ABC 7 recently covered the opening of our Vital Brookdale supportive housing complex, highlighting the project’s role in providing housing for people with developmental disabilities and young adults aging out of foster care – allowing them to live independently and thrive.
Watch the video below to see the units and hear from Anthony McQueen, a resident with developmental disabilities who is proud to have moved into his new home.
A variety of games were available
Our annual Friends and Family BBQ, hosted by our Developmental Disabilities Division, is a summer highlight for those living in our residences and attending our day and community habilitation programs. The people we support look forward to the opportunity to come together and connect with friends and family, while enjoying food, games, music, and more.
While the event was on hiatus due to the pandemic, it returned this year in full force! Last month, the event took place at Glen Island Park in New Rochelle, NY. Around 1,110 attendees came out for a joy-filled day!
In addition to barbeque food, dishes such as chicken and mac and cheese were served
Attendees, their families, and Foundling staff members enjoyed a variety of food – burgers, hot dogs, mac and cheese, chicken sandwiches, fish, cornbread, and more – and had the opportunity to dance to music provided by a DJ. Other activities included balloon making, face painting, corn hole, and flag football.
As a testament to the presence The Foundling has in the community, two Assembly Members were also in attendance – Amy Paulin and Thomas Abinanti – and had the opportunity to meet the people in our programs!
And amidst all the fun, it was also a bittersweet time for our Foundling staff.
Jill Gentile and Assemblymember Thomas Abinanti speak to Foundling staff
It was the last BBQ for Jill Gentile, Senior Vice President of our Developmental Disabilities Division, who will be retiring this fall. Her retirement was celebrated at the event, from custom t-shirts to a moving speech by our Board Chair Bob King honoring her leadership over the past 9 years.
At The Foundling, we are committed to ensuring that each person in our care is able to live their best lives. For those with developmental disabilities, this is what that looks like – providing a supportive space to connect with peers, maintain and bolster family relationships, participate in meaningful activities, and feel appreciated and valued. We look forward to an even bigger and better BBQ event next year!
View more photos from the event below:
Thank you to Grassy Sprain Pharmacy for sponsoring the 2022 Annual Friends and Family BBQ.
Last month, The Foundling achieved a three-year Quality Assurances Accreditation (QAA) from the Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL) – the culmination of a months-long process that included on-site assessments, interviews with staff, families, and participants, focus groups, and detailed analysis of our services for people with developmental disabilities. CQL accredits programs on several factors – including the ways in which participants are given dignity and respect, how families and other support networks are integrated into services, and how participants are best supported in achieving their personal goals.
The CQL accreditation measures a rigorous standard of care – of the more than 600 providers of developmental disabilities services in New York State, only 7% have achieved CQL accreditation and only 2% of the 208 New York City providers are CQL accredited. We are proud to join these ranks, and to have had the opportunity to share our strengths – including our person-centered approach and deeply held commitment to ensuring that each person we support can reach their full potential.
In preparation for our accreditation, our entire Developmental Disabilities Division came together, taking this opportunity to highlight our programs and identify great stories to share. We’re excited to showcase the journeys of some of these amazing Foundling participants, as they truly represent our values and commitment to helping those in our community work toward strength, stability, and independence.
As a transgender woman with developmental disabilities, Michel spent decades of her life struggling to access gender-affirming care. When she came to live in one of The Foundling’s supportive residences, she was given the support and resources to exercise her rights to transition and live as her true self. With the help of The Foundling’s Nutrition Team – which focuses on the health of our residents – David learned to manage his medication, eat nutritious meals, and take his health into his own hands. With these new skills, he has become more physically fit and independent. Chshone, a resident in one of our supportive homes, has learned to exercise his voice through advocacy. With the support of Foundling staff, he is an avid speaker at conferences held by Self Advocacy Association of New York (SANY), a network founded and led by people with developmental disabilities. |
Thanks to this assessment, we’re positioned to improve our services and programs even further. We look forward to continuing this journey – and to serving the community.
Want to learn more? Read more success stories from our Developmental Disabilities programs:
Interested in enrolling or referring a participant to our Residential, Day Habilitation, Community Habilitation, or Employment Services programs?
Speak to our Developmental Disabilities Information and Referral Team at (212) 886-4020 or email I&R@NYFoundling.org.
Skye Ostreicher speaks to our CEO & President, Melanie Hartzog. They disucss how she parlays her government experience into the nonprofit sector to help provide social services in New York City, the upcoming opening of our Vital Brookdale supportive housing, and more.
Read more on City & State, or watch the video below:
In Fall 2021, our Day Habilitation participants were invited to join in a VisABILITY art workshop series to help develop their creative talents. Workshops were led by The Foundling’s creative facilitators, with each one introducing our participants to a different artistic medium – from photography to poetry.
In the course of these workshops, many of our participants found that art provided a novel way to truly share their voices and experiences with the world. “We have a lot of individuals that really have a hard time expressing their feelings and emotions…but if you look at their artwork, it speaks a thousand words,” says Lamont Issacs, Assistant Vice President of our Day Habilitation program.
The VisABILITY project culminated in an art exhibition to showcase these bold and powerful works – and on March 23, The Foundling’s Developmental Disabilities team hosted a celebration of the exhibition at Vinny’s Café (a community space within Vincent’s Village, a supportive complex for seniors managed by the Sisters of Charity Housing Development Corporation.)
Jill Gentile, who leads our Developmental Disabilities Division, provided opening remarks on March 23.
This special event allowed Foundling staff and Trustees, Sisters of Charity, program participants, and friends and family to enjoy refreshments, admire the artwork, contribute to a group installation, and learn more about the VisABILITY project. For many of our Developmental Disabilities participants, this was the first time they had attended a gallery event, and it was a wonderful experience where their abilities, viewpoints, and talent were acknowledged and celebrated.
Artists had the opportunity to share and discuss their work.
“With the art showcase, we’re really giving an opportunity for the community to think more about what a society that’s more inclusive of the experiences and abilities around us might look like,” shares Carly Johnson, one of The Foundling’s Clinical Coordinators and a VisABILITY Workshop Facilitator.
And our VisABILITY project is not over – our art gallery continues to garner interest from the community and local officials.
Our participants’ artwork, photos, paintings, collages, textile arts, and more – was beautifully displayed throughout the café.
Additionally, The Foundling has also launched a corresponding digital exhibition featuring a virtual tour, art to view, and even the opportunity to purchase original works (with proceeds benefiting the artist and funding additional VisABILITY workshops). View the exhibition here.
Interested in learning more about the VisABILITY Project? Hear our participants and staff speak about their experiences in the video below:
For years, Lowell dreamed of having a job. The Foundling was there every step of the way as he made this dream a reality.
Lowell, who lives in one of our Bronx residences for people with developmental disabilities, knew he wanted to work. However, people with disabilities have some of the lowest employment rates in the country, and it was difficult for him to achieve this goal. Years passed without any progress – until he enrolled in The Foundling’s Employment Services in 2018. The program was exactly what he was looking for.
Matched with a supportive coach, he began to learn the basics of being in the workforce. He embarked on dedicated skills training, and received expert guidance as he identified jobs that fit with his interests and aptitudes. Through several volunteer positions in the community, he learned how to follow directions and conduct himself in the workplace. While some skills took some time to master, and the COVID-19 pandemic posed further disruptions, Lowell continued to have hope. He never gave up on his goal – and neither did his Foundling job coach. This summer, those efforts paid off as he accepted his first job as a team member with Shake Shack, working at a location in the Bronx!
Now, he starts his days with purpose, and enjoys doing meaningful paid work in the community. Thanks to supporters like you, Lowell has a bright future ahead.
This is what our programs do each day: provide children, adults, and families with the guidance and resources to transform their lives. And with the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic creating further obstacles for our neighbors to obtain employment and self-sufficiency, these vital programs are needed more than ever.
As a nonprofit organization, we can only do this important work with the support of our donors. Your gift can help adults like Lowell find independence, and provide stability, strength, and hope to the 30,000 children, adults, and families we serve each year. All donations are tax-deductible and will directly benefit our shared community.
Donate today – every dollar gives our neighbors the support to move forward as they pursue their dreams.
On local television channel BronxNet’s Bronx Social Justice and Anti-Violence Forums, our CEO and President Bill Baccaglini sat down with host Daren Jaime to share the current state of The Foundling’s developmental disabilities, child welfare, education, and other programs. Additionally, Bill discusses the changes that the new year – with leadership changes both at The Foundling and the city’s mayoral administration- may bring.
Watch the interview below:
Entering the workforce is hard for all of us: the interview process can be daunting, and learning new tasks and adapting to new environments is often stressful. For people with developmental disabilities, it can be even more challenging.
“People with disabilities want to work, because working is the way that people are involved in their communities. They have more meaningful relationships, they have a better sense of personal freedom, and they’re more independent,” says Mia Joshi, The Foundling’s Education and Employment Services Coordinator. But while the general employment rate is 70%, only 30% of adults with developmental disabilities are actively employed.
People with disabilities make up the largest minority group in the nation, yet they are underemployed because of barriers beyond their control. This community often lacks access to targeted and specialized job resources and training, making it difficult to learn the ‘soft’ skills that are often overlooked by traditional employment programs. It can also be difficult to find accommodating employers, placing them at a disadvantage in the job hunt. Additionally, nearly 25% of adults with developmental disabilities report not having anyone in their life to talk to about their goals, and this lack of mentorship and guidance can further impede long-term success.
In The Foundling’s Employment Services program, our dedicated staff address these challenges head-on. Participants are matched with a Job Coach who trains them in workplace skills and abilities– this often includes broader instruction in communicating, following directions, and more. The Foundling partners with a number of organizations and employers to place participants in meaningful volunteer work to gain experience, and to ultimately match them with fulfilling and competitively-paid job opportunities. Once they start working, participants receive long-term support to ensure that they continue to be successful.
Sophia volunteering at the New York Botanical Garden
Sophia, who is working on pre-vocational skills training with Employment Services, has made great strides in her path toward independence as a result of the program. The Foundling has set her up with volunteer opportunities, such as working at the New York Botanical Garden, that have given her the chance to grow.
“I learned to listen to instructions to do things the right way…They are helping us to learn and gain employment. I used to get more frustrated but now I can communicate with people better,” she says.
Now, Sophia is learning to type and is finessing her communication skills, all in preparation for paid employment – and is excited about her professional future ahead.
Lowell at his new job
Lowell, another one of our Employment Services participants, recently took his first step into the working world. Since 2018, he has worked hard with our team to learn skills and prepare for employment. This summer, those efforts paid off!
Through The Foundling’s partnership with the Consortium for Customized Employment, which works to create a network of organizations and employers to expand work options for people with developmental disabilities, Lowell was able to find a job that fit with his skillset and aspirations. He is now a Shake Shack team member, and is enjoying the autonomy, responsibility, and purpose that being part of the workforce brings.
This National Disability Employment Awareness Month, learn more about our Employment Services program in the video below:
As Patch reports, The New York Foundling launched its new Day Habilitation and Employment Services site for people with developmental disabilities with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 26.
“We are thrilled to bring our Day Habilitation Without Walls and Employment Services to the community in Nanuet,” said Bill Baccaglini, President of The New York Foundling. “We know that only around 1 in 3 working-age individuals with developmental disabilities are actively employed, and roughly 25 percent of adults with developmental disabilities report that they don’t have anyone in their life to talk to about their goals and purpose. Our programs aim to change these numbers in every community, including Nanuet.”
As Bronx News12 reports, The Foundling held a ribbon cutting for our newest Day Habilitation center in Nanuet, NY. The new center will serve our participants with developmental disabilities across Rockland County.
“Ten years ago, we started residential services here and our folks weren’t able to find day habilitation programs in the community based on their challenging needs. So, we created a day habilitation without walls,” says Jill Gentile, Senior Vice President of our Developmental Disabilities Division.
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