Need a healthy break from caregiving? Joey’s Gift Respite, an Easterseals program, is designed to care for your child with special needs between the ages of 1-18. Joey’s Gift Respite offers four-hour breaks on designated Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The next session will be Saturday, November 16 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. at Easterseals Northeast Central Florida, 1219 Dunn Ave, Daytona Beach. 
 
Trained staff and volunteers care for children in a safe and fun environment. Siblings are welcome, too. Plan to pack a lunch for all children attending, and if needed, include personal hygiene supplies or medications.
 
Complete the enrollment form for Joey’s Gift Respite if it’s your first time attending. All caregivers must sign up online in advance or call Easterseals at 386-944-7816 at least five days before the scheduled program.
 
Take a break, with confidence, with support from Joey’s Gift Respite. Take time to take care of you.

​When Bob and Wendy Minotti’s beloved son Joey passed away, they committed themselves to a mission of love in Joey’s name. They established Joey’s Gift, an effort to ensure that families with disabled children have access to the respite services necessary to keep their children close and families intact. 

​The Minottis, drawing from their own experience of being forced to place Joey outside the home, have created a pathway of hope for other families dealing with the stress of constant caregiving. Partnering with Easterseals Northeast Central Florida in 2007, Bob and Wendy continue to realize their dream of helping others through Joey’s Gift  Respite Care program at Easterseals.

Easterseals understands that parents who may have left their child with special needs for the very first time could feel extremely anxious. That's why Easterseals offers free care and encouragement for parents of children with disabilities and allows them to take a short, healthy break with their spouse, go shopping alone, or carve out time to offer focused attention to another child in the family. The greatest impact of the Joey’s Gift program is the precious opportunity for families to feel comfortable and entitled to a short healthy break.

Will you help Easterseals keep this robust and important program flourishing in our community? Your financial gift will continue and enhance Joey’s Gift FREE monthly events.  You can Adopt-A-Day, sponsor the Fun Day activity, or just help with crafts and snacks.  If you feel led, you can help EXPAND respite care to Easterseals DeLand center and Project WARM in Bunnell.  

When grateful parents return from their break, we often hear, “It gives my husband and I a few hours a month to relax, enjoy a little freedom, and get a much needed break” and “Parenting alone is hard, especially with a child with special needs.  Now I have a few precious hours each month to recharge so I can be at my best.”

In short, a healthy break is a priceless gift! Joey's Gift spreads a message of caring, compassion and understanding, delivering a unique gift and highly practical need expressed by families.
 
​You may donate to support Joey's Gift Respite program online here or contact Susan Moor at smoor@esnecfl.org or 386-944-7820.for more information. 

If you’re a caregiver, maybe it’s time you took a healthy break. Easterseals Northeast Central Florida wants to give you that gift of time on May 18.
 
Joey’s Gift Respite, an Easterseals program, is designed to care for your child with special needs between the ages of 1-18. Joey’s Gift Respite offers four-hour breaks on designated Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The next session will be Saturday, May 18, at the Easterseals Child Development Center, 1219 Dunn Ave. in Daytona Beach. The May 18 event will include a Mother's Day craft and special visitors from Hope Reins. Hope Reins pairs rescued horses and kids for one-of-a-kind experiences of fun and encouragement.
 
At Joey's Gift Respite events, trained staff and volunteers care for children in a safe and fun environment. Siblings are welcome, too. Plan to pack a lunch for all children attending, and if needed, include personal hygiene supplies or medications. 

All caregivers must sign up online in advance or call Easterseals at 386-944-7816 at least five days before the scheduled program. Complete the enrollment form for Joey’s Gift Respite if it’s your first time attending. 

We hope to see you at Easterseals for Joey's Gift Respite on May 18!

The National Alliance for Caregiving reports that more than 43 million caregivers in the United States provide unpaid care to an adult or child annually. And, according to the National Respite Coalition Task Force, family caregivers are more than twice as likely than non-caregivers to report "usually or always" feeling stressed.
 
If you’re a caregiver, maybe it’s time you took a healthy break. Easterseals of Northeast Central Florida wants to give you that gift of time.  
 
Joey’s Gift Respite, an Easterseals program, is designed to care for your child with special needs between the ages of 1-18. Joey’s Gift Respite offers four-hour breaks on designated Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The next session will be Saturday, January 19, at the Easterseals Child Development Center, 1219 Dunn Ave. in Daytona Beach.
 
Trained staff and volunteers care for children in a safe and fun environment. Siblings are welcome, too. Plan to pack a lunch for all children attending, and if needed, include personal hygiene supplies or medications.
 
Complete the enrollment form for Joey’s Gift Respite if it’s your first time attending. All caregivers must sign up online in advance or call Easterseals at 386-944-7816 at least five days before the scheduled program.
 
Take a break, with confidence, with support from Joey’s Gift Respite. Take time to take care of you.

The National Alliance for Caregiving reports that more than 43 million caregivers in the United States provide unpaid care to an adult or child annually. And, according to the National Respite Coalition Task Force, family caregivers are more than twice as likely than non-caregivers to report "usually or always" feeling stressed.
 
If you’re a caregiver, maybe it’s time you took a healthy break. Easterseals of Northeast Central Florida wants to give you that gift of time.  
 
Joey’s Gift Respite, an Easterseals program, is designed to care for your child with special needs between the ages of 1-18. Joey’s Gift Respite offers four-hour breaks on designated Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The next session will be October 20 at the Easterseals Child Development Center, 1219 Dunn Ave. in Daytona Beach.
 
Trained staff and volunteers care for children in a safe and fun environment. Siblings are welcome, too. Plan to pack a lunch for all children attending, and if needed, include personal hygiene supplies or medications.
 
Complete the enrollment form for Joey’s Gift Respite if it’s your first time attending. All caregivers must sign up online in advance or call Easterseals at 386-944-7816 at least five days before the scheduled program.
 
Take a break, with confidence, with support from Joey’s Gift Respite. Take time to take care of you.