Celebrating 22 years of Service – ADD Resources, a non-profit serving the ADHD community in the Pacific Northwest, closed its doors in March of 2016.
Please leave a comment below or visit the ADD Resources’ Facebook page to leave a message if your life was touched because they existed.
Has the quality of your life been changed by the services they offered? Maybe you found a treatment provider that finally understood? Perhaps you’re a parent who learned to advocate for their child who now enjoys going to school each day. Did you make a new friend or two – someone who understands the way you operate? Maybe you found a favorite book or listened to podcasts from their Members’ Library that helped you cope better with the challenges of ADHD. Did just knowing that you were not all alone make all the difference?
Your are the lasting legacy of ADD Resources. Won’t you please share a bit of your story?
Unrecognized, ADHD may damage lives and relationships. Diagnosis and effective treatment can bring understanding and healing. ADD Resources promoted ADHD awareness through their publications, website, and educational events. Yearly workshops taught teachers how to deal with ADHD in the classroom and the conferences helped other professionals learn how to deal with ADHD in their caseload. Through the ADHD Directory, they helped link you to the providers you needed. They also offered direct help to many people who’s lives are affected by ADHD. The opportunities for involvement, support, and education they offered through the years were numerous, especially to those of you who could attend a local support group and/or a special event they put on. Celebrate the work and/or people that made the organization special.
You may remember some of these Past and Present Group Leaders. Leave a note for them if you wish to thank them for their efforts. Happily, some support groups remain in the Puget Sound region. Find them here: ADHD Support groups in Washington State. Get on their mailing list if you’d like to be kept up-to-date.
Since 1994, ADD Resources was there to help you find the information, advice and help you need to cope with the many challenges of ADHD. One of the best things was being able to call up and get a helpful and caring person on the line. With the office closing down, here are a few other ways to find quality information and support for ADHD. It won’t be the same, but there are other organizations that can still help.
There’s much more to know about the History and People of ADD Resources. I’ve written an article and put together a collection of names of the many people we have to thank for their efforts in building and sustaining the organization for so long. Click here to read more.
Joan Riley Jager – If you’d like to leave a personal message, you can contact me at joanrileyjager@live.com.
In Memorium photo: “Image courtesy of winnod/FreeDigitalPhoto.net” Poster created on Canva
Again, Please leave a comment below or visit the ADD Resources’ Facebook page to leave a message honoring the work and/or people that affected so many lives.
( My Spam program holds comments for approval before they are posted. My apologies for the delay. I do monitor the site throughout the day. If this is a problem, Facebook may be the better option for you. )
I was involved as a volunteer during the era of Cynthia Hammer. I facilitated a number of discussions over several years, mostly with the adult support group. In my practice as a therapist, I sent many clients to ADD Resources for education and support. I am sad to hear that such a valuable resource will no longer be available in Tacoma. I really want to thank all those volunteers who were so selfless in their time and energy allowing ADD Resources to function for as long, and as well, as it did. Education is the first step in the treatment of ADD. ADD Resources set a lot of folks off onto a positive treatment course.
Thank you, Brian. I appreciate the many times you presented for the Tacoma group as well as at the conferences. You brought a “mindfulness” approach to ADHD treatment long before it became popular. Remembering to “just breathe” remains one of my most valuable tools. You should also know that the Tacoma Adult group will continue to meet and we would continue to welcome anyone you send our way. You’ll find the groups listed on ADD freeSources. Joan Jager
So sorry to hear that ADD Resources has had to fold up their tent.
This dedicated team was hugely effective in bringing knowledge and hope to thousands of individuals and their loved ones. Not long after the debut of ADD & Loving It?! on PBS, and the launch of TotallyADD.com, I was invited to speak at one of the large conferences in Seattle.
People were passionate about making a difference, and the people who attended the conference were equally passionate about learning as much as they could. Jill Murphy told me that a doctor who heard one of my talks said, “I’ve got five pages of notes from listening to him.”
Several years later we were invited to return and hold workshops, promote our new film, ADD & Mastering It! on the PBS affiliate.
ADD Resources were the ones who forged so many alliances between us and many others.
I suspect that the many members who were part of ADD Resources, or were impacted and inspired by them, will find new ways to continue this important work, in one form or another.
Thanks again to everyone there.
You will have no idea of how many lives your work has touched.
But I can assure it it will be tens of thousands.
Sorry for this sad news…
I was diagnosed just years ago… After the years of growing up with my parents, being in school and even having brought up my own family- At a point where I found myself very much alone. Having ADD Resources to turn to helped me figure this out for myself.. And that couldn’t have been more valuable to me! The support group I found through their organization gave me a sense of belonging with people who have our unique ways, perspective and needs.
Thank you Cynthia Hammer for apreciating the need for and the founding of ADD Resources.
Thank you Kathy, my favorite director for introducing me to the support group and including me in different conferences and events.
Most especially, thank you to Joan Jager for her commitment to their mission with her administrative services for so many years, her caring support of the members and patience with ‘the confused seekers’ that would be calling in!
In today’s world we use the Internet for most of our research, and you can find supportive interaction. Thankfully, Joan Jager has transitioned her expertise and talents by developing -ADD freesources- online. She has made a comprehensive effort with informational sites and her Pinterest presence to provide the ADDer, the parent, family or spouse with information, support and resources for handling it.
-ADHD freesources- is the next generation on ADD Resource’s mission. See you there!
A wonderful organization. Sad to see it go. My best to everyone moving on
xo, Margit Crane Luria
Thank you for heading up the Seattle Parents group Margit. Happy that you are still speaking for parents and teens in the Seattle area. Enjoy your newsletter and parenting advice. Thank you for your continued efforts for making the best life for our children. Joan Jager
Just sharing a personal note from a past support group member and presenter, Joanna Free
“Thank you, Joan and to all who contributed to this resource.
22 years… what a commitment.
For me, it was wonderful to be able to connect with this community, especially when I was first diagnosed, and to later have the chance to offer something to the group in support, too.
Isn’t that the best – when we can both gain and give?
Through ADD Resources you have given much to so many.
I hope it has been a gift that somehow gave back to you as well.
Thank you.”
Joanna
JoannaFree.com
I hear that my CAPTCHA spam protector is out of order, so I deactivated it. One of our great presenters, Kendra Wagner, had to send me a personal note. Here’s what she had to say.
So sad to hear the passing of, death of, moving on-ness of, the organization that kept Seattle ADD-ers afloat and informed and connected.
I referred so many parents to ADDR over the years, as a specialist who works with children’s academics, and I am sad to see the opportunities for all ages go to never never land.
I loved presenting for conferences and facilitating the parent support groups.
Kendra Wagner
http://www.readingwritingthinking.net
I’ve put together a collection to find ADHD Information and Support locally and online. It won’t be the same, but it may help fill the gap being left with the closing of ADD Resources. Thank heavens support groups will still be available. It’s on the menu on the front page here at ADD freeSources.net – WA State ADHD Support and Information
I’m so sorry to hear this news–you’ve provided good services over the years.
God bless all of you for the work you’ve done
Fond regards
Chris
Chris A. Zeigler Dendy
Consulting LLC
author, publisher, & speaker
View a clip from our DVD, Real Life ADHD at
http://www.chrisdendy.com
Daniel Amen of Amen Clinics left a short note on our Supporters page – https://addfreesources.net/early-supporters/ – where I mentioned his many contributions, “We could always count on Daniel Amen, of Healing ADD and PBS fame, to attract a crowd. He often donated his time when presenting for us and once contributed a free ADHD evaluation, complete with SPECT Brain Scans, to a fundraising raffle. ”
Dr. Amens’ comment – “This was an amazing organization and I was grateful to be part of it.”
Im am very sad to see ADD resources go. It was the one of the places I could go to get compensatory strategies for dealing with life. I enjoyed the folks that I met along the way. A big shout out to Joan for her many contributions to the group along with many others that also contributed as well.
Brandon
Thank you, Brandon. You’ve been a great facilitator for the Tacoma group. Thank you for finding such good presenters for us to the group interesting and helpful. We’ve enjoyed having your son Braylon visit as well. Joan
Found on ADD Resources Facebook page –
There was a time, not long ago, that parents would experience the solitary path of bringing an atypical neuro-developmental child ALONE into this world and in many cases, feeling personally responsible for having a son or daughter who appeared to be a square-peg in a round-hole world. Fortunately, our culture has transformed for parents used to live within a shroud of silence and fear. Now, due to organizations such as ADD Resources facilitating parent support groups, we are now living within a community which supports parents and their children through inclusion, engagement, and fellowship. For this, we will forever be in debt for the wonderful service ADD Resources has provided all these years. Most notably, as a major influence in creating an ADD/ADHD community in our region, the doors of partnership, collaboration, and heart-centered relationships will NEVER recede. Thank you to all the board members, directors, and staff members for your endless hours for this amazing cause. Just know, you all made a difference! My work as an education advocate, working with families on the ADD/ADHD path will always be impacted by your efforts. Larry Davis @ http://www.specialeducationadvocacy.org
I miss the authentic relationships built around the connection of ADD Resources. What a beautiful tribe of people and great source of support. The connections I made at conferences are long term and the all the volunteers and board members are a wonderfully dedicated, thoughtful crew that I was proud to be part of.
Denise is the current Board President. She’s been a wonderful supporter for many years. Her great organization skills have been very helpful in this difficult time.