Skip to main content
Williams Syndrome Association logo.
Donate
  • Join
  • Events
  • Shop
  • Español
  • Forums
  • About Us
    • Overview
    • Structure & Administration
      • Board of Trustees
      • Medical Advisors
      • Executive Director & Team
      • Consultants & Partners
    • Position Statements
    • Programs
    • Newsletters
    • Media & Press Center
    • jobs
  • Education
    • Overview
    • Getting Started in School
    • Creating an IEP
    • Creating a Vision Statement
    • Education Strategies
    • Testing & Evaluation Strategies
    • Therapeutic Strategies for Education
    • Transition Strategies - High School to Adult Life
    • Life Skills & Post Secondary Programs
    • Featured Education Resources
    • Virtual Education Resources
    • Convention
    • Resources
  • Medical
    • Overview
    • Diagnosing Williams Syndrome
    • Healthcare Guidelines
    • Anesthesia Concerns
    • Cardiovascular Concerns
      • Cardiac and Sudden Death information
    • Gastrointestinal Concerns
    • Neurodevelopment & Behavioral Health
      • WS and Sexuality
    • Williams Syndrome Clinics
    • Collaborative Registry for WS (CReWS)
    • renovascular hypertension collaborative
    • Resources
    • Research
      • Overview
      • Current Studies
      • Grant Opportunities
      • Renovascular Hypertension Collaborative
  • Life with WS
    • Overview
    • What is Williams syndrome?
      • Overview
      • General Information
      • Diagnosing WS
      • New Diagnosis: First Steps
      • Therapeutic Interventions
      • Talking to Children about WS
      • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Family Support
      • Overview
      • Family Support Network
      • Support Groups
      • Connect with Others
      • Available Aid and Assistance
      • Financial Planning
      • Internet Safety and Assistive Technology Resources
      • Grandparents
      • Siblings
      • Resource Organizations
      • International Organizations
    • WSA Media and Entertainment
      • The Starry-Eyed Podcast
      • WS Audio, Video, and Text
      • News Items
      • Blog
    • Adult Life
      • Overview
      • Transition Strategies - High School to Adult Life
      • Life Skills & Post Secondary Programs
      • Housing
      • Employment
      • Adventure Seekers
      • Voting Resources
      • Wellness Wednesdays and Mindfulness Mondays with Nick
    • Programs
      • Become a Member
      • Convention
      • Adventure Seekers
      • Camps
      • Financial Aid & Scholarships
      • Grant Opportunities
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Attend an Event
    • Convention
    • Resources
  • Get Involved
    • Overview
    • Walks for Williams
    • Awareness Month
      • Awareness Month Toolkit!
    • Become a Member
    • Donate
    • Fundraise
    • Volunteer
    • Event Calendar
    • Host a Social/Connection Event
    • Vendor Network
    • Share Your Story
    • Your Contributions at Work
    • Shop our Merch
    • Contact the WSA

You are here

Home » WSA Blog

Happy New Year!

01/02/2019 - 12:16 pm |

Terry Monkaba

December 31, 2018 marked the end of our official 35th year – a milestone that makes us extremely proud.  As we begin the next 35 years, I want to personally thank each one of you for making our association so vibrant and helping us grow in so many ways.

One of the things I am most proud of is the fact that the WSA has become so much more than just an association – it is a thriving nonprofit and a model among disability support organizations.  But most importantly, the WSA is a community, and in many ways, it is a family.  Many teens and adults tell us that they love having Williams syndrome, and have described Williams syndrome as “a gift that I have”.  I think that for many, that feeling can be linked back to “family” – our kids have a very strong love of family, and through the Williams Syndrome Association they have found a second family. Each time that we gather, whether in a small group, the national convention, or any gathering in between, there is an overwhelming feeling of connectedness and belonging.  For me, it is a feeling that is born out of strength – the strength that I am given through the quality and quantity of support that has always been there, both for my family and for our membership, and the strength and fulfillment that comes from the knowledge that I am helping others.  I hope that you feel it too. 

Each time you talk to your family and friends, or folks in your local community about Williams syndrome, you are increasing awareness and increasing our opportunity to find the experts we need to help us uncover the mysteries and overcome the challenges of Williams syndrome.

Each time you answer a question or share a valuable resource on social media, you are helping expand the knowledge and resources of the WSA community at large and providing increased opportunities for individuals with WS to realize and increase their potential.

Each time you update your account on the WS Registry or participate in a research study, you are helping to provide the answers that will lead to better treatments and brighter futures for our sons and daughters with Williams syndrome.

And each time you contribute to the WSA at any level, through attending a fundraising event, making a personal contribution throughout the year, an honorarium or memorial gift, a gift through a workplace campaign such as United Way or the CFC or by hosting a personal fundraiser to benefit the Association, you are making the WSA family stronger and changing lives in a very meaningful way.

On behalf of every individual with Williams syndrome and their families, I want to thank you all for making the WSA a strong and dynamic community.  My family, Ben personally, and everyone in the WSA community benefits tremendously from the love and support that we share.

Happy New Year!

 

Message from the Executive Director

Featured posts

Reflections and Gratitude: A Note from our Executive Director
Convention Programming Updates
No Better Way to Celebrate
In Memoriam: Dr. Ursula Bellugi
Our 40th Anniversary…A Year of Transition for the WSA
Finding Answers, Changing Futures…Our Community Makes All the Difference

Categories

  • Ask the Expert
  • Awareness
  • Education
  • Employment & Community Involvement
  • Housing
  • Medical
  • Member Spotlight
  • Message from the Executive Director
  • Miscellaneous
  • Parent Perspective
  • Programs
  • Regional News and Events
  • Research
  • Technology
  • Volunteer Spotlight
  • Year-end wrap-up

Monthly archive

  • April 2025 (1)
  • February 2025 (1)
  • December 2024 (1)
  • November 2024 (2)
  • June 2024 (1)
  • May 2023 (1)
  • January 2023 (1)
  • June 2022 (1)
  • April 2022 (1)
  • March 2022 (1)
  • February 2022 (1)
  • November 2021 (1)
  • 1 of 6
  • next ›

Contact us

243 Broadway Unit 9188
Newark, NJ 07104

info@williams-syndrome.org

248.244.2229
800.806.1871
248.244.2230 fax

Follow us

Position on Inclusion

The WSA upholds the following positions on inclusion. We believe that: 

  • everyone benefits when individuals with WS are meaningfully included in educational, work, and community settings 
  • individuals with WS should receive all necessary supports and services to fully participate in their family lives, communities, and society as a whole
  • high expectations should be the norm, and individuals with WS and their families should decide how they best learn, work, and enjoy social settings
  • “inclusion” is not one-size-fits-all, and will look different for each family based on each individual’s desires and needs
  • inclusion creates a sense of belonging in society, meaningful relationships, and opportunities to achieve dreams

Funding priorities

Funding priorities pie chart.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Non-discrimination statement
  • dei statement
  • media & press center
  • 501(c)(3) organization
Copyright © 2025 Williams Syndrome Association | Web design
IT'S WILLIAMS SYNDROME AWARENESS MONTH!

Join us in spreading awareness and raising funds during the month of May!

Learn how you can participate today!