In March 2017, March 21st officially became “World Down Syndrome Day” in Hoboken all thanks to close collaboration with local mom-run non-profit, Rock The 21. Rock The 21 has celebrated and supported individuals with Down Syndrome and their families for an entire decade and continues to do so today. Read on for the full story.
About Rock The 21
Photo Credit: Rock The 21
Rock The 21 was founded by local mom Beth Freeman whose twin daughters were born with Mosaic Down Syndrome, a rare form of Down Syndrome. After their diagnosis, Beth and her husband chose to focus on the positives and begin learning. They didn’t know much about Down Syndrome previously and felt that navigating with limited information was both challenging and isolating. In 2015, Beth started Rock The 21 to help local families have resources, education, and a community-centric space to share their experiences candidly and support each other.
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Rock The 21 exists to create a safe, nurturing space for other families and individuals with Down syndrome to share their stories. Beth aims to focus on the abilities and success that individuals with Down Syndrome have by providing support to individuals of all ages. Over the years, Rock The 21 has continued to foster social awareness and various fundraising events in collaboration with local businesses and schools including “Rock Your Socks Day” and the “Rock The World Initiative” which provides critical funding and support to communities in need. A variety of activities the non-profit has funded continues to benefit families throughout the Garden State including being able to fund live-saving heart surgeries, summer camps, interactive workshops, therapies, and networking events to name a few.
Photo Credit: Rock The 21
Rock The 21 also recently launched the Rockin’ Scholar Program, which provides scholarships for adults with Down Syndrome to attend local job sampling and technical training programs and other higher education programs.
How to Support + Get Involved
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To get involved, locals can visit www.rockthe21.org, email info@rockthe21.org, and follow @rockthe21 on Instagram to keep a pulse on the non-profit’s current happenings.
This weekend on March 22nd, Rock The 21 will host a celebratory Gala in Jersey City to honor its 10th anniversary. The Blue + Gold Gala will commemorate a decade of service and impact by Rock The 21. The gala will include auction items, raffles, dancing, and more to benefit the community.
Though the RSVPs have closed for this particular event, the non-profit is still accepting donations online here.
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