Hi, my name is Ruth Charles and I am the founder and board chair of Blocks & Bridges. I am the parent of a child diagnosed with FASD. My child is charming, brilliant, funny, and creative — who also happens to have this lifelong brain injury. The challenges and joys have been immense, and resources to help were extremely limited. Even with supports in place, parenting a child with FASD can be very challenging; schools do not always know how to support our children, we end up being called away from work to pick up our children from school, and financial issues often ensue.

After three years of co-running FASD Connection Peel, a support group for families experiencing FASD, and seeing our group grow in number, I knew more support was needed, so I founded Blocks & Bridges. Blocks & Bridges supports families and individuals experiencing FASD, educates the wider community, gives our loved ones the tools that they need throughout life.

I want my child and others like them to have the opportunity they deserve, to truly participate in and belong as part of the community.