Side by Side: Helping people with disabilities connect socially
The founder of Side by Side, Jackie Edry, is a mother of five, one of whom, a 29-year-old son, is on the autism spectrum.
Jacki Edry, a Netanya-based author and advocate for those with special needs, has created a new program called Side by Side: Building Community, Together. The program aims to help young adults with disabilities find a true sense of belonging within their communities. Edry, who is the mother of a 29-year-old son on the autism spectrum, realized that there is a significant need for such a program in Israel.
While some individuals with autism fall into extremes, many others fall somewhere in between, with limited opportunities to interact with their peers after aging out of the school system at 21. Edry's program seeks to address this issue by providing opportunities for individuals with disabilities to volunteer, participate in community projects, and engage in enjoyable activities with both disabled and non-disabled peers.
The Side by Side program is being developed in partnership with Et La asot, an Israeli nonprofit organization that supports children and young people with disabilities. The program, which does not receive government funding, is currently in the pilot stage and will begin in Netanya, with plans to expand nationwide.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
