An organization with two groups: one for adults with ADD and another for teachers and parents of children with ADD.  The group has monthly educational and sharing meetings except for December and the summer.  To learn more check their website or call their voice mail at 704/551-9120 anytime anyday. (Click for overview of Education resources)

UCP Kindergarten is now both for children with any special need and those without special needs.  This meets-as-it-needs-or-wants-to group consists of parents reflecting that mixed population.   The children are generally 18 months to 5 years of age.  The parents have banded together to share resources and to have a good time.  Call Easter Seals/United Cerebral Palsy Kindergarten at 704/522-9912 weekdays 9-5 for more information; ask for Mary Jane (the social worker who is most familiar with the program). (Click for overview of Education resources)

CHEA has multiple groups around Charlotte (as well as in surrounding counties) for parents who are educating, or who are considering educating, their children at home.  Their new web site lists contact phones for each local group as well as newsletters and other useful information.  You may wish to click here to see the NC information loop and click here for the Charlotte and surrounding region.   (Click for overview of Education resources)

A group for parents of children of any age with learning disabilities and a summer program for children ages 6-13 years.  To learn about monthly educational and sharing meetings during the school year and other activities, click here to see their easy to use web site or call their office for a return call at 704/542-0470 any day any time. (Click for overview of Education resources)

An enthusiastic group for parents of children with any special need.  For details about their monthly meetings in Charlotte, you can call a leader at 704/877-3751 (Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) or click here to e-mail the leader.  Click here to see the group's Yahoo e-group.  (Click for overview of Education resources)

Minority Involvement for Exceptional Children     (1063, 733)
North Mecklenburg Children of Parents with ADD (1998)   (1447,733) possible alternative: CHADD
Parents for the Advancement of Gifted Education (2002)  (53)
ParentWatch (1998)  (1447,733)
Sensory Integration Group (2004)  (1583,733)
Special Parents Advocacy Network (SPAN) (2000)  (1381,733)

A private, nonprofit organization committed to improving the lives and education of children with or without special needs.  Started in 1983 by a group of parents and professionals, it has grown into an organization for parents of any child birth to age 21 years all over the state of NC.  ECAC's services include individual assistance with educational problems, referrals to appropriate services, parent advocacy workshops, a (free) lending library, services for members of minorities, and free literature by mail on various topics.

Call them at 892-1321 or at 1-800-962-6817 Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or write them at 907 Barra Row, Suite 102-103, Davidson, NC 28036. Click here to see their web site  or  click here to e-mail them at ecac1@aol.com. (Click for overview of Education resources)

This service provides comprehensive data and referral assistance for nonprofit and government resources in the NC counties of Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Union, and Anson counties and in or near the city of Mooresville, NC.  If you are calling on a landline or residential phone in one of those counties, dial 2-1-1.  If that fails, if you are calling on a cell phone, or if you are calling from anywhere else in NC, call 866/744-7778.  For calls from out of NC, use their local number of 704/377-1100. Although they are open 24 hours a day, you may wish to call weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. for non-emergency questions.

The friendly staff at this full service library can help you research any medical topic using their up-to-date computers, databases, journals and books.  No previous research experience or medical knowledge is required. Click here for details or call them at 704-384-6393.

MedLinePlus

This service of the National Library of Medicine of the National Institutes of Health is one of the better one-stop shops for beginning your search on the internet for medical information.  For those of you who live in Mecklenburg and Union counties in NC, we recommend that you contact the Health Library for more personal assistance from the experts there in searching for reliable medical information. Click here for their details.

Click to link to any of these lists of national groups: 

The Self-Help Sourcebook OnLine Index
The Genetic Alliance
NORD (National Organization for Rare Diseases) Database

Click here to branch to the American Self-Help Clearinghouse listing of toll-free phone numbers for a wide variety of topics.