Eastern PA Down Syndrome Center

09/02/2026

🎉 JUST ABOUT 1 MONTH TO GO! 🎉

The 27th Annual Lehigh Valley Buddy Walk is almost here! There’s still time to grow your team and boost your fundraising!

🥟 TEAM FUNDRAISER IDEA: We’ve partnered with The Pierogi Kings! Teams can sign up to sell locally made pierogies, with $3 from every sale credited to your Buddy Walk team.

📅 Sales: Sept. 9–23
👉 Sign up: https://bit.ly/BWPierogies

🏆 We’re also celebrating our T-Shirt Team Name & Buddy Bear winners! Check out the graphics below! 🎉

Most importantly, your fundraising helps EPDSC continue providing the programs, resources, and support that individuals with Down syndrome and their families rely on all year long. Every dollar makes a difference! 💙💛

Keep sharing, keep fundraising, and we’ll see you October 3! 🎉

08/31/2026

🍂 September is here! And we have a great month of EPDSC events planned! Check out our September Events Calendar and mark your calendars for some returning favorites and NEW opportunities to connect and have fun!

💙 BUDDY WALK DEADLINES!

⏰ TOMORROW at MIDNIGHT — September 1
👕 Get your team name on the Buddy Walk shirt: Raise $1,500+
🐻 Earn a limited-edition Buddy Bear: Self-Advocates who raise $50+

📅 September 7 — T-Shirt Guarantee Deadline
Want to make sure you receive a 2026 Buddy Walk T-shirt? Get registered and fundraising by September 7!

We can’t wait to see you at our September events and at the 27th Annual Lehigh Valley Buddy Walk on October 3!

👉 Register, donate & fundraise: https://charity.pledgeit.org/BW2026

08/26/2026

🚨 Buddy Walk Wednesday! A few important deadlines are coming up!

👕 LAST 6 DAYS!
Want your team name on the 2026 Buddy Walk T-shirt? Raise $1,500 by September 1st!

🎉 Congrats to Mamba Strong for Kobe & Maya's Magic for already earning their spot on the shirt! Who’s next?

👕 SEPTEMBER 7: Register by this date to guarantee your Buddy Walk T-shirt and size. After that, only a very limited number of shirts and sizes will be available on Walk Day.

🧸 NEW! Earn a Buddy Bear!
Self-advocates who raise $50 by September 1st will earn a Buddy Bear to pick up at the Buddy Walk on October 3rd!

Register. Fundraise. Earn some Buddy Walk perks! 💙
https://charity.pledgeit.org/BW2026

08/24/2026

📚🎉 Back to School! 🎉📚

We’re wishing all of our EPDSC students a wonderful year filled with learning, friendship, fun, and lots of new adventures. 💙💛

Have a GREAT school year, everyone! We can’t wait to see all you accomplish! 🌟

📸 Share your first day of school photos with us below! We’d love to celebrate with you! 👇

08/21/2026

One week ago today, we wrapped up our 8-week Young Athletes program, and we’re already missing our friends! 💙

It was such a fun 8 weeks, and we loved watching our athletes grow, learn new skills, build confidence, and cheer each other on. We are so proud of all of our Young Athlete Champions! 🏆

A huge thank you to Special Olympics Pennsylvania - Greater Lehigh Valley Pocono Region for providing the Young Athletes program and resources that helped make this experience possible. We’re also incredibly grateful to our amazing coaches, Sarah and Samantha, our Program Coordinator Anne, and Patty Lurwick for her endless support throughout the program. We couldn’t do it without this incredible team!

Enjoy a few photos from their last day and help us celebrate these amazing young athletes. We can’t wait to do it all again next year! 🎉

08/19/2026

The Buddy Walk may happen on one day, but the impact continues all year long. 💙💛

The money we raise through the Buddy Walk helps make possible the programs, resources, and opportunities our families count on throughout the year.

This year, that support has helped provide everything from Bright Beginnings and Young Athletes to Club 21, teen and adult social programs, family support, educational resources, and opportunities to connect with others who understand. 🤝

It helps ensure that individuals with Down syndrome and their families have a place to turn for support, connection, advocacy, and community at every stage of life. 💙

This Buddy Walk Wednesday, think beyond the walk itself. Who will you bring with you? Start a team, invite your people, and help us build a community where everyone belongs. 🌟

Be Part of the Impact → https://charity.pledgeit.org/BW2026

08/18/2026

🎬🍿 We have a Buddy Walk Contest Winner! 🍿🎬

Congratulations to Scott Hartman of Team Kyle’s Toadally Rockin’ Ribbets— our randomly selected winner of 4 movie passes to Movie Tavern in Trexlertown! 🎉

And WOW… what a six days of fundraising!

💙 29 fundraisers participated
🎟️ 363 total entries earned
💰 $3,713.97 raised in just 6 days!

That is an incredible impact in such a short amount of time. Thank you to everyone who participated, shared your fundraising page, sent texts, made posts, and asked friends and family to support your Buddy Walk journey. Every dollar raised helps EPDSC provide FREE programs, resources, advocacy, and support to individuals with Down syndrome and their families throughout our community. 💙💛

And while the movie passes may be going to one lucky winner, the real win is what you’re helping make possible through your fundraising. 🙌

But don’t stop now! 💪 The 2026 Lehigh Valley Buddy Walk is still ahead, and there’s plenty of time to keep those donations coming. We’ve got another fun fundraising contest coming soon… so stay tuned! 👀🎉

Thank you for being our Buddy Walk fundraising ROCK STARS! ⭐

Let’s keep raising, keep sharing, and keep making a difference together!

08/17/2026

☀️ This Week at EPDSC

It’s a lighter week at EPDSC, so hopefully you can take some time to soak up these last days of summer before school is back in session! 🌻

💻 Thursday 8/20 at 7:00 PM – Our next ZOOM support group for Dual Diagnosis: Down Syndrome and Autism will meet this week.
Register here: https://forms.gle/vvXCf61fJZJGi7qG6

🎬 TODAY IS YOUR LAST CHANCE! Turn your Buddy Walk fundraising into a movie night for four at Movie Tavern!

Every $10 raised = 1 entry into the drawing—and every new donation through today counts!

Not registered yet? Sign up: https://charity.pledgeit.org/BW2026

08/14/2026

We’re excited to introduce three new members of the Eastern Pennsylvania Down Syndrome Center Board of Directors! 💙💛

Please join us in giving a warm welcome to Lauren Coni, Nancy Diamond, and Jessica Fi*****io as they begin their service on our Board!

✨ Lauren Coni – A self-advocate who lives independently and works at Get Joy Ice Cream and Coffee, Lauren brings her personal experience, strong communication skills, and passion for making sure the voices of individuals with Down syndrome are heard and represented.

✨ Nancy Diamond – A parent of a daughter with Down syndrome and a Life Skills Paraeducator, Nancy brings firsthand family experience, a passion for advocacy and inclusion, and a deep commitment to helping families find the support, community, and joy that EPDSC has provided her family.

✨ Jessica Fi*****io – As Food Services Director at Executive Education Academy Charter School, Jessica brings 11 years of experience in education, a passion for supporting individuals with disabilities, and a commitment to creating opportunities for people to grow, thrive, and feel valued.

Each of these incredible women brings unique experiences, perspectives, and passions to EPDSC, and we’re so grateful they’ve chosen to share their time and talents with our organization. We can’t wait to see the ideas, energy, and leadership they bring to our Board!

Welcome to the EPDSC Board, Lauren, Nancy, and Jessica! We’re so happy to have you with us! 💙💛

08/13/2026

We’re looking forward to two great events happening this weekend! 🎉💙💛

🎲 Club 21 Board Game Event
📅 Saturday, August 15 | 🕐 1:00–3:00 PM
📍 EPDSC Office

🧸 Bright Beginnings Playgroup
📅 Sunday, August 16 | 🕑 2:00 PM
📍 EPDSC Office

If you’re planning to attend either event, please take a moment to register if you haven’t already. 📝 Registration helps us get an accurate headcount so we can plan activities, supplies, and refreshments accordingly. It also allows us to make sure we can communicate directly with everyone who planned to attend if there are any last-minute changes. 📧

🎲 Club 21 Registration:
https://forms.gle/2AcVAbRzt4DjqwTU8

🧸 Bright Beginnings Registration:
https://forms.gle/xVXCyejYbn5HpobW6

We hope to see you this weekend! 😊💙💛

You’re invited to join us for our next Bright Beginnings Playgroup for children ages 0 to 6 and their parents. When: Sunday, August 16 at 2pm - 4pm Where: EPDSC Office, 3895 Adler Place Suite 135 Building A, Bethlehem PA 18017 Details: This month’s meetup is casual, featuring playtime for childr...