A Play Area and Swimming Facility for Children
Jeniffer Mangino has a passion for early elementary education and teaching children with special needs and intellectual disabilities. She is a former special education teacher and the owner/director of the Kids Kingdom Preparatory Academy in Neshannock Township. She wants to help out special education children as much as she can, as oftentimes there are turned away from facilities due to a lack of resources or knowledge from staff.
Jeniffer will soon be opening a facility for children to play and receive live-saving swimming lessons tailor-made for general and special education children.
JBG Kids Zone will be located next to the First Choice Federal Credit Union on West State Street in Union Township. Township supervisors approved a lot consolidation request by Mangino for parcels at 2215 and 2219 W. State St. for the facility.
To help finance this business endeavor, Jennifer came to the Duquesne SBDC for help with writing a solid business plan with financial projections to show how this project will be financially viable, as well as helpful for the community.
Thanks to her thorough data research and financial writing, JBG Kids Zone was able to secure a loan of $337,000 for breaking ground and building of the facility.
Further work is being done for possible future funding to help make this children’s facility a reality.
Jeniffer Mangino is a certified ISR instructor and has taught children as young as six months up to 6 years old. She said drowning is one of the leading causes of fatalities for children ages four and younger.
“I’m excited to bring that to the community,” Mangino said. “Hopefully, it makes a huge impact.