Cape May County Special Services Highlight: Fish for Life!

The Joint Council of County Special Services School Districts is launching a new feature this year highlighting organizations from within our counties who have shown support for or offered opportunities to our students and their families.

This month, Cape May County Special Services School District is shining the spotlight on a local organization that enhances the lives of individuals with special needs by providing complimentary fishing trips. With its headquarters based in Southern California, the program is designed to provide connections and inspiration to the participants, while also teaching fishing skills and creating memorable experiences. The eastern region expansion of Fish for Life! is based in Wildwood Crest, NJ.

“This organization deserves the spotlight because of the wonderful experiences and memories it creates for special needs children and their families,” said Jamie Moscony, Superintendent of Cape May County Special Services School District and Joint Council Chairperson. “I have had the privilege of participating in 4 trips since 2021. Each time I attend, I am grateful to be able to be part of such a special day. It’s easy to see the impact that Jesse and his team have on the participants – the smiling faces seen all around the boat are all the proof you need.”

East Coast Expansion

Fish for Life!’s East Coast Executive Director, Jesse Gemberling-Johnson, was first introduced to the world of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities as a child while attending Germantown Friends School in Philadelphia. The school had a program where students were partnered with their peers at HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy. This partnership introduced the concept of inclusivity and neurodiversity to the general education students at Germantown Friends, while giving HMS students a chance to interact and practice their social skills with their peers. As part of the partnership, Gemberling-Johnson’s class performed in a musical with students from HMS and through that experience, he formed a bond with a HMS student. That connection sparked something inside him, which would later become a lifelong passion for helping others.

After college, Gemberling-Johnson was serving in the Marine Corps and stationed in California when he met Fish for Life! Founder Jim Holden. Gemberling-Johnson was Holden’s neighbor and through their conversations, it was learned that they shared some similarities – both were from the Philadelphia area and shared a love for Philadelphia Eagles football. When Holden told him about Fish for Life! and invited him to volunteer on a fishing trip, Gemberling-Johnson went. After that first trip, life went on for the next 10 years, more deployments and full-time graduate school, then Gemberling-Johnson was exploring the possibility of starting a nonprofit. He realized Fish for Life! offered the right fit to take his passion for fishing and combine it with his desire to make a positive impact on others. The East Coast operation was born in 2020 and by the summer of 2021, the first trip set sail.

What Is a Fishing Trip Like?

Attending a Fish for Life! event is a truly unique and inspiring experience. Young men and women arrive on the morning of the trip and the dock buzzes with excitement. Volunteers, called Fishing Team Captains, walk around chatting with families they have met on past trips and introducing themselves to first timers. Many volunteers return after their first trip to continue to pass along their love of fishing. The maximum is about 30 participants, and many of them return for multiple trips each year. The ages of volunteers range from middle school students all the way up to senior citizens. One thing they have in common, whether the participants are veterans or new to Fish for Life! – is that everyone feels welcome.

After checking in, the first event of the day is the singing of the National Anthem. The August trip’s anthem was performed by a local singer in the shadow of the giant American flag that was strung from the top of the Wildwood Crest fire truck’s fully extended ladder. Next was the opening ceremony with a red carpet, where each participant is given their moment to shine. Participants line up in anticipation of their name and a short biography being read over the loudspeakers as music plays in the background.

Once everyone has boarded the ship, the trip begins. Volunteers match with their family and find a place to rest while the boat sails out to the first fishing spot. After the boat finds anchors, everyone is instructed by the captain to lower their line in the water. Not long after, excitement can be heard from around the boat. To see each catch, you need only follow the cheers and a family can be seen holding up their catch of the day. The trip lasts for hours and then, as the ship begins to prepare for its journey back to the dock, participants are called to the rear of the ship for a sensory and marine-life experience at the Touch Tank. The ship’s mate, Kirby, who has attended every trip since 2021, gives a short lesson about each creature in the Touch Tank. Then everyone around the tank is given the opportunity to touch and inspect the creatures for themselves.

As the boat heads back to the dock, the closing ceremony is held on the top deck. Each participant is called to the front of the crowd to talk about their experiences that day and given a medal for participating. Each volunteer is asked to share something special about spending the day with their participant as well. Once back at the dock, everyone disembarks from the boat and heads home to reflect on the memories that were made.

Learn more about Fish for Life! and see photos from some of their trips at fishforlife.org.