OUR STORY

My name is Wilson Cluney and I am the founder of the Kokua Educational and Therapy Fund, a registered non-profit 501c3 organization based out of Tampa, Florida.

 

As parents, we are always willing to do whatever it takes to make sure our children have everything they need. Our son Ryder was diagnosed at the age of 6 with a rare genetic disorder called Phelan McDermid Syndrome. Ryder struggles with simple tasks that we take for granted like speaking, eating, and using the bathroom. This requires additional time, costs, and resources needed to give our son quality care. Additional care and therapies are often not covered by insurance and will result in a financial burden for the families leaving a child without the opportunity to receive care and therapy. Luckily we were able to connect with resources that helped us overcome some of the financial challenges that were presented to us. Although we are still on our journey to help Ryder become fully self-reliant, we felt it was our responsibility to contribute back to those within and who may be new to this community.

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I named our foundation the Kokua Educational and Therapy Fund because the word Kokua (pronounced koh-koo-ah) comes from the Hawaiian language definition for "helper, help, assistance, aid or relief" Being rooted in native Hawaiian ancestry we felt it was important to connect our roots to our mission.

OUR MISSION is to alleviate the financial burdens faced by families with children having special needs. This includes but is not limited to Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Intellectual Disabilities, Sensory Processing Disorders, Speech and Language Disorders, and Specific Learning Disabilities or conditions that impact a person's ability to acquire certain academic skills, such as reading, writing, or math, despite having average or above-average intelligence. Our goal is to provide additional resources for education, therapy, travel assistance, and other needs to enhance the quality of life for recipients and their families.

 

We are dedicated to empowering individuals to discover new ways to live and improve their overall well-being.
 

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