WEST CALDWELL, NJ, UNITED STATES, July 21, 2021 – Intensive Therapeutics, Inc. (IT), a New Jersey non-profit dedicated to helping children, teens and young adults with special needs from around the country and globe started a unique, new driving program this summer thanks to the generosity of another New Jersey non-profit, Teens for Teens, which is an organization run solely by teenagers who want to help other teenagers in need.
Run by 13 teens from Union County, NJ, Teens for Teens raised over $19,000 for Intensive Therapeutics through a virtual gala held in May of this year. The group’s donation helped jumpstart an occupational- therapy-based driving instructional program for teens with hemiplegia and on the autism spectrum. The program offers individualized evaluation and specialized practice for teens who need extra support before entering into traditional behind the wheel coursework.
The effort is the passion project of Alexandra Clayton, MS, OTR/L, Director of Occupational Therapy at Intensive Therapeutics who raised additional funding on her own along with the support of her friends and family. Launched in July during IT’s Camp Helping Hands, an intensive summer therapy camp which draws children and families from across the world, teens who have passed their written permit tests can operate a new, low-speed vehicle in a supervised environment. Trained Occupational Therapists can then help families evaluate the individualized adaptations which may be required to allow their child to drive. “The driving program is going to make a huge impact on the lives of the teens and young adults that we work with,” said Clayton. “Helping someone to pursue greater independence, especially with driving, opens so many more possibilities for the teens in our program. In a very short period of time since we started the program, we have not only seen improved skills, but their self-confidence has improved as well,” Clayton said.
Teens for Teens president, Julia Bell, who will be entering her freshman year at The University of Scranton this fall to study occupational therapy, became aware of Intensive Therapeutics in 2008 when her younger brother, Danny, received group therapy services at IT’s former Fanwood, N.J. location. https://www.teensforteensnj.org/upcoming-events
“I immediately thought of Intensive Therapeutics when Teens for Teens were discussing the local charity we will support this year,” said Bell. “In addition to my own personal experience with IT providing Danny a great camp experience and teaching him to ride a bike, the team loved IT’s mission and focus on teens. Learning to drive is something most of the team recently learned or will soon be learning, so being able to help other teens have that opportunity is exciting,” Bell said.
IT has since consolidated its multidisciplinary, integrated therapy services, which include OT, PT, Speech and pre-vocational training into a 14,000 square foot therapy hub in West Caldwell, NJ. The group runs year-round programming and two specialized summer camps for children of all ages. The mission of the organization is to help kids achieve their true potential by helping them reach their own fundamental life goals while feeling a part of a larger, supportive community.
“We are deeply honored by Julia and the Teens for Teens program and their incredible generosity,” said Scott Matthews, founder and executive director of Intensive Therapeutics. “Their group represents the exact spirit of our organization which allows children with special needs to receive intensive therapies in a fun, inspiring group environment around and with the support of their own peers. Their donation will help teens who need specialized, repetitive driving practice gain the invaluable gift of independence.”
Julia Bell and Penn State college-bound Meredith Hough, also a member of Teens for Teens, toured the West Caldwell location on July 9 and met with the teens participating in this year’s inaugural driving program.
We can’t thank Teens for Teens and Alex Clayton enough. The driving practice I’ve been doing is giving me the confidence and skills to achieve a life goal that I wasn’t sure I’d get the chance to do,” said Katie Higgins, a pediatric stroke survivor and 16-year veteran of Intensive Therapeutics array of specialized services.
About Teens for Teens: Teens for Teens is a not-for-profit organization managed exclusively by teenagers from Union County, New Jersey whose mission is to support charitable organizations that focus on helping teenagers in need within our community. Our main goals are to organize fundraisers benefiting teenagers in New Jersey through existing organizations and by directly working with teenagers in need of mentoring or assistance.
About Intensive Therapeutics: Intensive Therapeutics is the leading 501c3 organization providing virtual and in-person collaborative therapeutic programs for children and young adults with special needs. Intensive Therapeutics child-first, expert services utilize established practices to focus on autism, hemiplegia, prevocational and independent living, and everyday kids (school, sensory, and the in-between). They do it so each child and young adult can reach their fullest potential.
Learn more at: https://intensivetherapeutics.org/
For more information on Intensive Therapeutics contact: 973-771-1582
Media inquiries please contact:
Alex Scordilis at [email protected] or 862-529-8048
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