Left to right: Maria Espinal, Programs & Communications Coordinator; Karly Forman Cohen, Executive Director; and Sara Murphy, Director of Programs & Operations
The AmeriHealth Be of Service campaign honors a Corporate Citizen of the Year and a Volunteer of the Year that go above and beyond for their community. Winners receive a $500 gift card from AmeriHealth and an additional $1,500 donated to a charity of their choice.
We recently interviewed Karly Forman Cohen, founder and executive director of Raise the Bar Family Services (Raise the Bar), winner of the 2024 Be of Service Corporate Citizen of the Year award.
Tell us about Raise the Bar and its programs.
Raise the Bar is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to enhance the overall well-being of individuals with disabilities and their families by developing high-quality programs, cultivating an inclusive community, and making resources more accessible for all. We are a young company that has been in operation in Camden, NJ, for two years.
We currently have 42 enrolled families in one or more of our three program areas:
- Family support
- Youth programs
- Resource navigation
What do you want people to know about individuals living with disabilities?
Raise the Bar focuses on a positive perspective for people living with disabilities. For these individuals, the problem is not their personal limitations, but that the community does not fully accept them and their abilities. Individuals with disabilities live in a world that was not made for them.
Raise the Bar views disability as just another form of diversity, and we celebrate this diversity. It’s normal to have different levels of ability in society. We focus on the positive—emphasizing what our members can accomplish—and we help make our members’ lives as fulfilling as possible.
Why are inclusivity and accessibility so important for people with disabilities?
It’s important to create an environment where kids can be themselves and families can be comfortable; this is what Raise the Bar strives to do. It is a safe space for kids and families, one that is free from judgment and stigma. Our goal is to create an understanding community.
One of the most beautiful things to be a part of is our community events. We do big community events (such as a back-to-school skate night) where everyone coexists together comfortably. At these events, parents with a young child with autism can talk to the parents of a 21-year-old with autism. They can share stories and information, get advice and resources, and just feel seen and supported. This is special because these parents rarely get that supportive and safe environment in the real world. We want to make that environment the norm.
At Raise the Bar, everyone has the same opportunity to thrive, make friends, and be included in the world.
What does the AmeriHealth Be of Service award mean to you, and how will it help Raise the Bar?
Receiving the AmeriHealth Be of Service Corporate Citizen of the Year award means a lot to us because we’re a newer organization, so it’s such a vote of confidence. We’re building a community of supporters, and it’s heartwarming to see our work recognized and valued.
We want to reach a larger audience and get the word out there about what we do, so this award also helps us do that. The Be of Service funds will go towards all our programs, including our youth social programs. These programs are wonderful because they help kids from ages 3 to 21 build social skills.
One of the unique and truly special qualities of our programs is that we offer high-touch, high-quality support. We get to know each child and their family. We are very responsive to their individual needs. As a newer organization, although we want to grow, we don’t want to grow exponentially because we are very hands-on and want to stay that way. For a community that doesn’t get a lot of hands-on support, this is essential.
What’s next for Raise the Bar?
We recently completed our first-ever strategic planning process for the next three years. It’s an exciting time because we are exiting our pilot startup phase and really looking ahead at what’s next. Our number one goal is sustainability. We have a small team of three right now, and we want to increase our staff capacity to become more sustainable. We have many programs — which is great — but we don’t want to over-extend our staff.
Right now, we’re honing in on our program offerings and execution. I think we’ve really found our sweet spot. We have more work to do to build out our resource navigation further. There is a lot more we can do when kids age out of school programs or the school system. We want to offer more services in terms of resource navigation, and we want to serve more families. For example, our Social Squad could take ten more participants. And we could comfortably enroll about 20 more families in the next three years.
What are some ways people can get involved with Raise the Bar?
The two biggest ways that people can get involved with Raise the Bar are by volunteering and donating their time and money. Our programs are great for people who want to get involved with kids. Our volunteers are essential to our programs, and we couldn’t do it without them. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to find out more about how to get involved!
