JoyDew is a non-profit organization whose mission is to increase the
independence, happiness, and quality of life for adults with autism and their
families. Their innovative approach focuses on identifying and developing the
unique gifts that individuals with autism possess, and then leveraging those
abilities in high-value employment opportunities. The organization provides a
specially designed supportive environment that allows adults with autism to learn,
work, build community, and contribute value to both JoyDew’s clients and society at
large.
The idea for JoyDew emerged in 2008 when Moish Tov and Anat Klebanov, the
organization’s founders and parents of two non-verbal autistic adult children,
discovered that their children could communicate expressively for the first time by
using iPads. This revelation led them to realize that, despite their communication
barriers, their children were extremely brilliant and possessed untapped
«superpowers» or special abilities.
Over the following 3 years, they conducted extensive field research in over 20
countries, consulting with around 100 organizations and 400 experts in the autism
field. They discovered that while most individuals with autism face significant
communication barriers, their parents observe that they have tremendous
untapped abilities that can be utilized when provided with support to communicate.
Their research also confirmed that the majority of resources and funding are
allocated toward the first two decades of life for individuals with autism. Once they
reach the age of 21, they fall off a «services cliff,» as there are almost no programs
aimed at developing their skills and capabilities in adulthood. JoyDew concluded
that the most impactful solution would be to provide them with employment that
gives them a sense of worth and purpose.
In 2012, Moish Tov founded JoyDew LLP and began documenting the intellectual
property he had created. The following year, he initiated a pilot program in Israel for
18-year-old autistic adults, where 14 young individuals with special acute vision
were recruited by the Israeli Defense Forces and trained to analyze aerial and
satellite imagery. This pilot program was a great success, with the autistic soldiers
proving to be 3 times more productive and 4 times more accurate than their
average peers. Motivated by this success, the Tovs decided to create a program
for adults over 21, designed to last through adulthood. Thus, the JoyDew
Foundation was formed in 2013.
In 2014, JoyDew equipped hundreds of children with autism across several special
schools with iPads, and the results were impressive. Most of them began
communicating expressively for the first time, despite needing help with motor
coordination, and their learning speed was remarkable compared to their
neurotypical peers.
JoyDew opened its first office in Denville, New Jersey, in 2015. As news of these
successes spread, more donations came in, such as radiology imaging equipment
from McKesson. A local radiologist began helping JoyDew teach radiology pre-
screening to 12 students from 2 schools, and it was quickly discovered that the
autistic students could deliver more accurate results than licensed professionals.
By 2016, it became clear that JoyDew was ready to mature into a full-day program,
so the foundation initiated the licensing process with the New Jersey Division of
Child Protection and Permanency. In 2017, the company moved to a larger location
in Midland Park and began preparing the space for members. In 2018, the license
was granted, and the first members began receiving services.
In 2019, JoyDew had its first paid project, researching and analyzing big data, and
creating a database of profiles for all autism programs in New Jersey. Over the
next two years, the organization continued to increase its membership and support
staff and developed its own curriculum, teaching methods, and training, in addition
to expanding its membership and staff.
In 2022, the company hired its first Director of Operations and brought on several
senior consultants to begin preparing for the next phase of its social enterprise.
The company closed 2 new contracts in data analysis and radiology (breast cancer
pre-screening).
2023 was a year of explosive growth. JoyDew outgrew its space in Midland Park
and moved to a large
r location in Ridgewood, New Jersey. Its application to do
business in Pennsylvania was approved. The for-profit arm of the organization was
officially founded, and the company also expanded its executive team, adding a
Director of Operations and a Chief Financial Officer.
Today, JoyDew continues to grow. In the spring of 2024, the company will open a
new location in Livingston, New Jersey, adding 40 more members to the
organization. New employment opportunities are expected, and 10 more staff
members will be added.
T2S1 Team by JoyDew.
