Little City Foundation Continues Season One of Little City TV - the Only Live Autism Awareness Show in Chicago - Tomorrow with Suzy Kogen Friedman, Partner and Co-Director of Soft(R)

Little City Foundation (LCF), in partnership with Chicago Access Network Television (CAN TV), takes live calls from Chicago citizens creating an open dialogue about autism; tomorrow's segment features a new topic: clothing for children with autism

CHICAGO, April 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Little City Foundation will present Ms. Suzy Kogen Friedman, partner and co-director of Soft®, the first and only clothing line designed for children with autism and sensory sensitivity, tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. on CAN TV 21 in Chicago.  

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100308/LITTLECITYLOGO)

"We're pleased that Little City has a strong network of professionals and industry thought leaders to call upon for this series to discuss all sorts of topics in the world of autism," commented Little City Executive Director Shawn E. Jeffers.  "One of these intriguing topics is clothing for children with autism, and we're grateful to Suzy for sharing her story and helping to fill a need for parents who have children with autism."

For 13 weeks, Little City will feature experts and industry thought leaders such as Ms. Suzy Kogen Friedman in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities, and serve as a much-needed resource answering pressing questions related to the fastest-growing developmental disability affecting the nation.

"We believe in the mission of Soft® and I'm happy to share my story and the options out there for families who have children with autism," commented Suzy Kogen Friedman.  "I applaud Little City for their efforts in generating more autism awareness in the City of Chicago."

Ms. Suzy Kogen Friedman, a mom, entrepreneur and advocate for children and adults with Autism from Chicago, began developing Soft® in 2007 with Founder Jessica Ralli, a special educator and graphic designer from Brooklyn, NY.   Through extensive research, case studies and working closely with manufactures and experts in design and sourcing, she and Ms. Ralli discovered unique design principles and a way of constructing basic clothing less irritating to sensitive dressers and in styles appropriate across all occasions.

Soft® is the first line of inclusive clothing designed with the needs of all children in mind, including those with sensory/tactile sensitivity, a common symptom of Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, ADHD and many Developmental Disabilities.  

Last week, Little City TV presented Senior Clinical Consultant Dr. Mark Holzberg.   To view that segment, visit Little City's YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/user/lcfmedia2009.

Tomorrow night's segment serves as the third episode of the exclusive 13-week series on CAN TV 21.

To call in tomorrow evening with your question to Ms. Suzy Friedman Kogen, dial 312-738-1060 between 7:30 p.m. and 7:55 p.m. or simply email your question to [email protected].

To watch all Little City TV episodes, visit www.littlecity.org.

To support individuals with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities, visit www.littlecity.org/support.

For more information on Soft®, contact Benni Leigh at [email protected] or 917-463-3538.

For more information about Little City Foundation , contact Lisa Reyes at [email protected] or 847-221-7825.

About Little City Foundation

For more than 50 years, Little City Foundation has developed innovative and personalized programs to fully assist and empower children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  Little City offers a variety of residential options for children and adults, as well as vocational and employment opportunities.  Programs and services include a special needs foster care and adoption program; in-home support to families raising a child with developmental disabilities; a full complement of recreational activities, including Special Olympics competition; a Resale Shop that provides employment for people with disabilities; and an award-winning Center for the Arts program that features visual, performance, media and fabric arts.  The organization has a 56-acre campus in Palatine and offices in Chicago.  Visit www.littlecity.org.  

About Little City TV

Premiering April 2010 in celebration of Autism Awareness Month, Little City Foundation, in partnership with CAN TV (Chicago Access Networks), will host the only live autism awareness show in Chicago with access to more than one million viewers.  For 13 straight weeks on CAN TV 21 on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., Little City will feature experts and industry leaders in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities and serve as a much-needed resource answering pressing questions related to the fastest-growing developmental disability affecting the nation—autism spectrum disorder.  

Experts and industry thought leaders will answer questions from: "How do I know if my child has autism?" to "My child has autism; how do I navigate the system?" and "What can I do to tell Springfield I support funding for developmental disabilities?" to "My autistic child is 21, now what?" Don't miss these segments answering Chicago residents' most pressing questions about autism.  Viewers may gain useful insight as Little City brings timely topics to the table and stimulates the dialogue on Little City TV: The Only Live Autism Awareness Show in Chicago.  To view all episodes from Little City TV, visit www.youtube.com/user/lcfmedia2009.

About SOFT

Many children are extra-sensitive to the texture and feel of clothing. Soft® is the first line of inclusive clothing designed with the needs of all children in mind, including those with sensory sensitivity, a common symptom of Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, ADHD and many Developmental Disabilities. Soft® provides extra comfort with their use of flat seaming, 100% of the softest combed cotton, wide collars, encased elastic waistbands, printed labels (tagless) and more. Soft is based in Brooklyn, New York and designed by Jessica Ralli, a Special Educator, and Suzy Kogen Friedman, a mom and caring family member to a child with Autism, both of whom share a common goal to design clothing that can enhance a child's social skills, sensory organization and concentration by addressing unique sensory needs but without sacrificing personal style and self expression. Soft® supports organizations that support Autism Research, Inclusive Education, and dis/Ability awareness such as the Autism Society Of America, SPD Foundation and Autism Speaks.   Visit www.softclothing.net.

SOURCE Little City Foundation