About Us
Jon’s Room was founded in 2026 by Ellie and Sam.
“We want to create and maintain sensory-friendly spaces for students in our local public schools.”
~ Sam and Ellie, co-founders
Meet Ellie
My name is Ellie Bowen and I’m a sophmore at Emmaus High School. This organization means so much to me because Jon’s Room is named after my older brother, Jon, who has autism and loves the sensory room at his school. Our fundraising mission is important to me because I think every student with special needs deserves to have a safe environment that regulates their emotions, provides a sense of calm, and offers a fun break from the stress of school day. Having a room like this can help students enjoy school more by helping them manage anxiety and frustration. Sensory rooms can help alleviate stress for students with scheduled breaks and planned moments of quiet. What we hope to accomplish with Jon’s Room is to raise enough funds to help create and maintain sensory or adaptive spaces in all Lehigh Valley schools.
Meet Sam
My name is Sam Pechulis and I’m a junior at Emmaus High School. In middle school, I joined the Best Buddies program and Jon and I were paired together. At first, it was challenging to communicate and connect, but that would soon change. We spent a lot of the time in the sensory room; we would meet and walk there together almost every afternoon. In the sensory room we built our friendship and got to have some fun after a long day at school. The goal of Jon’s Room is to ensure that all schools have the ability to create sensory rooms for students. Through partnerships with local businesses, we hope to raise money to help build spaces where special education students can have the same experiences I have been able to share with Jon.