'Welcome, included and safe': Project places sensory stations in organizations across Terre Haute

Mar. 14—More than two dozen people representing a wide range of organizations recently gathered at Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church to learn how to make their visitors with disabilities feel welcome, included and safe.

They are participating in Haute Unlimited, which provides sensory stations/backpacks to Terre Haute organizations so they can be more inclusive of those with disabilities.

The effort is lead by Jess Berryhill, special needs ministry coordinator at Mount Pleasant Church.

The bags include headphones to cancel noise, sensory toys — called sensory fidgets — and a weighted plush as well as identifying signs. A sensory station is a portable collection of sensory resources.

The bags include "check in" materials that allow friends with disabilities to self advocate. Adults can use a "wheel" to show how they are feeling, while children can check off emojis to show if they are feeling good, sad, angry or scared.

"It allows them to tell us what they need to be okay" in a setting, Berryhill said.

The backpacks filled with items have been distributed to nonprofits, government agencies, churches and businesses throughout the community "so that when our friends with disabilities go out into these different locations, they will have some tools there to be okay in whatever space they are in," Berryhill said.

The sensory stations aim to "make sure that our friends feel welcome, included and safe," she said.

The project is funded by a grant through the Center for Congregations in Indiana, which received funding through Lilly Endowment.

The response has been good, Berryhill said. So far, about 15 to 20 organizations are participating, with more than 30 people attending training.

Among the participants are the Vigo County Public Library, Terre Haute Police Department, several churches, Susie's Place, Council on Domestic Abuse and other agencies and nonprofits.

On March 8, more than two dozen people gathered at Mount Pleasant Church to pick up the sensory materials and receive training.

"You being here is huge for us," Berryhill told them. "It shows me there are people in our community who care deeply about our disability community."

Among those attending was Jennifer Newman, a child and family advocate with Susie's Place.

"We have a lot of children that have sensory issues and that might also have autism," she said. "We don't have a lot of sensory toys for them so we thought this would be a great opportunity to set up a little station in our waiting room. "

She was accompanied by Tyierra Andrews, an intern from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College.

"She'll help me set up the table in our lobby and we'll have it ready to go for kiddos that come in," Newman said.

Brandy Mazzon and Rosa Staley attended training and received items for the dental office of Dr. Luke Staley, where both are dental hygienists.

Rosa Staley said the office does see some children with autism and decided to participate in Haute Unlimited "to help us help the children have a good experience in the dental office."

Mazzon and Staley agreed it's a great program because they don't always know how to work with some of the clients with disabilities.

"We want to know how to better help them and help them not be afraid," Staley said.

The Terre Haute Police Department also is participating.

Sgt. Don Toney said Berryhill approached the department about the project "so when we encounter people with various special needs or things like that we'll have some extra equipment to help us help them through whatever is going on and make them feel a little more at ease."

Social worker Jarom Hawker is overseeing the THPD effort.

The department took six of the bags, or two per shift so they are available to officers whatever time of day the items might be needed, Toney said.

According to Berryhill, the goal was to put 50 sensory stations/bags into different locations.

"One of the cool things that we did was try to make this project sustainable for the long haul," she said. Most of the sensory toys in the bag are 3D printed in house at Mount Pleasant.

Among the sensory fidgets were little dinosaurs; hearts that pop in and out; infinity cubes; snowflakes and fish.

If a child or adult needs to take that toy home for some reason, it only costs pennies to replace.

"Our goal was to have an inclusive church, but our bigger goal is to have a town where our friends and neighbors with disabilities can thrive. This is just one small step to do just that," Berryhill said.

Sue Loughlin can be reached at 812-231-4235 or at sue.loughlin@tribstar.com. Follow Sue on X at @TribStarSue.

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