Who is The Stuttering Foundation?
If you stutter, have a child who stutters, or work with children who stutter, you know how hard it can be to communicate with others. It’s a situation that often leaves a person feeling “less than” other people, not being good enough or even equal to their peers. Malcolm Fraser knew all too well how that felt and worked to begin a non-profit organization that is now known as The Stuttering Foundation. Today we want to share with you the history and the purpose of this fantastic organization.
How it All Began
Malcolm Fraser of Memphis, Tennessee was a child with a stutter. Despite this affliction and the lack of resources available in the early 1900s, he persevered. Not only was he able to figure out how to combat his speech issue, he worked hard and became a successful businessman. In 1947, he teamed up with Dr. Charles Van Riper to start a non-profit organization that would help other children and adults overcome stuttering problems. The goal was, and still is, to provide the most up-to-date information and help that is available to those who stutter.
The Mission
The mission of the Stuttering Foundation is to provide free online resources, services, and support to those who stutter and to their families. They are the first and largest non-profit organization that is working toward improving the prevention and treatment of stuttering. With all the hard work put into this organization, they now reach more than one million people each year!
What it Can Do for You
If you visit their site, you will see a wide variety of links and information. If the site overwhelms you, you can request free information and start there. The site is impressive! There is a section for those in pre-school, school-aged children, a section just for kids, teenagers, adults, teachers, pathologists, physicians, and employers. For the last 70 years, they have successfully immersed themselves in every possible scenario for those that stutter and those that encounter the stutterers.
What’s in Store for the Future?
While perusing the site, you may think that they have done all that they could possibly do. They continue to work hard and are adding research to their agenda. By becoming a part of a research team, they will help work towards stuttering prevention so that one day, it will become an obsolete issue. That research includes both brain and genetic research. Additionally, they will be ramping up their public awareness efforts so that those who stutter won’t be shamed for their issues with communication.
Imagining a world without the Stuttering Foundation leaves us wondering just how prevalent stuttering could have become and how much harder it would be for children who stutter now. We are certainly appreciative of all they have done and will continue to do!
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