“ We’ re positively impacting not just the students, but their families,”— Lynne Faison
WE BUILT OUR FOREVER HOME
A quarter-century ago, we opened our doors to a converted home on Chamberlayne Avenue and welcomed our first students.
“ It was a dream that came true,” said Lynne Faison, whose daughter, Brittany, was among the first four students. Until the school opened, Lynne scheduled six hours of in-home learning for Brittany, seven days a week. She and her husband, Don, even brought a teacher with them on vacation so their daughter didn’ t miss a lesson.
We outgrew that space quickly, moving first to the basement of a church and then to the former Richmond Memorial Hospital. Our enrollment soon tripled as we refined our evidence-based, ABA approach for young children on the spectrum.
That growth aligned with increasing recognition in Central Virginia and nationally for our exceptional autism services. As our students advanced into middle and high school and became adults, we needed more space.
We found our forever home in 2008 when we moved into a new building near Willow Lawn. Today, Kirshner Mihaloff Hall anchors our Richmond campus, with school programs for individuals ages 5-22.
Six years ago, a building expansion introduced specialized learning areas, more classrooms and innovative features that broadened opportunities for students to learn and increase independence skills. Those resources include a simulated apartment and kitchen where students develop and practice daily living skills.
While families like the Faisons once considered moving out of Virginia to access the needed services for their children, Richmond now is a destination for autism services.“ We’ re positively impacting not just the students, but their families,” Lynne said.“ I’ m just so happy that others don’ t have to go through what we went through. We didn’ t set out to establish a school when we looked for needed services for Brittany, but we are proud to have helped establish The Faison Center as an amazing resource in Richmond and beyond.”
“ We’ re positively impacting not just the students, but their families,”— Lynne Faison
8 | The Faison Center