A few years ago, my friend introduced me to Jonathon's Dream in West Hartford, CT. It is a beautiful playground and here is the story:
The Inspiration for
Boundless Playgrounds
A little girl in a wheelchair sadly watched the other children play on a playground she couldn't get to or on. She probably wondered why the playground wasn't a place where everyone could play.
Several months later, after the heartbreaking death of their nine-month-old son Jonathan from the terminal form of spinal muscular atrophy, Amy Jaffe Barzach, her husband Peter and Jonathan's older brother Daniel, sought a meaningful way to honor his life. Remembering the little girl in the wheelchair, they decided to create a playground where children with and without disabilities, and their families, could play and learn together. They imagined that in Jonathan's dreams, he would have wanted playgrounds to be places where everyone could celebrate life together. After the playground opened in 1996, hundreds of people contacted Amy wanting to learn how they could build playgrounds for the children of all abilities in their communities. This inspired Amy to lead a passionate team of parents and professionals to establish Boundless Playgrounds in 1997.
Over the years, two other children, Alyssa and Michael, joined the Barzach family and also got involved with Boundless Playgrounds. During her tenure as its founding executive director, Boundless Playgrounds raised awareness of the need for and benefits of inclusive playgrounds generating interest from people in every state, helped communities develop 135 inclusive playgrounds in 25 states, successfully implemented three state initiatives, and raised millions of dollars for this cause including $10,000,000 in challenge grants that directly helped more than 50 communities develop their own inclusive playgrounds.
After dedicating more than a decade of her life to Boundless Playgrounds, Amy turned leadership of Boundless Playgrounds over to Fred Leone, CEO in September 2008 to start Powerful Inspiration. Her new venture is dedicated to inspiring people to work towards a world where everyone matters and everyone can make a difference. Through speaking engagements, workshops and other educational programs, Amy's new company will help people and organizations discover their passions and learn to use their unique strengths to achieve success and make a difference. In addition, through national leadership roles, she will be educating policy makers and the public, building partnerships, and developing innovative programs designed to inspire people to create more inclusive and empowering communities. Amy can be reached directly by phone: 860.983.5040 or by email: barzacha@yahoo.com.
Directions: Jonathan's Dream is located less than four miles from downtown Hartford at the Greater
Hartford Jewish Community Center, 335 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford. From the city, follow
Route 44/Albany Avenue West, then make a slight right onto Bloomfield Avenue/CT Route 189.
Jonathan's Dream will be on your left. The sign for the playground is small, so watch for the Greater
Hartford Jewish Community Center entrance sign, then follow smaller signs that lead to ample free
playground parking.
Accessibility: The playground is designed to be universally accessible. While the needs of children
with disabilities played heavily in the design considerations, Jonathan's Dream is definitely a
playground that all children will love.
Hours: Jonathan's Dream is open during daylight hours daily year-round.
Parties: To inquire about holding a party at Jonathan's Dream, call 860-243-8315.
The Inspiration for
Boundless Playgrounds
A little girl in a wheelchair sadly watched the other children play on a playground she couldn't get to or on. She probably wondered why the playground wasn't a place where everyone could play.
Several months later, after the heartbreaking death of their nine-month-old son Jonathan from the terminal form of spinal muscular atrophy, Amy Jaffe Barzach, her husband Peter and Jonathan's older brother Daniel, sought a meaningful way to honor his life. Remembering the little girl in the wheelchair, they decided to create a playground where children with and without disabilities, and their families, could play and learn together. They imagined that in Jonathan's dreams, he would have wanted playgrounds to be places where everyone could celebrate life together. After the playground opened in 1996, hundreds of people contacted Amy wanting to learn how they could build playgrounds for the children of all abilities in their communities. This inspired Amy to lead a passionate team of parents and professionals to establish Boundless Playgrounds in 1997.
Over the years, two other children, Alyssa and Michael, joined the Barzach family and also got involved with Boundless Playgrounds. During her tenure as its founding executive director, Boundless Playgrounds raised awareness of the need for and benefits of inclusive playgrounds generating interest from people in every state, helped communities develop 135 inclusive playgrounds in 25 states, successfully implemented three state initiatives, and raised millions of dollars for this cause including $10,000,000 in challenge grants that directly helped more than 50 communities develop their own inclusive playgrounds.
After dedicating more than a decade of her life to Boundless Playgrounds, Amy turned leadership of Boundless Playgrounds over to Fred Leone, CEO in September 2008 to start Powerful Inspiration. Her new venture is dedicated to inspiring people to work towards a world where everyone matters and everyone can make a difference. Through speaking engagements, workshops and other educational programs, Amy's new company will help people and organizations discover their passions and learn to use their unique strengths to achieve success and make a difference. In addition, through national leadership roles, she will be educating policy makers and the public, building partnerships, and developing innovative programs designed to inspire people to create more inclusive and empowering communities. Amy can be reached directly by phone: 860.983.5040 or by email: barzacha@yahoo.com.
Directions: Jonathan's Dream is located less than four miles from downtown Hartford at the Greater
Hartford Jewish Community Center, 335 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford. From the city, follow
Route 44/Albany Avenue West, then make a slight right onto Bloomfield Avenue/CT Route 189.
Jonathan's Dream will be on your left. The sign for the playground is small, so watch for the Greater
Hartford Jewish Community Center entrance sign, then follow smaller signs that lead to ample free
playground parking.
Accessibility: The playground is designed to be universally accessible. While the needs of children
with disabilities played heavily in the design considerations, Jonathan's Dream is definitely a
playground that all children will love.
Hours: Jonathan's Dream is open during daylight hours daily year-round.
Parties: To inquire about holding a party at Jonathan's Dream, call 860-243-8315.
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