Sunday, December 4th, 2022, the Alluvion Health Foundation hosted the inaugural Sensory Santa event sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana. This event provided local individuals with sensory issues and their families to participate in the time-honored tradition of visiting Santa in a sensory-friendly designed specifically for them.
Visiting a Mall Santa is an integral part of the holiday season for many families. However, a mall's bright lights and loud crowds can be overwhelming and stressful for those with sensory issues. This Sensory Santa event allowed these individuals to meet Santa in a calm, sensory-friendly environment. Families met with Santa for ten minutes while VLS Photography took a photo of their family with Santa.
"This event fills my heart," said Santa. "These kinds of special visits help keep magic in kids' lives and keep them believing. It fills my heart to make this day special for these families."
These visits with Santa were free, thanks to a generous donation from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana. All families and caregivers received a free photo with Santa from VLS Photography and a sensory-friendly gift from Santa himself. In addition to meeting Santa in a sensory-friendly environment, the Sensory Santa event allowed families to play holiday-themed sensory games such as decorating a felt tree or a nutcracker ring toss.
This event is a part of the Alluvion Health Foundation's ongoing work to bring more autism-friendly services to the community. Currently, the Alluvion Health Foundation is fundraising $350,000 for a Mobile Autism Clinic. This clinic will allow Alluvion Health to provide much-needed therapeutic services to families in their communities at a price they can afford, filling a vital gap in care in Northcentral Montana. To learn more about how the Alluvion Health Foundation is bringing autism-friendly services to the community, visit www.alluvionhealth.org/foundation.
The Alluvion Health Foundation is a Montana non-profit public charity with 501(c)3 tax-exempt status from the IRS focused on supporting and helping Alluvion Health in their mission: doing healthcare differently, bringing quality healthcare to the people, providing whole-person care, and filling the gaps in communities they serve that no one else has the heart for.
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