Mission

To improve physical activity, social interaction, and quality of life for children with disabilities in the Bedford-Stuyvesant /Ocean Hill Communities.

Vision

Every child has the chance to enjoy sports and activities and to identify each child needs and provide a safe inclusive supportive environment, therapeutic intervention services and community acceptance. 

The Need

Many disabled children in Brooklyn do not have access to any physical activity outside of limited PE during school hours and their therapy sessions. The situation is exacerbated for disabled children living in poverty whose parents struggle to meet basic needs. Being physically active has a multitude of benefits: improving physical health, mental wellbeing and encouraging social interaction and skills development (from gross motor to communication skills). 

A Sense Of Belonging

The mission of The Essence Of Jayce is unique and unduplicated in our area. The Essence Of Jayce is the only organization that invites children with special needs and their families to focus on fun, friends, socialization, and support. 

Through their programs, The Essence Of Jayce participants are integrated into the community and:

• Participate in sporting events and athletic endeavors including basketball, football, soccer, softball and track and field through partnerships with local school districts
• Attend community parades
• Hold dances and parties
• Go to local sporting events, attend musical performances, visit the zoo, take nature walks, go on cruises, see movies, attend local festivals, and other events
• Take exercise classes together
• Experience their first job responsibilities and vocational training by helping to host community events

More important than the programming aspect; however, are the deep friendships and support networks that develop through The Essence Of Jayce services. Children and young adults develop a sense of belonging while parents and siblings find support and a network of individuals facing the similar challenges of caring for a person with a physical or cognitive difference.

Our Challenge:

There are a wide range of special need children in New York City that aren’t getting required special education services. Students only receives a fraction of the help they need.  Even though the numbers are improving. There are still children and their family left without services or support. That means The Essence of Jayce is currently serving about just 10% of the special need population and doing a parent- led, volunteer model.  The Essence Of Jayce is willing to put in the volunteering hours to help deliver programming to our participants.  

Not Just Hoops’ Goal: We as an organization already providing youth recreational programs seeks to address this most important cause.  We are pursuing avenues to take on this challenge and contribute support to the families in the Bedford-Stuyvesant/Ocean Hill Community that have children with “special needs”. Not Just Hoops members will attend seminars and do research to obtain information and skills required in order to develop and execute successfully afterschool and weekend recreational programs for youths with “special needs”.