Hurricane Ida brought devastating rainfall to the Downingtown area, and many community members' homes and businesses were destroyed or damaged due to flooding. Among the businesses affected by the flood was P.A.A.L. (Preparing Adolescents with Autism for Adult Life), a specialty secondary-educational program for adolescents with moderate to severe autism between the ages of 14 and 21, which establishes a professional collaboration between the educational system, families and the community at large.

When the leadership team of Franklin Flood, a locally headquartered flood insurance wholesaler, heard about the devastation P.A.A.L. experienced and learned of its under-coverage with flood insurance, the company coordinated a site visit with P.A.A.L. to tour the center and see the damage.

On Sept. 28, Franklin Flood's leadership team, including owner Christopher Mazza, president Greg Devone and vice president of business development Cassandra Dalmas, visited P.A.A.L. and presented a check for $10,000 to help rebuild the center.

The Franklin representatives were then gifted a banner created by all the students, with their names displayed in various colors, and the message "Thank you for helping us put our puzzle back together" in the center. The puzzle pieces reference the autism puzzle piece logo. The artwork has been framed and is now the centerpiece of Franklin Flood's lobby.

For more information or to donate to P.A.A.L.'s Rebuild the School page, visit http://paalprogram.org/index.php/help-rebuild-the-paal-school.