Parenting a special needs child comes with a huge range of difficulties, particularly when it comes to that child’s education. While most public schools have programs available, many Jewish organizations don’t.

Matan is dedicated to changing that. They help Jewish programs include kids & teens with disabilities, offer director and teacher-level training, community consultation, educational resources and webinars.

When you see the statistics, it is crystal-clear why this type of help is so desperately needed:

• 15% – 20% of children and youth ages 3–21 have a diagnosed learning disability
• 1 in 68 children in the United States has an Autism Spectrum Disorder
• 200,000 students in the Jewish community have special needs

Imagine how many children, through no fault of their own, are falling into the cracks, being ignored, under-served, and/or marginalized. Truly, truly sad and shocking! Since these children are the future of the Jewish community, we must make a strong effort to reach out to them and to their parents, giving them the tools that they need to succeed.