For thousands of New Jersey kids, summertime means camp. But for an astonishing 1 in 49 children in the state with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), the average camp won’t work.
Therefore, with summer approaching, Benzel-Busch Mercedes would like to promote MarbleJam Kids. It’s an organization that we are proud to support—and we hope that you will consider doing the same.
MarbleJam Kids is a non-profit that provides creative arts, therapy and after school enrichment programs to children with both autism spectrum disorders and developmental disabilities. The year-round programming serves ages 11 to 23, at two-thirds of the actual cost.
“What’s neat about what we are doing is that we are so community based. We serve your neighbors and the children that go to your kids’ school. And we cover a huge portion of the costs, so having local support is wonderful,” says MarbleJam Kids’ founder and president, Anna Villa-Bager.
In regular education settings, children with ASDs don’t get the specialized attention they need. Marblejam Kids creates optimal environments for social learning. The dance, music, visual arts and film programs are mediums of expression that help develop social skills, communication skills and a greater sense of self.
This is also the third summer that MarbleJam Kids has brought Joey Travolta—John Travolta’s brother and a New Jersey native—to Bergen Country for the Joey Travolta Film Camp. Working with Joey’s professional film crew, kids learn filmmaking. It’s an amazing experience, and at the end of the program the campers proudly premier their short films.
For more information about MarbleJam Kids and this summer’s Joey Travolta Film Camp, please visit http://marblejamkids.org.
We urge you to join us in supporting this wonderful organization in New Jersey and all the kids who benefit from MarbleJam!