Justin Edelman recently was honored as the recipient of 2024 Founders Award for his commitment to the RWJBarnabas Health Field of Dreams, the nation’s premier inclusive recreational complex located in Toms River.
Edelman, an SVP of corporate partnerships at RWJBH, has been instrumental in the success of the project. He recently was recognized at a special event hosted at the complex.
Founded in 2022 by Christian and Mary Kane, the RWJBarnabas Health Field of Dreams was inspired by the Kane’s 13-year-old son, Gavin, who at 19-months old suffered a traumatic brain injury on July 12, 2012, when a truck hit the car Christian was driving.
After living through the frustrations and struggles of finding inclusive facilities to accommodate kids with special needs, the Kane’s were inspired to build a recreational complex where Gavin and other children (and adults) can feel typical while enjoying recreational activities alongside friends and family in a safe and welcoming environment.
Christian Kane presented Edelman with a plaque that read, “A phone call, handshake, and belief in our dream led to the creation of the country’s most inclusive special needs complex. Justin Edelman will forever be considered a pioneer for the special needs community and the RWJBH Field of Dreams.”
Created for the special needs community, this project aligned perfectly with RWJBarnabas Health’s commitment to health equity and supporting community-based initiatives where individuals from underserved populations have an opportunity to recreate.
Led by two anchor institutions in the local area, Children’s Specialized Hospital and Community Medical Center, RWJBarnabas Health provides resources, expertise and staffing to support day-to-day operations and annual programming at the complex.
Today, the RWJBarnabas Health Field of Dreams is making a difference in so many lives, with more than 2,500 special needs families from the region enjoying free membership, and with 35 school districts and more than 20 organizations that cater to special needs adults (21+) utilizing the complex for programming and special events.
The RWJBarnabas Health Field of Dreams is equipped with a baseball field, basketball court, 9-hole miniature golf course, bocce, shuffleboard, and a spectacular playground area specially designed to be more accessible for wheelchairs and adaptive equipment. Other features include a walking path with rehabilitative stations, a “quiet corner,” located in a three-sided enclosed pavilion for those with autism, bathrooms with multiple “powered” changing stations to assist caregivers and fully accommodate the special needs community, a temperature-controlled pavilion with charging stations for powered wheelchairs, a community garden and much more.
To support the RWJBarnabas Health Field of Dreams or for more information on programming, special events and membership, click here.
