non-profit spotlight By: Angela Arlington
F O U N D A T I O N Anna’s Celebration of Life Foundation (ACOLF) is an Indianapolis-based non-profit organization that makes a difference in the lives of Indiana children living with special needs by providing the life-enhancing tools, equipment, and technologies that will help them thrive. The formation of ACOLF in 2005 was inspired by Anna Molloy, an Indianapolis child who was born on September 28, 1995, with geolophysic dysplasia. Geolophysic dysplasia is a condition, which causes abnormalities in the bones, joints, heart, and skin. Anna underwent many operations as a young girl, but in spite of her condition, her spirit remained palpable and she put her heart and soul into making other children like her celebrate their “specialness.” Since Anna’s untimely passing in 2008, her legacy continues and her spirit still remains in every gift delivered to a child in need. Supporting Special Needs ACOLF supports children living with special needs by providing them with life-enhancing gifts that insurance won’t cover and is typically beyond the financial reach of the family. Throughout ACOLF’s 15 year history, gifts have varied from weighted blankets and therapy swings to more complex gifts such as bone-anchored hearing aids, eye gaze machines, and even iPads and software for non-verbal children on the autism spectrum. In rare cases,
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Anna
they also help families purchase wheelchair-accessible vans or help prevent elopement with fencing and/or GPS devices. However, the most requested gift statewide continues to be adaptive trikes for children living with a wide range of physical disabilities who are unable to ride traditional bikes. “We believe that every child with special needs in Indiana deserves to have a sense of normalcy and enjoy being a child,” said ACOLF Director Brad Haberman. “In our early years, we were able to help a dozen or so kids per year. Because of our growth and the incredible generosity of our donors, we are now able to support nearly 100 kids annually with life-enhancing gifts all across Indiana.
