MARGATE - The Marjorie and Lewis Katz JCC has received a $50,000 challenge gift from a local family foundation in support of the Camp by the Sea Tikvah program, an inclusive initiative that enables children with special needs to participate fully in camp activities.
The donation will benefit Camp Tikvah's year-round activities.
On #GivingTuesday, Dec. 3, supporters are encouraged to join the JCC network in meeting the challenge to expand the camp's reach and make the summer camp accessible for children with special needs.
Camp By The Sea believes that every child deserves the opportunity to experience the friendship, adventure and excitement of summer camp. Thanks to the generous support of the Alan L. Perskie Special Needs Endowment Fund, Camp Tikvah provides one-on-one counselors and specialized staff training to ensure all campers are engaged in each activity.
“We are thrilled to have Camp Tikvah as part of Camp By The Sea,” camp Director Candice Steinhauer said. “Every child is unique, and we are committed to giving them a summer filled with friends, fun, and inclusion. Our goal is to make every camper feel like they belong, and Camp Tikvah helps us achieve that.”
“The significance of inclusion cannot be overstated. Programs like Camp Tikvah allow us to create a place where every child feels seen, valued and embraced," JCC Associate Executive Director Brian Adler said. "With community support, we can continue making a difference for families who rely on us for an inclusive, nurturing environment. We want to continue to grow our programs and offerings every year. Our challenge has been in hiring staff to meet the community needs. Unfortunately, we sometimes will have to postpone a child’s start date for camp until we are able to hire and fund the appropriate advocate for them.”
Camp Tikvah has had a transformative impact beyond inclusion.
Jennifer Grosskopf, whose son Jacob attended Camp Tikvah last summer, shared her gratitude.
“Camp By The Sea has been life-changing for Jacob. With his advocate blending in as part of the camp staff, Jacob felt just like every other camper. He talks about camp constantly and can’t wait to go back next year. And knowing that there isn’t an added cost for Jacob’s support needs – as many camps charge extra for advocates or one-on-one counselors – has meant the world to our family. Because of donors to Camp Tikvah, camp remains affordable for families that have children with special needs.”
Dollars raised on #GivingTuesday go directly to hiring additional staff to include as many children as possible.
For more, see https://jccatlantic.org/donate/
