Get involved and make

a real difference

Featured Volunteer

–Edward Chen

🌟Volunteer experience Highlights🌟

Autism Awareness Month Community Event

4/18/2026

Project READY’s Autism Awareness Month Community Event was held at the Scarsdale Public Library, bringing together local leaders, educators, and community partners in support of inclusion and acceptance.

Speakers from local government, schools, and community organizations shared their commitment to supporting individuals with developmental disabilities and mental health needs.eality for countless individuals.

Edward hosted this community event and was fully involved in its organization and planning from start to finish.

AbleBloom

2025 & 2024

Edward has actively organized and led Project READY’s annual AbleBloom event at the Scarsdale Public Library for two consecutive years, driving community inclusion and civic engagement.

Last year, Edward co-hosted the 3rd annual AbleBloom event with the IntroSpectrum Club, featuring incredible art exhibitions, musical performances, and inspiring guest speakers.

This built on the major success of AbleBloom 2024, an exhibition that showcased over 120 paintings by 30 artists with disabilities, alongside performances by 17 special needs individuals and support from 15 high school volunteers. A key highlight under Edward’s leadership was celebrating disability voting rights, honoring 16 Project READY members who voted for the first time in a special First-time Voters Recognition Ceremony.

We all live together in the same inclusive community, and we can all be community contributors.

Project Ready Volunteer Workshop and Training

12/12/2025

Project Ready’s local volunteers recently came together in person to share their experiences, build meaningful connections, and welcome new faces into our growing community. It was a wonderful celebration of teamwork, and we are incredibly proud to see our high school volunteers growing with us for over two years—a true reflection of commitment, compassion, and community in action! 💛

Edward took center stage as the event’s host and main speaker. He delivered a reflective speech on his multi-year journey, sharing how transitioning from a newcomer to a youth leader deeply shaped his empathy and understanding of community inclusion.

Off-stage, Edward actively mentored his peers, sitting down with new and returning volunteers to facilitate discussions and foster a welcoming, collaborative environment. Through this dual role as both an inspiring speaker and an approachable team member, Edward demonstrated the exact youth leadership that drives our mission forward.

Volunteering and organizing community inclusion activity

Throughout 2025, Edward expanded his impact by actively leading three major community service initiatives, including two charity Bake Sales and an AFYA Food Banking volunteer event.

A key highlight of Edward’s involvement was his hands-on leadership. Rather than just participating, he worked side-by-side with youths with developmental disabilities, providing patient, step-by-step guidance to help them master baking techniques, package food goods, and successfully complete their tasks.

Through these initiatives, Edward didn’t just volunteer time—he fostered an inclusive environment that built confidence and independence for special needs individuals. His dedication across these events seamlessly bridges local community support with meaningful, empowering advocacy.

Sky camp instructor

For nearly three years, Edward has served as one of the lead instructors at Sky Camp, dedicating his time every single week to hosting online classes for children with special needs.

Recognizing that these unique learners require specialized attention, Edward relies heavily on immense patience and adaptive communication techniques rather than traditional academic tutoring. He designs gentle, engaging reading sessions tailored to each child’s pace, focusing on breaking down barriers and creating a safe, encouraging space. Through his thoughtful guidance, he helps them spark joy in connection and build vital personal confidence.

Edward’s unwavering, multi-year commitment to Sky Camp goes far beyond simple instruction; it is a profound demonstration of empathy in action, showcasing his ability to connect deeply with special needs children and consistently support their emotional and social growth.

Media & Community Advocacy

Edward brought his advocacy into writing by helping co-write a featured community article, working alongside the lead of Project Ready, Hongyu Lin.

To help create the piece, Edward went out into the community to do the on-site, face-to-face interviews. He talked directly with Tim Foley
to gather his real stories. Afterwards, he worked on writing the draft, helping shape the final article that was published online.

Through this teamwork, Edward showed strong communication skills and used the power of writing to share local voices and help others understand community inclusion.

Zhuocheng also managing Project Ready’s Social Media – Instagram and Facebook. Involved in media promotions, like editing the interview transcript of Tim Foley (Westchester County Board of Legislators) to expand the organization’s recognition in the community; Publishing the story of people with development disabilities in Scarsdale community social media in order to raise public awareness.

Every Child Has a Future of Their Own
— An Interview Journal from a Family Living with Autism

Draft and edit by Zhuocheng

One early summer afternoon, I met Mathew and his parents at a Chinese restaurant in Hartsdale.

Mathew is a 20-year-old young man. His round face has a healthy glow, his broad and sturdy shoulders give him a much more imposing figure than his peers — clearly a boy who has been well cared for by his family. He sat quietly, and whenever he was touched by his parents’ words or felt the friendly atmosphere around him, a smile would bloom on his face without warning. His gentle eyes would narrow into crescent moons filled with starlight. That smile was pure and warm.

From Mathew’s parents, I learned that he is the youngest of three children. Because his older brother and sister were once suspected of having autism when they were young (though both are now college graduates), his parents paid close attention to Mathew’s development from birth. As a result, signs of autism were discovered in his early years, and intervention began quickly.

What left the deepest impression on me during the interview was the comprehensive, long-term, and thoughtful support system that American society provides for individuals with autism and their families.

Shortly after Mathew was born, the public school district took the initiative to contact his family and develop a personalized early intervention plan for him.