Harry and Jeannette Weinberg Foundation Award 16 Jewish Camps With Grants to Increase Accessibility
Sixteen Jewish camps in North America have been awarded grants to increase accessibility for campers and staff with disabilities.
The grants are part of the $12 million Yashar Initiative, a program of the Foundation for Jewish Camp funded by The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation. The Yashar Initiative was designed to address the needs of individuals with autism spectrum disorder, as well as people with intellectual, developmental, physical and sensory disabilities.
The grants will go for capital improvements, professional development, staff training, research and evaluation.
Each of the first 16 camps that received grants was required to independently raise 25 percent of the project’s cost before applying. They will receive money for both capital improvements, as well as a program grant totaling $2.5 million for the first round of the initiative. The camps anticipate finishing their improvements by the summer of 2020.
Each grant recipient also committed to increasing its total campers with disabilities to at least 5 percent of the camper population...