So what's this AFIL thing anyway?

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Brian's son, Simon, has several Learning Disabillities and after leaving high school in Fort Worth, has gone to live in the AFIL community, just to the north of Dallas, Texas.

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AFIL was founded on the premise that all adults have the right to experience life on their own, to the fullest extent of their ability.

AFIL is a non sectarian, non profit living and learning center, dedicated to educating mentally challenged young adult men and women to be independent and live on their own. AFIL provides a family living environment, enabling young adults to learn and practice basic living skills required for self sufficiency.

Once they have mastered the basic living skills,the next step is for them to move into efficiency apartments, under the guidance of the AFIL staff, where they practice the skills they have learned in the AFIL training house.

AFIL requires that the young adults be capable of employment and have an income that covers room and board plus all incidental expenses.

To join the AFIL program, is not easy! Potential residents must be within a certain age range, have maintained a job for some time, make sufficient income to effectively pay thier own way and have the potential to eventually live an independent life. I can think of many 'normal' people who can't manage these requirements, let alone someone who is mentally challenged!

To visit the AFIL web site, click here.



The week before he moved to AFIL, we went to see the room that would become Simon's new home.
To see some pictures, just click
here.



February 11 2005 It was move in day!
We didn't get too many photos as there was so much to do!
To see what pictures we did take, just click
here.


February 27th 2005... Just two weeks after moving to AFIL, and Simon has not only shown his love for sports at the Bachman Recreation center over in Dallas, but he has also made a basketball team and is in a tournament! They came second! For some pictures, just click here.




March 14th 2005 - We had a day with Simon! check out our "AFIL cook!" Click here.