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<p>Elick</p>

Elick

By law special needs students can stay in school until they turn 21, getting extra support and training, but advocates have pointed out for years that resources after leaving school are often limited, leaving them and their families on their own. Two Crestwood High School graduates set out to change that, launching The JumpStart Cart to give young adults a chance to continue building the skills they need after leaving high school.

Jackie Elick of Slocum Township and Jess Light of Bear Creek set up the non-profit and are trying to get the word out of what they are doing.

“We saw firsthand what happens when our former students graduate and age out of the educational system at 21,” Elick, a licensed occupational therapist, said in a media release. “Jess and I would discover that our former students were at home with little to no participation in their community. This also posed difficulties for parents and caregivers that continue to work daily.”

Light, a speech pathologist, said the goal is to “educate and train adults with special needs to integrate and function independently in the community.”

The initial plan is modest, but the founders have high ambitions. Once it is operational, The JumpStart Cart “will provide vocational and community living skills training for up to four young adults who have been diagnosed with a disorder on the autism spectrum or special needs,” according to the release. The goal is to have up to eight employees within six months and be able to serve about 16 young adults after one year.

The “cart” in JumpStart Cart will be a food truck the clients help operate with support by community volunteers. The truck will go to farmers markets, outdoor festivals and other community events offering “signature panini sandwiches, including vegetarian and vegan options, pasta salad, a smoked deviled egg and soft drink to complete the meal.” Elick and Light plan to have a second truck the second year of operations.

Right now the biggest goal is to raise money, and those interested in helping could contribute by voting for JumpStart Cart in the Westmoreland Club’s “501C Free: Raise to the Finish.” The nonprofit is one of 15 finalists, which means each vote now costs $10, with the nonprofits keeping most of the proceeds from the votes they get. The winner gets a grand prize valued at more than $10,000. Votes can be cast online at https://501cfree.info.

Community board members for the nonprofit include Theresa Kline, president, of Mountain Top; Traci Donahue, treasurer, of Mountain Top; Kristin Ermak, secretary, of Larksville; Evelyn Hogan of Mountain Top, and Heather Pugliese of Mountain Top. They are planning additional fundraisers.

For more information, JumpStart Cart has launched a Facebook page, or contact Elick at 570-233-7567 or [email protected].

Reach Mark Guydish at 570-991-6112 or on Twitter @TLMarkGuydish