At the Lawrence Family JCC, inclusion is not a program. It is a promise.

Every day, children of all abilities learn, play, grow, and build friendships together across our campus. Soon, you will see the Faces of Belonging portrait series displayed throughout the JCC, featuring real members of our Inclusion community. Each portrait tells a story of joy, resilience, and connection, reminding us what belonging truly looks like.

But behind every moment of belonging is something many people never see. While families of children with disabilities pay the same fees as every other family for camp, classes, and enrichment programs, true inclusion costs more.
Creating an environment where every child is safe, supported, and positioned to succeed requires specialized staff training, higher staff-to-participant ratios, inclusion professionals who can adapt programs in real time, individualized behavioral and sensory supports, and proactive planning with families. These are not extras.

They are what make inclusion real, and philanthropy makes it possible.

Donors ensure that no child is turned away because they need more support.
When children with disabilities are fully included, something powerful happens. All children learn empathy. Families feel welcomed. Our community becomes stronger, more connected, and more reflective of the values we share.
Inclusion does not subsidize participation. It underwrites equity.

A Simple Way to Help Belonging Grow

One beautiful symbol of this campaign is our Hidden Disabilities Sunflower.
With a gift starting at $36, you can grow a petal, each one hand-painted by a child in our Inclusion program. Together, these petals form a powerful visual promise that everyone belongs here.

When you donate, you are doing more than supporting a program. You are ensuring that:
Children with disabilities can fully participate and succeed.
Families are not priced out of belonging.
Inclusion remains a shared community commitment.
These aren't just programs. They're lifelines. Your action today helps a child feel seen, a parent feel supported, and a community grow stronger.

The Inclusion Department of the JCC meets families where they are and takes them where they want to go. The department serves community members of all ages with disabilities and works to create a culture of belonging in every part of the J.

We are proud that Camp Jaycee is accredited through the National Inclusion Project as a fully inclusive camp and a vendor with the San Diego Regional Center. We were also honored to receive the 2025 Community Partner Award from the ARC of San Diego for our vocational program.

Programs we offer:

• Inclusive summer and holiday camps
• Inclusive preschool classrooms
• Wednesday afternoon social skills and adaptive sports classes 
• Monthly parent support group meetings
• Vocational programming
• Maccabi Access Games

If you have general questions or inquiries, please reach out to our Inclusion Director, Wendy Smith (wendys@lfjcc.org).