Oswego's Celebrate Differences Nonprofit Moves Into New Facility

is celebrating moving into a new facility.

The Oswego nonprofit, which aims to create a place for families of children with disabilities to feel a part of a larger, accepting community, has found a new home at 5375 Route 34.

“I love that we have our own space so we can offer more to the families,” Founder and Executive Director Rebecca Christiansen said. “We are now able to offer programs at the center rather than different locations.”

In their previous space, Celebrate Differences had to often move programs to different locations due to space issues.

“It’s great because now our programs can be consistent and consistently in the same place,” said Christiansen.

Not to mention, there is a lot more room for storage of toys and games and what Christiansen called a great area for crafts.

“The building itself offers us an opportunity to grow in the future," she said.

Celebrate Differences was an idea that started back in 2006 and became incorporated in 2007. It began back in 2004 when Christiansen gave birth to a set of fraternal twins, of which one was diagnosed with Down syndrome. She realized that although there were differences, both children shared more similarities than differences, as all children do.

Being a registered nurse, Christiansen was surprised to find that many healthcare professionals do not always have a positive attitude about life with a child with disabilities.

So Christiansen formed Celebrate Differences, which, according to its mission statement, is “committed to supporting individuals with disabilities in reaching their fullest potential by providing positive resources and information to families, communities and health care providers while promoting a competent level of awareness and understanding.”

Some of those resources include seminars, workshops, scholarships, and networking opportunities.

“There is nothing more rewarding than seeing a smile on a child's face, or a parent sharing how much the organization has benefitted their family,” said Christiansen. “Or a young adult that reads in our book club for the first time or the teacher who comes back year after year to purchase our awareness calendar and use it as a tool to teach about differences.”

Organization leaders, in cooperation with , are organizing one of their bigger fundraisers, which also helps promote awareness of the Celebrate Differences and its mission—a 5K run/walk called Steps Toward a Brighter Future.

The USA Track & Field-certified race starts at 9 a.m. April 29 in downtown Oswego and will travel throughout the village. A map and more information can be found here.

“It really helps raise awareness,” Christiansen said. “I love that so many families in the Oswego community have come together to help make Celebrate Differences the successful organization it is, assisting so many families in the Fox Valley communities.”

The group always has volunteer opportunities available and accepts donations of time, money or other goods for anyone who is interested in helping and learning more about Celebrate Differences and its mission.

“Starting and running this organization is so rewarding,” said Christiansen. “I would never change my life to do anything differently.”