Mission

Special Kids Connect develops resources, raises awareness, and provides support for the over 12,000 children with disabilities and their families in Monterey County.

The Big Idea

Special Kids Connect’s REACH Ability-Inclusive Enrichment Programs give youth with and without special needs opportunities to interact, have fun, and develop skills of inclusion that are transferable to all areas of their lives. With annual offerings in a variety of sports and the arts, REACH gives young people the opportunity to participate at their own level and at their own pace while developing fine and gross motor skills, enhancing cognitive abilities, and socializing with peers and adults in nurturing, supportive environments.

Equally important is the way REACH programs break down barriers between young people who have special needs and their neurotypical peers. REACH gives youth of all abilities the opportunity to interact, have fun, and learn that, regardless of an individual’s unique and special needs, we are all more alike than different.

"When my son participates in REACH programs, he feels like he's a part of a group, a member of a team. He feels like he belongs."

- Bertha Martinez