As the year ends, we’re excited to expand our library programs in Brooklyn, offer cooking classes in Manhattan’s Chinatown, and revamp the Felix Award to celebrate and highlight four other disability organizations transforming the disability landscape in New York.
However, EKC’s star remains our programs, which provide brave spaces and community for neurodivergent youth and their families.
In our library programs—spaces most kids only know as “the quiet place with the rules”—something different happens.
An elementary youth steps inside, shoulders tense from the day, scanning for the usual hazards:
Bright lights, clusters of youth, the pressure to perform social ease on command. But here, the first thing they hear is a low-fi mix of anime music. Steady. Grounding. Headphones are nearby, just in case. There are coloring pages with bright markers, puzzles, and seats slightly off to the side for anyone who needs a gentle transition before joining in.
Being heard and respected has no prerequisites, not even eye contact. No one has to “warm up” quickly to earn a place in the room. Space has been, and always will be, there.
Another kid nods in recognition—a quiet “Hey, welcome.” moment. Masks stay on or come off—either is okay. They choose a puzzle first, then coloring. And when they feel ready, they drift toward the group—not because someone insisted, but because the space made room for their nervous system, their pace, and their way of being. The exhaustion and tension of living in a world that doesn’t make space for them begin to melt away. They’re ready to dive into the day’s activities.
That’s the difference between acceptance and belonging:
Acceptance says: You can be here—as long as you can handle what’s already here.
Inclusion says: We made room for you—just squeeze into the existing plan.
Belonging says: This space was designed with you in mind. You don’t have to shrink to fit it.
You are not an add-on. This space is yours.
“I love that there is a place where our son fits in. It’s important for him to have a space where kids accept him for who he is. EKC is incredibly important for his social development. I think it’s also one of the reasons his speech has grown so much.”
— Thomas L., EKC Parent
At Extreme Kids & Crew, belonging isn’t a bonus, it’s the foundation
It’s A Space To Be.
When you donate to Extreme Kids & Crew, you help a child join a community confidently by giving them spaces that are all about them and them alone. You provide a caregiver with rare moments of relief, validation, and connection. You help create joyful memories in library programs across the boroughs, expand our Family Gatherings into Queens, and build more virtual programming.
This is the Art of Belonging—and it is your generosity that makes it possible. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Lovisa Brown
Executive Director,
Extreme Kids & Crew
Please make your year-end gift today—while our Board’s $15,000 match is still available—so we can protect and grow spaces where neurodivergent kids and their families don’t just participate, they truly belong.
Every contribution, whether it’s $25, $100, or $500, helps make belonging possible for one more child, one more family. Donations made by December 31, 2025, are tax-deductible for 2025.
Thank you for supporting our work and community.
