Advocates for Justice and Education, Inc. (AJE) proudly announces its partnership with The HSC Foundation in providing appropriate transition related services and products to our transition aged clients. Through the Life Enrichment Awards Program (LEAP) whose purpose is to enrich the lives of youth and young adults with disabilities and chronic illnesses in the D.C. area, AJE will be able to offer awards to youth related to their transition needs!

The LEAP provides awards in the form of goods and services* that are directly linked to youth transition planning and implementation that are usually not available from public service and government agencies. Additionally, the awards (goods and services) cannot be covered by Medicaid or private insurance and cannot be “medically necessary” (e.g. goods and services provided for the diagnosis or direct care of the medical condition).

Eligibility:

  • The youth must be between 14-26 years of age.
  • Youth must have one of the following disabilities: Intellectual Disabilities, Hearing Impairments (including deafness), Speech or Language Impairments, Visual Impairments (including blindness), Emotional Disturbance, Orthopedic Impairments, Autism, Traumatic Brain Injury, Developmental Delays, and Other Health Impairments.
  • The youth must be actively engaged in the transition process and their requested good or service must be directly linked to transition planning and implementation.
  • Youth should not have received a LEAP award within the past 3 years from any LEAP partner organization.
  • Eligible youth must complete the LEAP Award application for consideration.
  • LEAP recipients are encouraged to also participate AJE’s monthly Youth-to-Youth Support Group.

Examples of some awards are:

  • Youth interested in attending art school after graduation could receive professional art supplies.
  • Youth interested in the construction field could receive professional grade construction tools.
  • Youth who want to pursue a musical career could receive an instrument or software.

To learn more about the LEAP Program and AJE’s Transition Advocacy Project, please contact (202) 678-8060.

LEAP Awards 2015 Application