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Jenine
Shwekey |
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Jenine Shwekey
29 - Long Branch, NJ
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"The work at the Center has enriched my life. When I see what parents of special children have to deal with each day, I appreciate life’s small challenges, and I want to help them even more"
Jenine was driven by a strong desire to help others from a young age. As a senior in high school, she founded the Special Children's Center (SCC), originally a biweekly after-school program, where seven children were fed dinner, bathed, played with and sent home in pajamas ready for bed. SCC has since grown to also provide weekend and holiday programs and summer day camps for special needs children ages 3-18 and their families.
For most parents after-school hours are challenging – being pulled from all sides, dealing with homework, supper, baths, and other family demands. Parents of special needs children experience even more challenges because their children require a tremendous amount of attention and care. It is during these hours that parents are hard pressed to give them the level of care that they require.
Respite and family support are a lifeline for these families, so that they can lead “normal” lives. Dozens of teen volunteers dedicate their afternoons to the SCC, learning important life lessons –the value of giving and tolerance – and boosting their self-esteem and self-worth. SCC is a model of community participation and volunteerism. It has grown rapidly because of donations of time and resources from within the local community, meeting the needs of the children thanks entirely to the teen volunteers who provide an intensive staff support.
Today, the Special Children's Center is a full-service agency which has served hundreds of kids with disabilities (down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, etc.) and their families. Fifty children participate in the daily after-school program, while the summer camp has more than 100 youth participants. SCC also operates an overnight and weekend respite home that is a home-away-from-home to several children every night, and nearly seven children every weekend. Most SCC families credit their ability to cope with their daily struggles to the respite they receive from Jenine and her devoted team at the SCC.
That's why Jenine is a 2008
Woman Of Worth. |
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"I appreciate life's small challenges."
Hear Jenine discuss her work
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ORGANIZATION
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