Rep. Carter visits new Brunswick learning center

Aug. 18--When Laura Moulton's daughter was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3, she wanted to do all she could to help.

Behavior therapy was the answer, but her options were limited. She could drive her daughter to either Savannah or Jacksonville on a daily basis.

"That's impossible for a working parent," said Moulton, who was working as a kindergarten teacher at the time.

After trying for three years to get into an applied behavior analysis program, Moulton, 38, with the help of her father Larry Daugherty, 62, resolved to find a solution on her own.

They founded Light of Hope Learning Center and officially opened their doors in May. Moulton said it's the only business that offers the array of services their daughter, and many others in the Golden Isles, needed.

Her daughter, now 6 years old, has shown immense progress in addressing behavioral issues, Moulton said. It was worth the leap of faith, said Daugherty, who retired from dentistry to open Light of Hope with Moulton.

"It was a God thing," Daugherty said.

Moulton said they've seen an "overwhelming" number of parents bring their children to the center. Light of Hope now serves dozens of children from ages 3 to 17 and has more than 50 on a waiting list.

Getting all the certifications and insurance wasn't easy, Daugherty said, but they had some help in the form of guidance from U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, R-1, who visited the center on Monday. He wasn't surprised to hear about the high demand for such services in the South Coastal Georgia area.

"It's obvious if you have 50 people on the waiting list," Carter said.

It's not an unknown issue, he said, but one that's been on his radar since his days as a state legislator. In Georgia, roughly one in 59 children are diagnosed with a form of autism, according to the state Department of Public Health.

Opening in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic was not easy, Moulton said. It's been helpful, however, as they did not have to adapt from previous procedures -- Light of Hope has been following COVID-19 prevention guidelines since it opened, including taking temperatures of children and employees regularly, requiring staff wear masks, frequently disinfecting toys and equipment and making everyone wash their hands often.

The only real issue has been finding enough therapists, Moulton said. Students from College of Coastal Georgia work part-time, she said, but aren't permanent employees.

That isn't stopping the business from expanding, however, as Moulton said she and Daugherty recently purchased the land next door and plan to build out.

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