Welcome to the Virginia Down Syndrome Association
find information, resources, care, and connection to a supportive and welcoming community.
Welcome to the Virginia Down Syndrome Association! We are glad you are here! We are a community of individuals with Down syndrome, their family members and caregivers, friends, and professionals all committed to creating a community where all individuals with Down syndrome are valued for their unique abilities and differences. Here you will find information, resources, care, and connection to a supportive and welcoming community.
EDUCATION
EDUCATION
Through education programs, conferences, webinars, and parent chats we educate individuals with Down syndrome, their caregivers, and members of our community about Down syndrome. Our education programming covers the lifespan, from early childhood development to IEPs, behavior management, waivers, employment resources, housing resources and more!
FAMILY SUPPORT
FAMILY SUPPORT
We believe individuals with Down syndrome are valuable members of our community who have an important contribution to offer. We provide opportunities, support, resources, and advocacy to support individuals with Down syndrome in achieving their full potential. We believe all individuals with Down syndrome are unique and celebrate the unique qualities and characteristics of everyone with Down syndrome in our community.COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
We are a community within a community that celebrates and embraces individuals with Down syndrome. We listen, we learn, and we have fun! Together, we help each other every step of the journey.
Our Service Area
We proudly serve over 650 families across Greater Richmond, Charlottesville, Williamsburg, Fredericksburg, and the Central Shenandoah Valley and we look forward to welcoming you into our community.
If you do not live in our service area, we would love to help you get connected with one of the other Down Syndrome Associations in Virginia. If you are not in one of the Associations’ geographic areas, please reach out to us and we would be happy to be a resource for you.
“They have been helpful in me finding more things about how to advocate for my daughter, finding right medical help and many more things for which I am very grateful to them. I am thankful to DSAGR* for organizing such events since that made it possible for me to connect to other moms having similar journey to mine. They say it takes an army to raise a child and I would consider them part of Saisha’s army.”
“One of the most important things I did was pick up the phone and get connected with Kim Owens, Education Director at DSAGR*. Her knowledge coupled with her passion for inclusion gave me the courage and connections to advocate for what I knew to be best for Everett and our family. I will forever be grateful that the DSAGR, and their connections, stood beside us; because of the actions of many, Everett is fully included and thriving in his neighborhood school.”
“Two weeks after David was born, we received his Down syndrome diagnosis. Having a lot of questions and even more anxiety, I contacted the DADS group at DSAGR*. That very same day, another Dad contacted me, and in the process shared his own positive experience of parenting a child with Down syndrome. He encouraged me to attend the next DADS meet-up, and I’ve been involved ever since. The DADS group is friendly, inclusive, and incredibly knowledgeable, with years of experience and advice that’s always willingly shared.”
*VDSA was formerly known as DSAGR
