The Kaplen JCC on the Palisades will hold the JCC Therapeutic Nursery’s 20th Anniversary Celebration, on Thursday, September 22, 6:30 p.m., honoring Amber Sabathia and Kelly Spitzley, remarkable leaders and longtime supporters of the unique language-based program for 2 to 5-year-olds with special needs. Celebrating 20 years of providing outstanding programming for bright pre-school children with various developmental challenges while also embracing a new decade bringing unique and innovative services to the community, the evening will also feature a Visionary in Education Award to Lois Mendelson, PhD, co-founder and director of the JCC Therapeutic Nursery. The Therapeutic Nursery has earned national recognition for its parent-child developmental language-based model, philosophy, comprehensive social-skills curriculum and high success rate in mainstreaming its students. Master of ceremonies for the evening will be Nina Pineda, Eyewitness News’s 7 On Your Side Anchor.
“We are very grateful to have such committed leaders with this level of passion who we can recognize and honor for their tireless advocacy for children and families in our community,” says JCC CEO Jordan Shenker. “It is our great privilege to dedicate the 20th Anniversary Celebration to these outstanding women.”
Proceeds from the night will support and enrich the important work of the JCC Therapeutic Nursery and the valuable services it provides to families. The unique program helps children reach their fullest potential. Parents are part of the treatment program and attend classes with their children on a daily basis. Proceeds also provide invaluable scholarships to families facing financial difficulty so they can improve their quality of life and provide a bright future for their children and a lifetime of success.
People are encouraged to support the JCC Therapeutic Nursery’s 20th Anniversary Celebration by attending the event, making online gifts or by placing personal or professional ads in a commemorative e-Journal. Background on the honorees is as follows:
Amber Sabathia is the creator and designer of CCandy ClothingTM, a clothing line for children. She is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, published columnist and a staunch supporter of the Therapeutic Nursery. Amber co-founded the PitCCh In Foundation, along with husband CC Sabathia, six-time All-Star and Cy Young Award–winning pitcher for the New York Yankees, to enrich the lives of at-risk youth in inner cities. Amber graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies. Amidst all her success, Amber’s greatest accomplishment is being a mom to four amazing children.
Kelly Spitzley moved to Englewood, NJ with husband Ray in 2002. When their second son was diagnosed at the age of 2 with autism, Kelly turned her passions to autism activism. The Spitzley’s were grateful to find the Therapeutic Nursery for their son and over the years Kelly has been a key supporter of the Therapeutic Nursery and has guided numerous families to the nursery for help. Kelly graduated from DePaul University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing. Recently Kelly created her own company, KISS—Kelly’s Interior Staging and Style—which combines her decorating and real estate skills.
Lois Mendelson, PhD, co-founded the Therapeutic Nursery for bright preschool children with a variety of developmental difficulties, including language disorders, ADHD, high-functioning autism, social and emotional challenges and selective mutism. Lois holds a Bachelors degree from Barnard College, a Masters degree from Columbia University and a Masters and PhD from NYU. Lois also completed a five-year clinical training program in child and adolescent studies at the Institute for Child, Adolescent and Family Studies (ICAFS), New York, NY.
For over six decades, the JCC has cultivated the social, intellectual, physical and spiritual well-being of the entire community. It welcomes all and is now serving the most diverse membership base in its history. By supporting the JCC Therapeutic Nursery’s 20th Anniversary Celebration people can support vital programming for their community and ensure that these programs flourish in perpetuity. To place an online gift, visit jccotp.org/tn20. To place an ad in the e-journal or make reservations to attend the event, or to find out more about the JCC Therapeutic Nursery, contact Gineen Weiss at 201-408-1439 or email [email protected].
By JLNJ Staff
