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September's Charity of the Month: National Inclusion Project
The MDRT Foundation awarded an $8,000 grant to the National Inclusion Project (formerly the Bubel/Aiken Foundation) to fund the Let’s ALL Play program, which provides funding and resources to promote youth camp programs that serve children with and without disabilities. This grant was sponsored by Kenneth R. Cassis, CFP, CLU, a 34-year MDRT member and Bronze Knight from London, Ontario, Canada. The National Inclusion Project was founded in 2003 by musical artist Clay Aiken and Diane Bubel, who had first-hand knowledge of exclusion through the experiences of her then, 13-year-old son with autism. Aiken was studying special education at the University of North Carolina and began his concept of a foundation that would focus on inclusion programs as an independent study project. To date, the National Inclusion Project has worked with numerous national organizations that serve youth such as the YMCA and Boys and Girls Clubs. By providing support and consulting services and curriculum training that focus on inclusion projects, the Let’s ALL Play program has served more than 3,000 children nationwide who otherwise may have been turned away from participating in mainstream youth programs due to lack of resources or experienced staff. Youth inclusion projects are beneficial for all children, as they teach acceptance to children without disabilities and improve self-esteem and social skills for children with disabilities. The National Inclusion Project is a successful model that has broken many barriers for children with disabilities so that they have equal opportunity to explore and participate in their community. |
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