About Project Jade

Project Jade was started in 2020 in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula by Neily Perry, Sarah Foster and SLP, Jennifer Bleckiner.  Neily saw an article from St. Louis about them putting a core communication board up at a school playground and commented that it would be great if there could be one at her daughter, Jades school. Jade is on the autism spectrum and has trouble communicating her wants sometimes on the playground and it's frustrating, as it is for a lot of non-verbal kids.

Sarah is the CEO of the Home Builders Association of the U.P. and thought hey, some HBA members can do this! So she put the word out and before too long,  Signs Now was printing the signs, 41 Lumber was donating the posts and Bromley Hall from Tom Hall Contracting was doing the installs. They soon realized that each board needed to be customized to each location showing different playground equipment or whatever that location needed so Speech Therapist Jennifer Bleckiner did the editing on all of the boards. This requires special software that she is well experienced in! After this project grew so big, we brought on another SLP, Arica Altobello. Update to 2024, we have also added Brad Saatio from Nicolet National Bank as our CFO and Board Member! SCROLL TO THE END TO MEET THE TEAM!

What is a Core Communication Board? The students use iPads normally to communicate with this system but what a pain to carry one on the playground! These boards make it easy for students to communicate with each other and the teachers.

Behind the scenes, there is a lot going on. We had some great shirts and hoodies made by Phil Vasquez and his crew at Diamond House International Inc and he gave us a great discount!

Before installs, coordination has to happen between the school staff (maintenance, instructors involved and principals) and our installer for when to put the signs in but only after Miss Dig has been called to mark the ground.

So far, we have been pretty successful. Maybe a glitche here or there but nothing that couldn't be fixed.

Donations came pouring in right away from businesses and individuals and in less than 6 weeks we had close to $4,000!!

Before too long, Sarah, Neily and Jennifer decided it was time to make this a real non-profit and they became the board. Paperwork was filed and in October of 2021, Project Jade became and official 501©3 with the public charity status 509 (2)a.

Project Jade has now expanded past just school playgrounds and can be found in parks, libraries, and even medical centers. U.P. Rehab and Motts Children’s Hospital are the first medical facilities to have boards! We have since expanded into national parks and monuments such as Yellowstone National Park, Hot Springs National Park, the George Washington Birthplace National Monument and the Ulysses S Grant National Historic Site as of May of 2024.

There is no end in site! Our boards will be seen all over the country!

Thank you to everyone – individuals and businesses, who have graciously donated!

Sarah Foster, CEO
Neily Collick, COO
Jennifer Bleckiner, Community Outreach Director

Arica Altobello, Board Member

Brad Saatio, CFO and Board Member