This #GivingTuesday, December 3, 2024, the Marjorie & Lewis Katz JCC is proud to spotlight Camp By The Sea’s Camp Tikvah program, an inclusive initiative that enables children with special needs to participate fully in camp activities. Through Camp Tikvah, campers with unique abilities are given the chance to connect with their peers, foster personal growth and experience the joy of summer camp – not in separate programs but as valued members of a camp community.
At Camp By The Sea, we believe 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,” says Camp Director Candice Steinhauer. “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.”
This year, the Marjorie & Lewis Katz JCC has received a generous $50,000 challenge gift from a local family foundation dedicated to supporting its special needs programming. This impactful donation will benefit the Camp Tikvah and it’s year-round activities. On #GivingTuesday, supporters are encouraged to join the JCC network in meeting this challenge, expanding the reach of these essential programs, and making summer camp – and so much more – accessible for children with special needs.
Brian Adler, Associate Executive Director and Development Director of the JCC, emphasizes the importance of inclusive programs like Camp Tikvah: “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. 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”, Adler said, “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.”
For families like the Grosskopfs, Camp Tikvah has had a transformative impact beyond inclusion. Jennifer Grosskopf, whose son Jacob attended Camp Tikvah last summer, shares 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.”
This #GivingTuesday, help the Marjorie & Lewis Katz JCC create more inclusive summer memories for children with special needs by supporting Camp Tikvah and other meaningful programs. Dollars raised go directly to hiring additional staff to include as many children as possible. Donations can be made online at https://jccatlantic.org/donate/.
