BY NOAH GRIFFITH FOR THE OBSERVER
AUBURN — Just a few years ago, Dale Jackson was forced to cope with the fact that it would be immensely difficult to bring his special needs son, Colin, to an Auburn football game because of the care he required.
That all changed when Jackson’s search for solutions led to his founding of an organization called SNASY, which stands for “special needs assistance stations for you.” Through his work with SNASY, Jackson not only takes his son to every home game, but he gets to see other special needs families experience game days in Jordan-Hare Stadium like never before.
SNASY is an organization that provides free assistance to anyone with medical or accessibility needs through partnerships. They set up medical care stations on Auburn’s campus during game days to provide a private area for anyone in need to change clothes or diapers, escape from crowds to de-stimulate, and even for expecting mothers to rest or nurse their babies.
“For families like my own, the number one thing is we have to be able to visualize ‘What is our day going to look like?’” Jackson said during SNASY’s ribbon-cutting ceremony on Nov. 22. “We want to provide families with the peace of mind to where they’re not just going to the game once to say they did, but they actually enjoy it and want to come back. It’s one thing to come to a game, but if you’re worried the entire time, it’s not very enjoyable.”
Reigning from LaGrange, Georgia, Jackson owns an air conditioning company called Jackson Services. When he married his wife, Lindsay, last September, the two joined together to further the mission of SNASY.
Knowing first-hand how challenging it is to care for a child who requires unique medical attention at an Auburn game, the Jacksons seek to ensure every part of their clients’ day at Jordan-Hare Stadium is taken care of, from the moment they park until time to return home.
Parking and transportation is often one of the main concerns on an Auburn football gameday, so SNASY realizes the importance of their partnership with VCOM to provide accessible parking to start the day off right. From there, VCOM also runs a shuttle to the stadium.
That shuttle also has a drop off “four feet” from the SNASY tailgate tent, which is located across the street from the back corner of the VCOM campus safety lot. The tent is temperature controlled and has free food, drinks and cookies ready to go. There’s even a PlayStation 5 for siblings of special needs kids who Jackson said are “often overlooked.”
At the tent, two six-seat golf carts await to shuttle people to the stadium, where the SNASY service station sits on the northeast side of the stadium near Gate 0.
SNASY partnered with East Alabama Health to create service stations from 20-foot shipping containers that are air conditioned or heated (depending on the weather). They consist of a changing table, a lift to physically aid those who need help getting on the table, a nursing station for pregnant women and information about SNASY’s services and what to do next on the walls.
To make sure those services are easily accessible and that families are taken care of, SNASY is also partnering with the Auburn University College of Nursing. Jackson hopes to have nursing students available to accompany families in need throughout the day to assist them but also to help families feel connected throughout the process.
“For us to be able to partner with organizations like the hospital and the nursing program and the medical school and Tiger Babies, that’s our way for us to invite families in and know that they’re going to be taken care of throughout the day,” Jackson said.
Auburn University College of Nursing Outreach Coordinator, Linda Gibson-Young, stressed the importance of the collaboration between the nursing program and organizations like SNASY, Tiger Babies and SOUND – sensory outreach under nursing direction.
“Our nursing students participate with these collaborating partners to meet the needs of families,” Gibson-Young said. “These units coming together is huge in order to meet various needs.”
In particular, several families have already experienced first-hand what an impact SNASY can have on the lives of those in need.
Carrier Services, SNASY’s founding sponsor, has funded a unique VIP experience, given to one nominated family per week. A VIP experience comes with four tickets to the game, a parking pass, a customized Auburn football jersey as well as on-field access.
Three weeks ago, Exton Black, an 8-year-old boy with a severe case of down syndrome, was the second recipient of the VIP experience. His mother, Savannah Black, was ecstatic, not just for what her son got to experience, but for the happy, peaceful memories the family was able to make. Jackson said he recalled Exton’s 5-year-old brother saying it was his first time going on an outing like that with his brother.
“I always say ‘special needs families don’t just need easy, all we need is possible.’ But I can say that experiencing an ‘easy’ wholesome day FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER getting to be a normal family was ABSOLUTELY amazing!” Exton’s mother, Savannah, wrote in her Instagram caption.
“What really got my mama heart is they made sure we learned all day about how to navigate safely at Auburn football games with a medically-complex child like [Exton] but they also made sure our Gibson was supported and loved on, too! For me, personally that’s my biggest internal battle as a mother.”
Cultivating an accessible and inclusive environment is something Jackson hopes to spread beyond gamedays and into everyday life. He used eating at a restaurant downtown to demonstrate SNASY’s long-term mission.
“What we’re building here is so much bigger than a game,” Jackson explained passionately. “We’re using that game to build the infrastructure for a system where soon, very soon, you’re going to have a SNASY station in your downtown – Auburn, Opelika, LaGrange, Columbus. The families that we’re serving here on game day are going to be able to go eat out a Tuesday evening… That is when you completely transform a family.”
Visit SNASY.org to learn more and find out how to support the cause.
