YOUR Gift Makes More Possible
More experiences. More friendships. More belonging.
Every WDSRA program is more than an activity on the calendar. It’s an opportunity to try something new, build confidence, spend time with friends, and find a place to belong.
Your Annual Appeal gift helps make more of these moments possible for participants and families throughout our community.
More is Possible Because of YOU
Your gift will help provide
- More opportunities – camps, programs, and experiences
- More access – scholarships and financial assistance
- More participation – one-on-one support
- More inclusion – sensory materials and adaptive tools
- More ways to play – equipment and athletic opportunities
Make Your Gift Go Even Further – Match Opportunity!
For every gift of $250 or more made during the final 50 days of our 50th anniversary year, 11/12 thru 12/31/26, The Scott and Trish Karll Charitable Fund will add $250 to your gift – up to $12,500!
Greater impact. Greater opportunity.
• You give $250 – $500 impact
• You give $500 – $750 impact
• You give $750 – $1,000 impact
Will you help make more possible? Give today – and invite your friends and family to join you!
Funds raised through the Annual Appeal are a vital part of our budget.
What “More” Can Mean
For one family, finding a place to belong changed what they imagined was possible.
A message from Dan Leahy, WDSRA Executive Director
When Izaac and Izayah were just five years old, they had already lived in eight foster homes.
The identical twins faced challenges few children ever experience, including traumatic brain injuries, ADHD, developmental disabilities, and severe language disorders. Neither boy could speak.
As their needs grew more complex, so did the risk that they would be separated from the only constant they had left, each other.
Then Elizabeth Bucari opened her home and heart, agreeing to foster the identical twins for what was supposed to be one weekend. That weekend became a lifetime commitment she shared with her husband, David.
From Almost Forgotten to Unforgettable.
Imagine being five years old and defined by what you cannot do. For Izaac and Izayah, childhood brought constant obstacles. Their behavior and language challenges often overshadowed their abilities, and classmates cruelly called them “dumb and dumber.”
Where others saw limitations, WDSRA saw potential.
With dedicated staff, trained inclusion aides, and programs designed to meet participants where they are, Izaac and Izayah found something they had rarely known: acceptance. They found friends, confidence, and most importantly, a place to belong.
And slowly, their story began to change.
WDSRA saw their potential. Inclusion aides listened, guided them through difficult moments, and celebrated each milestone. They also partnered with Elizabeth and David, giving their family the support and encouragement they needed to succeed.
For the first time, Izaac and Izayah weren’t asked to fit in. They were given the opportunity to thrive.
Your support makes stories like theirs possible, helping children who have been overlooked, excluded, or underestimated find a place where they can belong, thrive, and become unforgettable.
As Elizabeth says, “We live a full life before 9 a.m. It takes a lot of effort just to get to the starting line of a typical day.”
For families like the Bucaris, WDSRA is more than recreation. It’s a place where possibilities begin. And for Izaac and Izayah, the story has come full circle. Izaac means “laughter,” and Izayah means “salvation.” After years of uncertainty, their lives are now filled with both.
Your support makes stories like theirs possible. It helps a child who has been told “no” hear “yes,” and gives families the opportunity to discover what every person deserves:
I belong.
I can do this.
My life can be full.
Please make your gift today and help another child discover what Izaac and Izayah found: a place where their challenges don’t define them, their potential does.
Thanks to the generosity of The Scott and Trish Karll Charitable Fund, every donation of $250 or more made from 11/12 through 12/31/26 will be matched with an additional $250.
FY25-26 Gratitude Report
FY25-26 was a year of growth, innovation, and long-term investment.
During FY25-25 we expanded program offerings, strengthened community partnerships, and achieved several significant milestones. New initiatives, strong staff retention, and the full funding of the WDSRA Scholarship Endowment inspired by the Kerry Fitzgerald Family reinforced our long-term stability and capacity for growth. These achievements demonstrated both a strong foundation and continued momentum for the future.
- Inclusion Creates Opportunities
- Impact Changes Lives
- Inspiration Fuels the Future
Read how your support made an impact in FY25-26.
Corporate Giving Programs
Does your company have one? Employee matching gift programs are part of corporate giving programs in which the company matches donations made by employees to eligible nonprofit organizations.
These are just some of the companies we know offer a matching program: Comcast, Exelon, Constellation, Bank of America, J.P. Morgan, Thrivent Financial, Catalent Pharma Solutions, CVS Caremark, Pfizer, CIT Bank NA, PIMCO, Crowe, Abbvee, Costco.
For questions regarding your company’s programs, please contact your employer’s HR or community giving department. If we can assist in anyway, please contact Ann at annk@wdsra.com or 630-681-0962.
(WDSRA EIN #36-3932924). WDSRA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and all contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Contact Us
For more information on the WDSRA Foundation, contact WDSRA Superintendent of Communications & Development, Lea Jackman at 630-681-0962 ext. 580 or leaj@wdsra.com.