Abilis, the non-profit organization that provides services and support to more than 800 individuals with special needs and their families, has opened a new Abilis LEAP (Life Skills, Employment, Advocacy and Partnership) program at the First Congregational Church in Norwalk.
This program will help young adults with special needs in the Norwalk area experience a seamless transition into adult life. The program opened its doors a few weeks ago and is staffed initially with four Abilis staff members. Four individuals are already enrolled in the Norwalk program who moved from the Abilis LEAP programs in Westport and Wilton, as Norwalk is their home community. Additional program participants will come from the Norwalk school system when they are eligible.
“The Abilis LEAP program has existing locations in Greenwich, Stamford, Westport, Wilton, Ridgefield and now Norwalk,” said Amy Montimurro, CEO and president of Abilis. “The goal of the program is to help young adults become more independent, obtain meaningful jobs and participate in community activities. We chose to expand the LEAP program in Norwalk as local families have continually requested Abilis’ services in their home community. Abilis has been serving the community successfully through other LEAP locations for several years, but the time came to expand it into Norwalk and we are very excited to have a presence in the community.”
“We have established a strong relationship with Norwalk schools and other local partner organizations and felt the expansion furthers our community-based program model that so many families are in need of,” noted Luis Velazquez, Abilis’ senior director of Day Services and who oversees the Abilis LEAP programs. “These satellite programs also help promote controlled, small group community-based instruction, a high priority in the time of COVID.”
When the pandemic required in-person, onsite-based LEAP programs to halt last year, Abilis pivoted to a virtual platform running classes through LEAP and clinical services, and keeping participants safe and healthy during last year. The program is operating in-person again and the number of people in the program remains high with 76 participants across all sites, spread throughout the six towns Abilis offers the LEAP program.
To learn more about the Abilis LEAP program, contact Luis Velazquez at 203-531-1880 x 154 or email velazquez@abilis.us.
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