History
The concept for JoyDew was sparked in 2008 when founder and CEO, Moish Tov, and his wife Anat Klebanov, who have two adult sons on the spectrum, observed how their non-speaking children started to communicate using iPads. Hearing their children express themselves for the very first time was incredibly exciting but also deeply emotional. They learned from their children, who were truly brilliant, that they were isolated and suffering because the world treated them as if they were useless, “retarded”, and incompetent.
For the next 3 years they performed field research in more than 20 countries around the world, with 100 organizations and approximately 400 experts in the field (including educators, autism specialists, parents, autistic adults, scientists, and health experts). They learned that their experience as parents of adult children with autism was not unique. Most people with autism have significant verbal and other communication barriers, but their parents observe that they have tremendous but untapped “super-powers” and can use them when they have help communicating.
Their research confirmed that the bulk of resources and funds are spent on those who are in their first 20 years of autistic life. Once they reach the age of 21, they fall off a social service “cliff”, as few if any programs to develop the skills and capabilities for young adults with autism are carried over into adulthood. JoyDew also concluded that the solution with the most impact will be to provide this population with employment that gives them a sense of self-worth and purpose.
In 2012, Moish Tov founded JoyDew LLP and began documenting the intellectual property he had created, and the following year initiated a pilot in Israel for autistic adults (18 years old), where 14 young adults with special acute vision, were recruited to the Israeli Defense Forces. They were trained to analyze aerial and satellite images. The pilot program was proven to be a big success and today there are more than 100 autistic soldiers working in the program with excellent outcomes, ranking 3x more productive and 4x more accurate than their average peer group. Fed by this success and determined to change the perceptions people have about autism, the Tovs decided to create a program for ages 21 and up; a program designed for the duration of an adult life. In 2013, the JoyDew Foundation was formed.
In 2014, working in cooperation with a number of special schools in the area and through partner programs, JoyDew equipped hundreds of children on the spectrum with iPads and the results were impressive. Though sometimes in need of assistance in terms of motor coordination, most of them actually started to communicate expressively for the first time and their speed of learning was astonishing compared to their neurotypical peers.
JoyDew opened its first office in Denville, NJ in 2015, and as the news of these successes spread, more donations arrived. McKesson donated radiology imaging equipment, and a local radiologist started helping JoyDew teach radiology pre-screening to 12 learners from 2 schools. It was quickly discovered that the autistic learners were able to deliver more accurate results than licensed professionals.
By 2016 it became clear that JoyDew was ready to mature into a full day program and the foundation began the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency licensing process.
The company moved to larger location in Midland Park in 2017 and began preparing the space for members, and 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 NJ autism programs. Over the following two years, the organization continued to increase its membership and support staff, and developed its proprietary curriculum, teaching, and training methods, as well as expanding its members and staff.
In 2022 the company hired its first CCO and engaged a few senior consultants to begin preparing for this next phase of its social enterprise journey. The company closed 2 new contracts in data analytics and radiology (breast cancer prescreening).
2023 was a year of explosive growth. JoyDew outgrew its Midland Park location and moved to a larger space in Ridgewood, NJ. 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 COO and CFO.
Today JoyDew continues to grow. In spring of 2024 the company will open a new location in Livingston, NJ, adding 40 more members to the organization. New employment opportunities are expected, and 10 more staff members will be added.