By Matthew Kincanon | FāVS News Reporter
On Saturday, April 4, Riverfront Spokane, in partnership with the ISAAC Foundation and presented by Gesa Credit Union, will be hosting a Sensory Supportive Easter Egg Hunt for people of all ages and abilities to hunt for eggs in an environment that meets their needs.
Accommodating all needs
The egg hunt, which started back in 2023, has staggered start times to reduce stress and attendees can register for the time slots of their choice in advance.
ISAAC Foundation’s founder and executive director Holly Goodman said this helps them be able to ensure there aren’t too many kids or adults hunting at the same time. Those who are hypersensitive to sensory information, being in close proximity to a lot of people can be challenging, especially when it comes to noise or physical touch. The controlled number of attendees allows them to space people out at the event.
They also take physical differences into consideration. For people in wheelchairs, they will have elevated stands that hold the Easter eggs. For visually-impaired individuals, Goodman said they have beeping eggs so they are easy to find.
For those with food allergies or eating difficulties, they can exchange their eggs to receive non-candy prizes and toys.
“Because we’re all special needs families, there’s no shame in that. It’s very warm and accepting and everybody recognizes that we enjoy things,” Goodman said. “Some of us will still enjoy those activities for a lifetime. When you’re amongst individuals that live that same life, you can feel comfortable that no one is going to be judging.”
Besides accommodating the needs of participants, she said they ensure everyone leaves with eggs in their baskets. She explained there can be panic over not being fast enough to collect eggs and they make sure there is no way someone can leave and not have enough Easter eggs.
Opportunities for inclusion in the Spokane community
From a community perspective, Goodman loves that an event like this can broaden the conversation for people without disabilities to understand that they can create these kinds of opportunities.
She described it as one of her easiest events because it takes little effort to think about how to accommodate other people so they can enjoy the same experiences.
“This egg hunt is inclusive for all ages, but it’s also inclusive for all disabilities,” said City of Spokane community engagement manager Roni Dye.
Not only is the event for kids in wheelchairs or experiencing other types of struggles, she said it’s also for kids who need a less chaotic egg hunt.
For over a decade, the nonprofit organization has been focusing on spreading the awareness of what inclusion looks like, and Goodman said it’s how they can create opportunities within the community to make activities and events that are already happening more inclusive.
Dye said the nonprofit has made it easy to make the event accessible to everyone, especially for adults who could never participate.
“Some people are in their adulthood and they’re saying ‘This is the first time I’ve ever been able to participate in an egg hunt.’ which is really cool,” Dye said.
With Riverfront Park being in the heart of downtown Spokane, Dye said it is an opportunity to be front and center and put themselves out there to provide accessible events to the community. She added that the city doesn’t necessarily have a lot of events like these and felt the nonprofit found a great way to encompass everyone.
The event gives volunteers without disabilities to participate in it too, which includes filling Easter eggs, resetting the event and being present as peer support.
“We’re normalizing individual differences, and I think that’s equally as important,” Goodman said.
The joy on people’s faces
For Goodman, she loves seeing the joy on the faces of participants, whether it’s a 2-year-old or an adult with special needs. She equally enjoys seeing the looks on their parents’ or caregivers’ faces when they are seeing their loved ones participate in a way that makes sense to them.
“Delight in this experience, take pictures, be present because it’s harder for us special needs parents to find those moments where you can just let your guard down a little bit and just be present in the moment, and know that it’s being presented in a way that they can enjoy it too,” Goodman said.
It’s those moments, for her, that bring tears to her eyes.
“Being a parent, a caregiver or a family member, there’s a lot that we have to process and we mourn things and experiences, so you can have this experience that feels very normal and intentional,” Goodman said. Those interested can register here. Registration will close on Saturday at 8 a.m.
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