Mimi Siegel's parenting journey began in 1972 with the premature birth of her daughter. At the time, available avenues of support for a new parent caring for a preemie proved depressingly difficult to find.

Years later, when Siegel and her family moved to the Seattle area, she applied for a part-time job at Kindering, a not-for-profit neurodevelopmental center founded in 1962 by five Eastside mothers of preschoolers with disabilities.

Read more: 2013 Superheroes for Washington Families

Marking one of his Seattle public appearances as Washington state's 23rd governor, Jay Inslee and his wife, Trudi, helped raise more than $525,000 at Kindering's 19th Annual Auction and Gala on March 2.

The Inslees joined Tom and Lesley Todaro, event chairs, at the annual benefit for Bellevue-based Kindering, a nonprofit that provides early intervention therapies for infants and children with special needs.

Read more: Governor Helps Raise More than $525,000 for Kindering

Marking one of his first Seattle public appearances as Washington's 23rd governor, Jay Inslee and his wife, Trudi, helped raise more than $525,000 at Kindering's 19th Annual Auction and Gala on March 2.

The Inslees joined Tom and Lesley Todaro, event chairs, at the annual benefit for Bellevue-based Kindering, a non-profit that provides early intervention therapies for infants and children with special needs.

The Bellevue-based Kindering Center, one of the largest neurodevelopment centers in the country, is finding success using iPads to help children with autism.

Read more: Program, iPad help 3-year-old to communicate and share

As Seattle Sounders FC soccer players watched, 3-year-old Vallory Hurlimann first booted a soccer ball with gusto and then ran up the field as fast as her little legs would go.

Lisa Hurlimann kept a close eye on her daughter, who has Down syndrome, and rooted her on the whole way during last Sunday's afternoon of celebration for young athletes with disabilities at Arena Sports in Redmond. For three hours, Kindering — a Bellevue-based nonprofit helping infants and children with special needs — Special Olympics Washington and Starbucks formed a hat trick of organizations that brought families together on the athletic field to play and visit with each other.

Read more: Seattle Sounders FC players lend a hand at play day for special-needs athletes

Four generations of the philanthropic Alhadeff family were celebrated Friday, Oct. 5, as part of the 50th Anniversary Salute to Courage Luncheon, benefitting Kindering.

The luncheon, which was sponsored by Kindering and Pediatrics Associates Inc., took place at the Bellevue Westin Hotel. Representing the Alhadeff family as 2012 Salute to Courage event chairs were Krista & Charles Grinstein and Dina Alhadeff & Jason Long.

Read more: Benefit luncheon raises record-breaking funds for Kindering

Alycia and Jackson Gerlach of Bellevue greeted guests at today’s Kindering “Salute to Courage” 50th Anniversary Luncheon at the Bellevue Westin.

Born with amniotic band syndrome with a cleft lip, cleft palette, club feet and missing fingers and toes, three-year-old Jackson recently graduated from Kindering and is well on his way to attending regular preschool and kindergarten.

Read more: Kindering benefit luncheon attracts packed house

“If you have or know a tot with special needs, chances are you have heard about the near-miraculous turn-arounds the Bellevue-based Kindering staff have helped thousands of Eastside children experience during the past half-century.

And if you are aware of the Kindering, you may want to attend its 50th Anniversary Salute to Courage Luncheon at the Bellevue Westin Hotel on Friday from 11:45 a.m. -1 p.m. At the luncheon four generations of the philanthropic Alhadeff family will be celebrated. These are the descendents of Charlie Alhadeff, one of the agency’s first donors."

Read more: Benefit luncheon showcases Kindering’s program, philanthropists

“The aim of the program is to promote parents’ awareness that they are their child’s first teacher,” said Hannah Locke, program coordinator of the Parent-Child Home Program (PCHP). “We want to empower parents.”

Locke described the program at the End of Year Celebration at a get together for kids, families and staff at Bellevue-based Kindering on Saturday. It celebrated the first year of the intensive school readiness program for 2-to 4-year olds and parents. This year the program served 30 families in Bellevue and Redmond. Starting in the fall, PCHP will double that number to serve 60 families on the Eastside.

Read more: Early learning program celebrates first year

The year 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of Kindering, a not-for-profit neurodevelopmental center founded in 1962 by five Eastside mothers of preschoolers with disabilities. In the five decades Kindering has been providing early intervention services and support, the number of children helped has grown from that original five to over 30,000.

Read more: Kindering Celebrates 50 Years of Providing Essential Early Intervention Services

Joshua Santes dives into the playpen like a cannonball, and a splash of feathers spin around his feet. With a toss, his teacher triples the flurry, and an odd new texture surrounds the boy. Seeing Joshua’s smile undone by curiosity, the teacher pinches a feather and tickles the 3-year-old’s cheek. For a child in Joshua’s position, it’s a push. Joshua has autism, which often comes with an aversion to unusual textures. They’re as irritating as fingernails on a chalkboard.

Read more: Kindering helps special needs babies on the Eastside for 50 years

Kindering’s 50th Anniversary Celebration and Auction, was held at the Grand Hyatt Seattle on March 3, 2012. It brought together more than 430 guests, raising $674,151 for infants and children with special needs on the Eastside and around Puget Sound.

Read more: Kindering’s 50th celebration raises funds for early intervention services

Kindering’s 50th Anniversary Celebration and Auction on March 3 saw more than 430 guests raise $674,151 for infants and children with special needs. The event, at the Grand Hyatt Seattle, featured host Dennis Bounds of KING-TV.

Read more: Kindering gala raises $674,151

ONE in 12 American families has a child with a disability. Critical resources such as the Kindering Center are needed in every neighborhood.

For five decades the Bellevue nonprofit has provided therapeutic services to special-needs children, helping with everything from walking, talking and feeding themselves.

On Saturday, March 3, Kindering will kickoff its 50th Anniversary Celebration, holding its major annual fundraising benefit at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Seattle. Based in Bellevue and serving the Eastside and Puget Sound region, the non-profit is nationally recognized for its early intervention program, helping infants and children with special needs. Dennis Bounds, KING5 Television News Anchor, will emcee.

Read more: Kindering initiates 50th anniversary with auction gala

Parks and Police Department officials from the City of Bellevue recently met with Kindering staff to discuss ways to help ensure safety for them and the children with special needs they serve.

Kindering is a nonprofit neurodevelopmental center for children ages birth to three, with special needs.

Read more: Bellevue Parks and Police help Kindering

Many infants placed in foster care begin their fetal development influenced by prenatal drug and alcohol exposure, which often results in neurological damage. When it comes to addressing potential neurological damage in infants, early intervention is critical because adequate intervention may assuage the damage and place the babies back on track developmentally.

Read more: Cherishing Children: Early intervention helps brain development in traumatized babies

It was 4 in the afternoon when the driver of an SUV - talking on her cellphone and wearing an ankle cast that got stuck in the accelerator - plowed through a wall of a Redmond day care.

Three toddlers were hurt in the Aug. 3, 2009 crash with injuries ranging from a rug burn to those suffered by Sterling Metz, who was all of 3 ½ months. He was pulled out from under the Toyota Rav 4's front bumper.

At 2 ½, Sterling is making progress and recently had taken his 1st steps without his walker.

Read more: Bellevue's Kindering is oasis for special-needs kids