Charleston, West Virginia
Children’s Therapy Clinic (Charleston, WV), a 90-year old organization, will utilize a $15,000 grant to provide therapeutic speech, occupational, physical and music therapies to twelve special-needs children in Kanawha, Putnam and surrounding counties for families who have insufficient insurance or income to afford services for their children.
Hurricane, West Virginia
Community Autism Resources & Education Systems “CARES” (Hurricane, WV) will utilize a $15,000 grant to support the development and implementation of two structured social groups for approximately 60 autistic teens and tweens: a group for autistic girls and a gaming group for all genders, as well as their parents and caregivers. This initiative aims to decrease isolation and foster a stronger sense of belonging during this transitional stage of life. Program activities will take place in Putnam County, West Virginia, with outreach extending to Mason, Cabell, and Kanawha counties.
Charleston, West Virginia
Exceptional Possibilities (Charleston, WV) will utilize a $5,000 grant to develop Inclusive Social Groups to provide families of children with disabilities the opportunity to gather once a month for seasonal social activities led by an experienced special education teacher, Speech Language Pathologist, and Board Certified Behavior Analyst at no cost. These social groups will include themed read alouds, crafts, games, refreshments, adaptive activities, and special guests. Participants will work on communication skills, social skills, functional living skills, and overall independence while enjoying fun and exciting activities amongst peers.
Baltimore Maryland
Down Syndrome Association of Maryland (Baltimore, MD) was awarded a $7,500 grant to implement the "Healthy and Well Series" initiative which will provide essential support and education to families in the Down’s community, focusing on building self-advocacy skills, wellness, and movement activities to build community, self-confidence, strength, and skills that will drive meaningful change in each individual’s life.
Silver Spring, Maryland
Independence Now (Silver Spring, MD) will utilize a $10,000 grant to support their 25th anniversary Youth Leadership Forum that will convene thirty culturally diverse youth with disabilities from June 26-28, 2025 at Towson University to build leadership skills and to prepare for future employment, higher education, and independent living and 2) Youth-focused events and workshops for culturally diverse youth with disabilities from marginalized communities in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties, MD with topics including resume writing, getting around your county, advocacy skills, financial literacy, and Youth Leadership Forum alumni gatherings.
Lexington, Virginia
Arc of Rockbridge (Lexington, VA) received a $3,500 grant to support a round-trip train journey from Charlottesville, VA, to Washington, D.C., for 16 young adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, many experiencing their first train ride and out-of-state travel. While in Washington, they will take an open-top bus tour to see landmarks like the White House and the Washington Monument, promoting independence, social engagement, and cultural awareness. This trip will foster independence, confidence, and social engagement by providing new experiences, life skills, and cultural enrichment.
Continuing Grant
Pine Ridge Oglala-Lakota Reservation, South Dakota
Lakota Technical School (Pine Ridge Oglala-Lakota Reservation, SD). In 2023, a $20,000 grant from The Jake Cassell Fund helped launch Lakota Tech’s Life Skills Program, supporting 12th-grade students with disabilities in transitioning to adulthood. The program included cooking, cleaning, and laundry instruction using a newly purchased curriculum. A $10,000 continuing grant in 2024 expanded the program to include budgeting and shopping skills for multiple grade levels and partnered students with local businesses for hands-on career exposure. In 2025, an additional$15,000 continuing grant will allow more than 80 students in grades 8–12 to explore job options and gain real-world experience to help prepare them for meaningful careers and higher education.
Continuing Grant
Landover, Maryland
The Foundation Learning Center (Landover, MD), is a 12-month school for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in grades K-12. In 2023, a $20,000 grant from the Jake Cassell Fund helped FLC establish exceptional access to meaningful social experiences, work exposure, and career skills development for their students, 81% of whom identify as Black and a majority of whom live in low-income households. New programming included the launch of the student-run Arctic Café where students take staff orders, prepare food and drink items, make deliveries, and maintain consistent cleanliness. Additionally, a student-run Design Center was launched, enabling students to create school spirit items for staff and students’ families for purchase. The grant supported five experiential learning field trips to expose their students to career opportunities and healthy ways to positively engage with their local community. In 2024, a $10,000 continuing grant from The Jake Cassell Fund enabled FLC to continue and expand these programs. We are proud to continue supporting the expansion of this program in 2025 with a $15,000 continuing grant, which will support 66 K-12 students.
Continuing Grant
Washington DC
Variety DC (Washington, DC). In 2024, a $10,000 grant from The Jake Cassell Fund provided 3 adaptive bikes for children with special needs. In 2025, a $5,000 continuing grant will be utilized to provide $400 Emergency Grants to 10+ special needs families encountering medical and therapeutic bills that Insurance and Medicare don’t cover. Alternatively, up to 100 sensory bags can be provided to children and organizations that work with this target population in DC, MD and VA.
Continuing Grant
Frederick, Maryland
The Monocacy Foundation (Frederick, MD) will receive a $10,000 grant to fulfill grant requests from families in Frederick County who are trying to offer their loved ones with intellectual and physical disabilities all that they can to succeed. Examples of grants awarded includes the purchase of medications, swimming lessons, therapeutic horseback riding lessons, educational costs for specialized college courses, adapted equipment, computers, and assistive technology, books, musical equipment, art supplies, newspaper subscription, gym memberships, hair cuts, veterinary care and food for companion pets, summer camps, and vacations. The Jake Cassell Fund provided a $5,000 grant to The Monocacy Foundation in 2023.