![Main fundraiser photo](https://images.gofundme.com/9jwMDmiMGB_ye7mwu-qGtSkiDec=/720x405/https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/66615951_1657736254546106_r.png)
JCCA Edenwald GaGa Pit
Donation protected
My name is Leela Young, I am 16 years old, and I am a volunteer for the JCCA Pleasantville Cottage School. Through volunteering, I have formed personal connections with children in foster and residential care who have faced abuse or neglect. Many of these children may be struggling with mental illness or emotional and developmental disabilities.
The children I have worked with over the past few years have had a profound impact on the way I look at life, and I’ve decided to spend my Junior summer trying to return some of the joy these incredible kids have brought to me. For this project, I plan to build a GaGa pit for the Edenwald center of the JCCA, which specializes in teaching independent life skills to children with behavioral and cognitive struggles.
GaGa is a highly interactive and energetic game, similar to dodgeball, played within an wooden octagon (see photo above). Whether you have had a kid attend a summer or soccer camp, or been a camper yourself, you are bound to have seen the magic of the game, as it draws kids of all backgrounds together as a community. I hope this addition to campus will bring great joy and even support the children in developing further social skills.
My goal this summer is to raise funds to construct a GaGa pit at the JCCA that will offer this joy to the Edenwald kids for decades to come. In order to ensure a lasting project, I have researched the most durable materials, including pressure-treated lumber, specialty steel brackets, and outdoor rubber flooring. Although these materials are costly, they will support the best quality result for the kids.
Any contribution you can offer would be greatly appreciated. In the event that I surpass my fundraising goal, additional proceeds will be donated directly to the JCCA, which not only offers individualized support to children across New York State, but works to dismantle systemic racial inequities in the United States, which have amplified disparities in housing, segregation, and educational access.
Organizer
Leela Young
Organizer
Mount Kisco, NY