Special Needs Arts Program Survival
Donation protected
Jubilation Creations, Inc.
Jubilation Creations is a 501(c)3 Non Profit dedicated to providing an artistic, creative outlet for developmentally disabled adults, ages 21 and up. Many of our class attendees never even knew they were artistic! They attend our classes from one to nine hours per week, depending upon their funding and time availability. We began in late 2008 with one class attendee, and now have over 30 craft artists who have found their creative spirit with us! In addition, they find friendship, self-respect, a strong feeling of self-accomplishment, and tremendous pride in the creative projects they make for themselves or those who are special to them.
For many, our classes are the only activities in which they participate since graduation from the NJ school system, and most who start with us continue for years. We have a huge range of craft activities, such as jewelry-making, paper crafts, wood crafts, fine art, ceramics, weaving, and more! Each person gets very personalized attention, and our very skilled, patient, and sensitive staff gives tremendous personal attention to each craft artist. No matter the level of ability, each person goes home knowing that they have been successful at their chosen craft. We have changed lives and brought joy to so many!
In addition, we are training autistic high schoolers to learn job skills, many of which have gotten jobs based on their experience in our associated bead retail store, where our non profit classes are located. We also are doing private training for one of our very talented, autistic budding entrepreneurs, whose business, "Wreaths by Taylor", is starting to flourish.
We hope to expand to offer relaxing, healing arts & crafts classes and job training for other creative individuals such as returning disabled veterans, those suffering from PTSD, victims of domestic abuse, inner city youth, and many others. However, the building in which we're located is painfully small, not handicap accessible, (yoga & music classes are 19 steps up to the 2nd floor!), and has no parking for our class attendes, especially vans for those in wheelchairs,
With the majority of our craft artists getting funding from the state of NJ, our financial intake barely covers staff salaries! Our quarters are so painfully small, that we are having to separate the groups on some days, and take those who are ambulatory upstairs where there is more room. We desperately need a full time web/graphic artist, someone to help with social media and outreach, and a certified art therapist to help guide the staff qnd assist the director.
First and foremost, with two stairs to get into the building and 19 steps up to activities on the second floor, we have outgrown the building to a point where we can no longer grow, or provide for additional special needs people who are yearning to express their creativity! Our facility not only has the creativity training, but with our bead store only feet away, entrepreneurs and other job trainees with whom we work have a built in business in which to sell their jewelry, crafts, and other wonderful creations! It is also the training ground for so many other potential job trainees, such as those interested in learning retail skills such as working a register, packaging, and people like Taylor who want improve their skills in speaking with prospective customers. We are likely the only organization for state around that can provide for both avocational and vocational creative training in the same venue!
At this point, if we do not get the funding we need to expand into a much larger building as well as expand our staff, we will have to close by the end of the summer. This will devastate our talented class attendees, my staff, and the many interns from several well-respected nearby universities whose students get valuable experience working with our craft artists. The interns are the art, occupational, and recreational therapists of the future!
PLEASE help us by funding us with such much-needed capital, that will allow us to increase our space for this amazing group of creative artists, nd creative worker hopefuls! Thank you so much for your help!
Dr. Judy Weinstein, MD
Founder/Director
Jubilation Creations is a 501(c)3 Non Profit dedicated to providing an artistic, creative outlet for developmentally disabled adults, ages 21 and up. Many of our class attendees never even knew they were artistic! They attend our classes from one to nine hours per week, depending upon their funding and time availability. We began in late 2008 with one class attendee, and now have over 30 craft artists who have found their creative spirit with us! In addition, they find friendship, self-respect, a strong feeling of self-accomplishment, and tremendous pride in the creative projects they make for themselves or those who are special to them.
For many, our classes are the only activities in which they participate since graduation from the NJ school system, and most who start with us continue for years. We have a huge range of craft activities, such as jewelry-making, paper crafts, wood crafts, fine art, ceramics, weaving, and more! Each person gets very personalized attention, and our very skilled, patient, and sensitive staff gives tremendous personal attention to each craft artist. No matter the level of ability, each person goes home knowing that they have been successful at their chosen craft. We have changed lives and brought joy to so many!
In addition, we are training autistic high schoolers to learn job skills, many of which have gotten jobs based on their experience in our associated bead retail store, where our non profit classes are located. We also are doing private training for one of our very talented, autistic budding entrepreneurs, whose business, "Wreaths by Taylor", is starting to flourish.
We hope to expand to offer relaxing, healing arts & crafts classes and job training for other creative individuals such as returning disabled veterans, those suffering from PTSD, victims of domestic abuse, inner city youth, and many others. However, the building in which we're located is painfully small, not handicap accessible, (yoga & music classes are 19 steps up to the 2nd floor!), and has no parking for our class attendes, especially vans for those in wheelchairs,
With the majority of our craft artists getting funding from the state of NJ, our financial intake barely covers staff salaries! Our quarters are so painfully small, that we are having to separate the groups on some days, and take those who are ambulatory upstairs where there is more room. We desperately need a full time web/graphic artist, someone to help with social media and outreach, and a certified art therapist to help guide the staff qnd assist the director.
First and foremost, with two stairs to get into the building and 19 steps up to activities on the second floor, we have outgrown the building to a point where we can no longer grow, or provide for additional special needs people who are yearning to express their creativity! Our facility not only has the creativity training, but with our bead store only feet away, entrepreneurs and other job trainees with whom we work have a built in business in which to sell their jewelry, crafts, and other wonderful creations! It is also the training ground for so many other potential job trainees, such as those interested in learning retail skills such as working a register, packaging, and people like Taylor who want improve their skills in speaking with prospective customers. We are likely the only organization for state around that can provide for both avocational and vocational creative training in the same venue!
At this point, if we do not get the funding we need to expand into a much larger building as well as expand our staff, we will have to close by the end of the summer. This will devastate our talented class attendees, my staff, and the many interns from several well-respected nearby universities whose students get valuable experience working with our craft artists. The interns are the art, occupational, and recreational therapists of the future!
PLEASE help us by funding us with such much-needed capital, that will allow us to increase our space for this amazing group of creative artists, nd creative worker hopefuls! Thank you so much for your help!
Dr. Judy Weinstein, MD
Founder/Director
Organizer
Judy Weinstein
Organizer
Collingswood, NJ
