TBAF Awards Grant to Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta to Fund Recreational Opportunities
(ATLANTA, GA) The Bubel/Aiken Foundation recently awarded a $20,000 grant to the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA) to implement Let's ALL Play—Inclusion in Recreational Programs. The grant will allow children with developmental disabilities to enjoy a successful summer camp experience in an inclusive setting.
Barbara and Sanford Orkin (BSO) Camp Chai, a program of the MJCCA, intends to create an inclusionary camp program for children diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Funding from The Bubel/Aiken Foundation will allow BSO Camp Chai to offer 10 one-week sessions during the summer of 2008 for children with ASD for the same fee as a regular camp session. Campers with autism will have the opportunity to participate in wonderful camp activities alongside their typical peers, but programs will be modified to suit their needs and abilities. In addition, the camp will recruit extra staff members, who are qualified to work with children with ASD, to remove the financial barriers for parents who previously had to hire an aide for their child to attend camp.
“We are very excited to work with The Bubel/Aiken Foundation to further open the MJCCA's program to children with disabilities,” said Janel Schwartz, chief development officer of the MJCCA. This will help enable us to give more children the chance to participate in activities they and their families may have never thought possible.”
THE BUBEL/AIKEN FOUNDATION BACKGROUNDER
The Bubel/Aiken Foundation has been actively developing its Let's ALL Play Program since the program's inception in 2004. Today, the Foundation supports more than 30 recreational programs across the country. Providing this grant to the MJCCA is another exciting step toward TBAF's goal of full inclusion. Through the Let's ALL Play Program, the Foundation supports recreational programs in their efforts to implement inclusive camps by providing a program model, funding, and training.
Let's ALL Play helps bring an inclusive recreational experience to children with disabilities. It gives children with developmental disabilities the same experience as those without. Children with disabilities and their peers who are typically developing come together to participate in recreational activities such as swimming, arts and crafts, community service, physical fitness and more.
ABOUT THE BUBEL/AIKEN FOUNDATION
The Bubel/Aiken Foundation provides services and financial assistance to promote the full integration of children with disabilities into the life environment of those without. The Foundation strives to create awareness about the diversity of individuals with disabilities and the possibilities that inclusion can bring. To learn more about The Bubel/Aiken Foundation or ways to get involved visit their Web site at www.bubelaiken.org.
ABOUT THE MARCUS JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF ATLANTA
The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA), "The Center of the Community," is committed to strengthening the quality of life in Atlanta and is recognized as one of the most highly-regarded Jewish community centers in the nation. From preschoolers and teens to young adults and seniors, the MJCCA offers unique and engaging programs, events, and services for every member of the community. Other MJCCA campuses include East Cobb's Shirley Blumenthal Park and the recently opened extension of the MJCCA on the JFGA North Metro Campus. For more information, please visit us online at atlantajcc.org.