreach, advocacy opportunities, and more, to individuals with Down syndrome and their families throughout Utah. 

This event is going to spectacular! Together we will take mighty steps for Down syndrome! 

 

*UDSF is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, making your charitable donation tax-deductible. W-9 is available upon request.  

  • UDSF Community Members Served

    2100

  • Volunteer Hours

    500

  • Education Class Participants

    150

  • Individuals with Down Syndrome Reached

    800

  • Students taught about Inclusion & Down Syndrome

    150

  • New and Expectant Parents Welcome Baskets Gifted

    45

First Call of Hope

Receiving a Down syndrome diagnosis can be overwhelming. If you need to speak with someone immediately, someone who can relate and offer support, please call. Our number here at the Utah Down Syndrome Foundation is 801-446-1994. We are just one call away and your first call of hope. Leave a message and one of our trained, new parent mentors will call you. 

News, Educational Articles & Videos

byJohn M. Simmons

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. This article points out all the lessons we can learn from individuals with Down syndrome.

byBret Bowerman

Decades of research has proven that inclusive education substantially increases academic performance and the rate of employment for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Interestingly, research suggests the benefits of inclusion extend to typically developing classmates. The presence of a classmate with an intellectual disability fosters empathy, tolerance and patience. These virtues are fundamental to developing “emotional intelligence,” a concept revered by educators, parenting gurus and business leaders alike.

  • Improve your community by joining our cause. You'd be surprised at what a huge difference a little bit of your time can make.

© 2023 Utah Down Syndrome Foundation
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Donation Refund Policy

We are grateful for your donation and support of our organization. If you have made an error in making your donation or change your mind about contributing to our organization please contact us. Refunds are returned using the original method of payment. If you made your donation by credit card, your refund will be credited to that same credit card.

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Ongoing support is important to enabling projects to continue their work, so we encourage donors to continue to contribute to projects over time. But if you must cancel your recurring donation, please notify us.

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