ACHaD working towards giving agency to underserved population
February is Jewish Disabilities Awareness Month, and to commemorate the occasion, the Katz JCC featured artwork from members of its ACHaD program at a gallery showing on Feb. 6.
The ACHaD Department (Achieving Community Hopes and Dreams) seeks to provide individuals with special needs, of all ages, a safe and nurturing environment to build social skills, enhance self-esteem and cultivate friendships. Its goal is to enhance the physical, social and emotional development of participants through programs that can lead to empowerment and independence. Participants are encouraged to express themselves in creative ways, gain confidence to interact with the community and their peer group while developing a sense of belonging.
Since its inception more than 20 years ago, ACHaD has evolved to meet the needs of individuals with special needs and their families in the community. Art education has been a cornerstone of the program, and the gallery showings have existed for the past seven years.
According to Eileen Elias, ACHaD’s director, during a 10-week art class that took place in the fall, each participant was asked to craft 10 pieces of art, from which one was ultimately selected to be shown in the gallery. They were shown works from multiple famous artists in a variety of styles, and then did their best to create their own art based on what they saw. Making their own unique creations was also strongly encouraged.
“This year, we tackled tiny tye-dyes, alcohol inks on glass of many forms, swimming koi, fanciful birds, and ice pops in acrylic. We fashioned wooden craft, seascapes, salt-resistant trees in glistening snow, sketches of sightseeing in Philadelphia,” said Jane Abesh, the coordinator for TOPS, a program that exists alongside ACHaD and is sponsored by the Jewish Family & Children’s Service.
“We played with patterns, small in our tiny geometric canvases, which our artists did separately and then we combined. And it goes without saying: we infuse our values into many of our projects. Everyone completed a ‘diversity collage’ for disabilities awareness month. Each artist had to include a puzzle piece, and our theme was ‘We all fit together!’”
Matthew Springer, who has been a part of ACHaD for almost a decade, created a piece of art in the mode of Swiss-German artist Paul Klee, whose own unique style was influenced by expressionism and surrealism.
”I’m very proud. He loves coming here and it’s a great experience for him. No, I didn’t know (Matt could create this kind of art) and in looking at all the artwork, it’s amazing what they can do with the materials they’re given,” said Nancy Springer, Matt’s mother.
“They all do something different, and the creativity is beyond anything I ever thought … two (of his other works) are hanging in our house right now, and soon to be more. It was a wonderful experience. He was engaged the whole time and people who taught the class were just so full of information so he could create what he wanted to create.”
Abesh added it can be a challenge in finding projects that can be successfully done by a huge group with diverse attention levels, fine motor skills and interests. The program’s teachers and coordinators spend plenty of time searching out projects, gathering just the right supplies, prepping and over-prepping because they always need a few tricks up the sleeve to keep things fresh.
The ACHaD Department works with individuals who span a variety of intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism, Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and communication impairments. To learn more about its programs and services, contact Eileen Elias, director of ACHaD Special Needs Department, at eelias@jfedsnj.org or call (856) 424–4444 x1114.
