Achievements of MJC L’Île aux Trésors – L’Escale
Helping Hands has proudly sponsored MJC L’Île aux Trésors – L’Escale since 2014. Located near us, L’Escale is a vibrant local social center dedicated to supporting families, children, and young people in the Valbonne Sophia Antipolis area.
About L’Escale
L’Escale is a community resource supported by the Commune de Valbonne Sophia Antipolis, the Caisse d’Allocations Familiales des Alpes-Maritimes, and the MJC L’Île aux Trésors.
The center is staffed by a dedicated team of eight professionals whose mission is to assist residents of all ages—children, adolescents, adults, and seniors—by providing guidance, resources, and support in areas such as education, culture, leisure, and social development.
The name “L’Escale” reflects its purpose: a place to stop, explore, and recharge, helping individuals and families set off toward new horizons.
How Helping Hands Supports L’Escale
Leisure and Educational Trips
L’Escale organizes leisure trips for children and adolescents from families experiencing financial hardship or social isolation. While these trips may seem modest to some, for these families they are priceless opportunities—chances for children to experience joy, build friendships, and enjoy a brief escape from daily challenges. Beyond leisure, these trips also include educational activities, helping children discover new skills, explore the world around them, and learn in ways that go beyond the classroom.
Helping Hands plays a crucial role by sponsoring additional spots on these trips. In 2024, thanks to the support of Helping Hands, 13 young people from the Garbejaire neighborhood took part in two unforgettable trips.
The first was held in Allos, in the heart of the mountains, where they discovered hiking and life in the great outdoors, strengthening their independence and team spirit.
The second trip took them to the Camargue, where they participated in a horseback-riding camp. This immersive experience introduced them to horse care and offered scenic rides through the region’s iconic landscapes of marshes and beaches.
Together, these two complementary experiences encouraged cultural discovery, self-confidence, and stronger bonds among the group.
In their own words:
“The Helping Hands association is an essential aid, allowing L’Escale to send more children and young people on leisure and educational trips and give them experiences they otherwise could not have.”
The toy library
Each year, in the lead-up to Christmas, Helping Hands collects gently used toys and games from employees, giving them a second life. These donations are added to L’Escale’s toy library, where they are made available to children and families in need.
On average, over 300 toys and games are contributed annually, bringing joy and play to many young people in the community.
I like this project because it helps to fill the social gap between people in an area close to where I live. We often think everyone around us has our possibilities and this is not always true.
Thanks to the MJC project, young people can enlarge their knowledge and have the same experiences as people of their own age.