DREAMS FOR KIDS DC

All too often children with disabilities are isolated and don't have adequate opportunities to partake in physical activities that other children are able to experience daily. We differentiate ourselves from our competitors by the quality and abundance of volunteer support we offer. Each of our clinics ensures a 1:1 ratio of volunteer to participant.

Participating in challenging activities with peers increases and reinforces a child's positive belief in their own abilities, building immeasurable confidence and self-esteem. [Data taken from the 2014 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium]. Currently, there are many communities for families with physical and developmentally disabled children; however, only one group (KEEN) provides a variety of recreational activities for these children. Other organizations segregate activities and support on the type of disability. There is a need to provide more and a larger variety of activities on a regular basis. Adaptive physical clinics help move children with disabilities off the sidelines to engage in sports, arts and other recreational activities. When adaptive programs are inclusive of all ages and all disabilities, as well as and non-disabled peers and siblings—it allows those with disabilities to grow beyond the segregated settings that have existed for so many years. This variety and inclusion gives children a chance to try different sports, adds to the skills developed, and increases the likelihood of finding activities for lifetime participation, which can lead to growth in social skills. We differentiate ourselves from our competitors by the quality and abundance of volunteer support we offer. Each of our clinics ensures a 1:1 ratio of volunteer to participant. This amount of attention helps build confidence in the participant, and helps them 'come out of their shell'. These volunteer-participant relationships also continues outside of DFKDC. We have had many parents request to contact their volunteers to further the bond the volunteers/participants created at DFKDC clinics; thereby, creating a mentorship relationship much like Big Brothers & Big Sisters.

This also shows the impact of DFKDC on volunteers, and the importance of giving back and the impact young adults can make. DFKDC events accommodate a large number of participants [depending on the activity], giving 50 – 150 children the opportunity to attend. DFKDC also focuses on organizing highly visible clinics that garner a lot of interest and media attention--to enable us to promote and spread awareness for adaptive events in the area. DFKDC's clinics range from water-skiing to horseback riding to partnering with professional sports teams such as the Washington Capitals, Washington Redskins, and D.C. United.

We have over 700 participants and 1200 volunteers in our database. Through our programs, we are able to accomplish our goals of creating empowerment.

In 2017, DFKDC and the EDC Jewish Community Center (EDCJCC) teamed up to create a mentorship program entitled "Your Path To Success", which provided communication, leadership, and vocational skill building for young adults with developmental delays and/or physical disabilities in the DC/Maryland/Virginia area. The program concept derived from the need to provide DFKDC participants with resources to expand and grow after their time in DFKDC clinics. Congruently, the EDCJCC has been seeking more ways to engage their constituents with disabilities. Currently, in its pilot season, we had 6 mentors (volunteers) and 6 mentees (participants). Over the course of 6 months, the program offered participants both skill-building workshops on topics such as resume development, interviewing, and formal e-mail communication as well as off-site group community service projects, site visits to places that employ those with disabilities, and opportunities to network. Since 2017, we have held the program once a year and found employment for 6 of our mentees!

We are preparing to launch a new program in 2021 - the DFKDC Equality Summit Leadership program. DFKDC wants to be on the forefront of change and equality empowerment. This is a commitment we make to our families through our mission and programming. With a diverse population that includes 36% African American, 8% Asian American, and 1% Middle Eastern—it is pivotal for DFKDC to advocate for their families and promote disability awareness. The annual Equality Summit will focus on one important topic that our society is facing each year and bring together thought leaders, speakers, and our own DFKDC participants to share their experiences, learn from each other, and most importantly – discuss how we can support change. DFKDC’s commitment is to select youth with disabilities (our participants) during each yearly summit and work with them to create the following year’s equality summit.