“SANTA CARES” EXPERIENCE TO CREATE MAGICAL MEMORIES FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AT SOUTHBAY PAVILION MALL

“SANTA CARES” EXPERIENCE TO CREATE MAGICAL MEMORIES FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AT SOUTHBAY PAVILION MALL SUNDAY, DEC. 7, 2014
SouthBay Pavilion Mall, AbilityPath.org and The Noerr Programs host private photo sessions exclusively for families of children with special needs

Carson, Calif - SouthBay Pavilion will host Santa Cares on Sunday, December 7th from 10am-11am, welcoming children with special needs to a photo environment that supports their sensory, physical and developmental needs.  The sensory-friendly event is designed to take place prior to regular mall hours on Sunday, December 7th from 10am to 11 a.m., to lessen behavioral triggers associated with malls at this bustling season of the year.

The nationally recognized Santa Cares event will take place at the Santa Photo Experience in the Food Court, as a result of a partnership between AbilityPath.org, a national online resource hub and special needs community and The Noerr Programs, a leading marketing and digital imaging company providing the Santa and Bunny Photo Experience at malls nationwide.  

Malls take great care to build a sensory friendly environment for children with special needs. They open during private hours and create a calmer atmosphere by turning down the lights, turning off the music and fountains, and allowing families to sit in a waiting area instead of in line.  These adjustments provide a calmer sensory-friendly environment and allow children and their families to have their own special magical moment with Santa.

"Each year, we receive heartfelt notes from parents and grandparents expressing their appreciation for a magical moment because of the Santa Cares program," said Sheryl Young CEO of AbilityPath.  "Many parents tell us they settled with the fact that they'd never have a picture of their child with Santa. AbilityPath was created so parents of children with special needs would never need to settle, and giving every child a special moment with Santa is one example of our commitment to that promise." said Young.

“We are thrilled to be the venue for this incredible event,” said Sweeney Montinola, Marketing Manager at SouthBay Pavilion Mall “Santa Cares brings joy to children with specials needs in our community, and it is truly an honor to be involved in this program.”

“Santa Cares fulfills our dream of providing a comforting and physically accommodating experience for families with children that have special needs,” said Judy Noerr, co-chief executive officer of The Noerr Programs. “We appreciate the participation of SouthBay Pavilion Mall in expanding this program, allowing more families to share the magic and tradition of the holidays.”

The private event begins at 10 a.m. and continues until 11 a.m. when SouthBay Pavilion Mall opens to the general public. Families are encouraged to RSVP prior to the event at www.abilitypath.org.

In addition to a numbering system, social stories and activities to avoid waiting in line, participating families will be able to receive four complimentary Christmas photo cards with their purchase of a Santa’s Favorite Photo Package during the event.

xxx

About The Noerr Programs: From headquarters in scenic Colorado, The Noerr Programs provides turn-key digital event imaging services and productions including The Santa Photo Experience and Bunny Photo Experience for hundreds of clients, including regional shopping centers, retailers and the legendary Shops at The Plaza Hotel in New York City. Celebrating 25 years in business, every Noerr cast member invests their heart, soul and experience into representing the spirit and essence of the season, building lasting connections with guests through Noerr's innovative retail, social media and altruistic platforms. To learn more, visitwww.NoerrPrograms.com or facebook.com/BeMerrySanta. .

About AbilityPath.org: AbilityPath.org is an online hub and special needs community for parents and professionals to learn, connect and live a more balanced life. The website combines social networking features with expert content from AbilityPath.org’s team of educators, parents, therapists and medical professionals.AbilityPath.org was created by Community Gatepath, a nonprofit with over 90 years of experience serving families and children with special needs by fostering hope, dignity and independence. AbilityPath.org may also be found on Facebook andTwitter.

About SouthBay Pavilion Carson, California, is located on the 405 Freeway at Avalon Blvd., with direct exposure to over 350,000 cars daily in the Los Angeles trade area. With a new Cinemark Theatre under construction and projected to open first quarter of 2015, this 1.1 million-square-foot regional mall is anchored by Target Greatland, IKEA, Sears, and JCPenney.  The mall contains 84 specialty stores and restaurants including significant national retailers such as Old Navy, Children’s Place, Foot Action, Shiekh Shoes, Daniel’s Jewelers and more. SouthBay Pavilion is a destination for more than 2.5 million residents within a 10-mile radius. The 4,500 lit parking spaces provide a convenient and safe shopping experience. The 200-seat food court features many of the most popular family restaurants in addition to exterior restaurants such as Olive Garden, Buffalo Wild Wings, Chili’s, Tony Roma’s, Panera Bread, Five Guys and Burgers, Wing Stop, Sansai, Chuck E. Cheese’s, and Pieology. Amenities include conveniences such as separate family restrooms, a full service Guest Services Center and Security escorts upon request.  In addition, the mall holds over 200 events annually aimed at enhancing the overall shopping experience. These events include several free weekly events for the community such as Kids Club, Mall Walkers, Farmer’s Market and Zumba Fitness Club. For more information visit www.southbaypavilion.com.
.