Somerset Hills Y Partners with National Inclusion Project on Summer Program for Special Needs Kids

This summer the Somerset Hills YMCA hosted the Let's ALL Play Recreational Program to help children with developmental disabilities enjoy activities such as swimming, arts and crafts, community service and physical fitness.

Let's ALL Play, founded in 2004, was created and funded by the National Inclusion Project, based in North Carolina, and is designed to help special needs children gain the experience of summer camp activities. The National Inclusion Project granted $30,000 to the Somerset Hills YMCA to be used over the course of three summers. In 2010, the introductory year, counselors or "shadows" were trained with nearly 30 children benefitting from the program. Over the next two summers, training will not be required and all funding will be used for additional activities for the children.

"We do a lot of programs that are geared to children with special needs," said Andrea Williams, Director of Public Relations at the YMCA. "This is just another step that we've taken in order to integrate all children to enjoy a summer camp experience."

The Somerset Hills YMCA is just one of two organizations in New Jersey that were granted this program from the National Inclusion Project, which has 45 partners in 23 states.

"We feel that working with the Somerset Hills YMCA will help us further our mission to open doors in communities nationwide for children with disabilities to experience everything life has to offer," said Jerry Aiken, Executive Director of the National Inclusion Project.

This is not the first time the Somerset Hills YMCA has been involved with an activity that helps kids with special needs enjoy everyday activities. The Y, which is a charitable community service organization rooted in Christian values and dedicated to helping all people grow in spirit, hosts programs of the like all year round. The Somerset Hills Y currently has more than 200 ongoing programs.