Jeena

Description

Jeena began in 2000 as a grassroots effort to address the unique needs of parents living in the Bay Area who have children with developmental disabilities. Starting with 7 special needs children and a one-time donation of $5,000, Jeena has grown over the last decade to a point where today there are 400 families and a budget of $170,000. Developmental disorders are a broad classification for a group of disorders that affect the mental and/or physical development of children. These disorders include Autism, Cerebral Palsy, PDD, communication disorders, certain cases of epilepsy and a number of other genetic and neurological problems.

Jeena is:

• a source of emotional support to parents and children
• a conduit of information on various services and resources for parents
• a communication bridge between professionals and parents
• a friendly and safe environment for children to learn life skills that are necessary for self-care and a constructive relationship with their community, in a culturally sensitive manner
• a volunteer, parent-driven organization. Jeena currently has no employees
• the ONLY organization serving the needs of Indo-American parents who have children with special needs
• a reflection of the community: made of the community for the community
• an organization guided by respect, commitment and integrity