Sam Freedman's Bar Mitzvah Project

Hi, my name is Sam Freedman, I have been a camper at the JCC Camps at Medford since I was four years old. One of the most special parts of the JCC Camps at Medford is Open Hearts/Open Doors, which creates an inclusive camp experience for campers with disabilities. Throughout my time at the JCC Camps at Medford, I have been bunk mates with many campers with special needs. These campers take the bus each day and wait in the bus yard for their Open Hearts/ Open Doors advocates to arrive. Both the bus yard and the buses can be loud and overwhelming places.

I will be raising money for “Just Calm Cases” (or JCC’s). These cases will hold lots of calming sensory toys and activities to keep OH/OD campers happy, patient, and calm in the bus yard and on the buses. My hope is to raise enough money for one case for each bus and a few for the bus yard.

These cases will be donated in memory of Jay Cohen. Jay was not only my Aunt Meggie’s dad, but also the former assistant director of JCC Camps at Medford. Jay was a special education teacher and his favorite place at JCC Camps at Medford was the bus yard because it was the place to see all the happy campers enter each morning and exit each afternoon. I want to honor his memory by continuing to help campers with special needs. Please consider donating to these Just Calm Cases (or Jay Cohen Cases) so we may purchase sensory tools and toys that will help OH/OD campers with sensory processing and fine motor skills. I thank you in advance for your donation to enriching the summer of OH/OD campers at JCC Camps at Medford.

Sam Freedman