Unsung heroes: Community Center team goes the extra mile for kids with special needs

There’s no better time than Autism Acceptance Month to recognize two unsung heroes in the Key Biscayne Parks and Recreation Department who have combined their passion and love for others to help serve and shape lives within the autistic community.

Richard Perez, 44, and Robert Munne, 48, never hesitated when they were asked to lead the way to guide children and young adults and support them and their families with projects that broadened not only their social reach but, more importantly, their inclusion into society.

“They both work very hard with the community, and they’re passionate,” said Jessica Drouet, the Village’s Community Engagement and Communications Manager.

With a combined 25-plus years of employment at the Community Center, the duo’s recent work with autistic people has brought the most smiles and satisfaction.

Just last month at Key Biscayne’s annual Family Fun Day, Perez, the Recreation Department’s Special Projects Coordinator, received a special recognition from the It Takes a Village organization “for his focus and dedication toward making this day happen.” Munne received a Community Hero’s Award “for his dedication to accessibility and community service.”

Also recognized were the Key Champions, a group of dedicated teen volunteers who guided children with disabilities throughout the event, giving parents a much-needed respite. Other individuals and businesses advocating for inclusion also were recognized, and Mayor Joe Rasco introduced the new Disability Advisory Board with Commissioner Raquel Regalado in attendance.

Each April, Autism Acceptance Month builds on decades of advocacy. It began in 1970 as Autism Awareness Month and gained national recognition through a presidential proclamation in 1988. In 2021, the shift to the word “acceptance” reflected what autistic people have long called for, not just recognition, but real neurodiversity inclusion in a society where they are fully valued and supported, especially in education, employment and community life.

An estimated 1 in 36 children in the U.S. are autistic, according to a recent report by The Arc.

“It’s helped with national and international awareness,” Perez said. “What once was maybe a stigma, not to be spoken of … now with all of the international awareness, communities have opened their doors to them. Probably more families now are more comfortable exploring their options to do things out in public. Before, some might have been hesitant to go out to a restaurant or a movie theater, but now barriers are being broken and you see a more inclusive community, not just in Key Biscayne, but around the world.”

In 2019, programming dedicated to kids with special needs began to flourish at the Community Center with music-based classes and a program for young athletes. The pandemic put a quick end to that dream.

Saturday programs big hit

Perez said that when things began to return to normal he noticed that only a limited number of kids were participating in the center’s activities. That led him to create the Beacon of Hope Camp, which was started on Saturdays to optimize programming.

“We have a variety of programs of which we try to encompass a wide range of age groups,” said Perez of current activities at the center.

Sensory Fun Saturdays were launched this past fall and continues through the spring term. Two-hour programming from 10 a.m. to noon allows preschool students ages 2-5 and toddlers to engage in little activities that heighten sensory skills, such as art, music and water play.

“More importantly, it allows for the social aspect of meeting kids with similar abilities and gives them a place, a room to explore,” Perez said.

The Beacon of Hope Camp is in its second year and meets twice a month on Saturdays from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. for ages 6-12. This is a three-hour camp experience that provides respite services for families, as well. Elton Aguilera of STARS Miami is contracted to help in this foray with music, arts and team building.

“It’s not just the kids who have a great time, but the parents also take advantage of those three hours as an opportunity for a respite,” Perez said. “It gives the parents and family members a chance to run errands, grab a coffee with a friend or relax. It’s great to see the whole family enjoying those moments.”

It Takes a Village comes in at about 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to host a Social Saturdays program for ages 13 to young adults.

Munne facilitates these programs by setting up the movie screen, arranging the accommodations (especially for birthdays) and making sure board games are set up or the karaoke machine is working, for example.

“If they need me to run to Winn-Dixie for snacks, I’ll do that, too,” said Munne, the Manager on Duty on Fridays and Saturdays.

“We’ll reserve certain rooms,” Perez said. “Robert sets up the tables and chairs; sometimes, we’ll take up a basketball court and he’s the one who clears the court for an hour, and he facilitates all the activities while these kids explore programs.”

In addition to hosting social programs, It Takes a Village also hosts important lectures, such as with an estate planning attorney.

“Who’s going to look after their kids is an important issue for parents,” Perez said.

An additional program, Art With Laura (Marmol), takes place Tuesday and Thursday nights. Ceramics classes, for example, provide a sensory benefit and can be attended by anyone of any ability.

“This is where you might see a 9-year-old girl and an 84-year-old grandmother,” Perez said. “It encompasses what we strive for to get in Key Biscayne, and that’s more inclusiveness.”

About half of the attendees to these sessions are residents from the island.

Social services may expand

Perez said after the Village was awarded grant funding through the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD), more non-residents started attending.

“More kids can participate and create a more viable social program and expand their web of friendship. Our programming has caught wind outside of Key Biscayne, and even other municipalities have contacted us.”

Now, with the Disability Advisory Board in place, Perez is hoping to expand classes that align with the island’s natural surroundings, such as surfing or, more importantly, the life-saving skills of swimming lessons.

Munne now has 12 years working at the Community Center, two of which he has been working with children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Formerly a direct support professional at the Miami Cerebral Palsy Center, his experience began with a niece who had a disability.

“I brought her to Career Day once,” he said. “Her dream is to work at the Community Center. My passion is to help everyone.”

Perez, a former physical education instructor and a supervisor at the Jewish Community Center, has been working at the Community Center for 14 years. He said he does not have a family connection with autism but his empathy stems from the time his aunt (while he was at a young age) had a stroke while driving and her left side was left paralyzed from the accident.

“Two years ago, we lost her,” Perez said. “Knowing what it takes for someone to have a disability of any kind created that empathy. So, when it was placed in my lap to look for offerings, I didn’t hesitate to embrace (this role).”

Two unsung heroes. Special people doing special things.

(Note: For more information about the KBCC’s special needs programs, please contact Richard Perez at [email protected] or call (305) 365-8900.