Category: News

A generous family with Short Hills roots has pledged a $100,000 challenge grant to help ECLC of New Jersey in a final push to raise $2 million for the P.R.I.D.E. program, which serves adults with special needs.

From now through Dec. 20, the couple, Billy and Judy Greenblatt, who lived in Short Hills for 25 years, will match every dollar raised for the P.R.I.D.E. Endowment up to $100,000. Already, matching contributions have been pouring in, and the nonprofit needs $86,000 to complete the campaign.

The fund-raising effort started in December 2014, when ECLC’s Executive Director, Bruce Litinger, also a former, longtime resident of Short Hills, established the Renee and Bruce Litinger and Family P.R.I.D.E. Endowment. The goal was to ensure P.R.I.D.E. had a secure future for years to come.

Adults in P.R.I.D.E. are diagnosed with lifelong conditions, including autism, Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities. They are not good candidates for the rigors of the workplace and cannot travel independently. They live with their parents or another close relative or in a group home. P.R.I.D.E. offers a nurturing, safe environment in which they can continue to grow and spend meaningful, productive days.

The program was started by Litinger in 2008 for graduates of ECLC’s special-needs schools in Chatham and Ho-Ho-Kus. It launched as a “pilot,” at the urging of parents seeking a high-quality alternative for their adult children. It opened with a small group of clients and quickly expanded as interest grew. Today, P.R.I.D.E. serves 170 adults at centers in Florham Park and Paramus and is expected to reach more than 180 before the end of this year.

The Endowment provides an important safety net against uncertain government funding. Recently, the program shifted from state to federal funding through Medicaid, and there is no guarantee of full funding in the future. At the same time, demand for P.R.I.D.E. continues to escalate. Each year, a greater number of students who graduate from ECLC’s schools at age 21 elect to transition into P.R.I.D.E.

The acronym P.R.I.D.E. stands for “Promoting Responsibility, Independence, Decision-making and Employability.” The program puts adult clients first and focuses on opportunities for skill development and community engagement. Clients choose their daily activities – including book club, volunteering, cooking, arts and crafts, social skills, computers, fitness and more. Both centers have teaching kitchens, dedicated rooms for group activities and a fleet of vans to transport the adult clients throughout the community.

“When we launched P.R.I.D.E., I wanted to create an environment that was safe, happy, intellectually stimulating and community-based for our clients,” said Litinger.

The Greenblatts have been longtime ECLC supporters. Judy Greenblatt and her son, Brandon, co-founded the P.A.I.R.S. Program at Millburn High School, along with Bruce Litinger and his son Jonathan. Through P.A.I.R.S., students volunteer to spend time doing recreational activities and building friendships with their peers at ECLC’s school in Chatham. All three Greenblatt children, Brandon, Jake and Maggie, participated in P.A.I.R.S. during high school. Later, Judy Greenblatt served on the ECLC Board of Trustees for 10 years.

“With this challenge grant, the Greenblatts continue to demonstrate their devotion to ECLC and helping children and adults with disabilities!” said ECLC Executive Director Bruce Litinger. “We are so grateful for their ongoing support. By raising $2 million, it will fulfill our goal of creating a stable future for P.R.I.D.E. We will be able to give our families peace of mind that P.R.I.D.E. will have a solid foundation to withstand the unpredictability of government funding.”

The community is invited to spring into action at ECLC of New Jersey’s Wellness Fair & Fitness Walk on Saturday, May 4, at ECLC’s Chatham school for students with special needs!

The one-mile walk steps off at 9:30 a.m., and follows a leisurely path around the neighborhood. It will end back at ECLC in time for the start of the Wellness Fair. Registration costs just $5 per walker. Those who pre-register will receive an ECLC drawstring bag. Registration is open at www.eclcofnj.org. Check-in and registration on event day open at 9 a.m.

The free Wellness Fair runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with interactive demos and presentations, a vendor fair, kids’ activities, health screenings, dance performances, door prizes, fitness, nutrition, yoga, music, giveaways, summer camp representatives, pet therapy and much more.

The events take place at the ECLC Chatham School at 21 Lum Ave., located directly behind the Chatham Borough municipal building on Fairmont Avenue. Childcare will be available, staffed by ECLC teachers and volunteers. For more information, please contact Wellness Fair Coordinator: Anne Fields (973-635-1700 X423).

When ECLC of New Jersey opened its first school for students with special needs in 1970, the children were mostly diagnosed with learning disabilities, such as dyslexia. Today, about one-third of ECLC’s nearly 300 students are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, and the numbers keep rising.

“As the student population has changed, our school has proactively addressed their needs,” said Chatham School Principal Jason Killian. “We are always looking for new ways to support our students and help them thrive.”

This year, ECLC’s Chatham school has opened a new classroom geared especially for students with autism, using a teaching method called ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis).

The school hired an ABA specialist, Taryn McLaughlin, who is excited to lead this new classroom. She explained how for some students, ABA is an excellent approach to learning, providing more focus and monitoring.

“ABA helps the students learn by closely tracking their achievements and understanding of specific skills,” said McLaughlin. “They get a lot more one-on-one time, which also helps keep the classroom calm and behaviors in order.”

The class has a high teacher-to-student ratio. There are three full-time students in the room and one student who spends part of his day there. The class is led by McLaughlin, and each student has a one-to-one para-professional aide.

The classroom will expand with more students, but it will remain a small, intimate setting. The plan is for these students to transition into the regular classrooms with their peers.

“This new class is a bridge to a less restrictive environment,” said Killian. “One of the great things about ECLC is we have decades of experience working with students who have different disabilities. That gives us more flexibility and creativity in our approach.”

Benefits of a New Sensory Room

The new ABA classroom continues to build a foundation of success for the growing number of students with autism.

Last year, the school opened a Sensory Room especially designed for students with autism and other disabilities with a behavioral component.

The Sensory Room is dimly lit when in use and quiet, calming music is played. A bubble tube light, with flowing bubbles and soft changing lights provides a multi-sensory calming environment.

The equipment is highly specialized. It includes a gentle “squeeze machine” that provides deep pressure, controlled by the student. A contour “relax” chair allows students to sit in a semi-reclined position on a soft surface. There is a hammock swing to offer slow, rhythmic swinging and a gentle squeeze. Students can climb into inflatable canoe-shaped seats, which provide a steady hugging pressure. Weighted blankets are gently placed on students to provide additional pressure.

Killian said, “We have found tremendous success with providing sensory breaks and sensory input to help students regulate and succeed in school.”

Parents of children with special needs and any member of the public can arrange for a visit and tour ECLC’s school at 21 Lum Ave., Chatham, by contacting Principal Killian at jkillian@eclcofnj.org or (973-601-5410).

The Chatham school has opened a new classroom geared especially for students with autism, using a teaching method called ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis). The school hired an ABA specialist, Taryn McLaughlin, who is excited to lead this new classroom.

“ABA helps the students learn by closely tracking their achievements and understanding of specific skills,” said McLaughlin. “They get a lot more one-on-one time, which also helps keep the classroom calm and behaviors in order.”

The plan is for these students to transition into the regular classrooms with their peers. “This new class is a bridge to a less restrictive environment,” said Killian. “One of the great things about ECLC is we have decades of experience working with students who have different disabilities. That gives us more flexibility and creativity in our approach.” Read more.

On Jan. 30, ECLC of New Jersey was excited to celebrate the official opening of Sorriso Kitchen, a new restaurant on Main Street in Chatham with more than just food on the menu.

Sorriso is owned by Karen and Jimmy Bellas, whose son LJ attends the ECLC Chatham school. They were inspired by LJ to use their new enterprise to help ECLC students with special needs.

Every Monday, they close Sorriso and open it up exclusively for ECLC students to spend a class there, learning job skills. They are also selling mugs, totes and cards with the Sorriso logo, printed by ECLC students in SKIL (Seeking Knowledge for Independent Living) class.

“This is such a wonderful opportunity for our students and our school to come here and use this beautiful space as a classroom where they can learn all the skills necessary for working in a food establishment,” said Principal Jason Killian. “It’s a tremendous sacrifice for Sorriso to close every Monday and open up to our students. We are truly grateful.”

At the opening, Karen and Jimmy Bellas described how the idea grew from a dinner table conversation into reality. “We wanted Sorriso to be a place where people could feel good and be happy because that’s how our boys make us feel and that’s exactly what it has turned into,” said Karen Bellas. “We get such joy out of seeing those kids come in on Mondays and put their aprons on. They give us their all! It warms our hearts.”

Sorriso Kitchen is just one business where ECLC students gain real-world, work experience. As part of their preparation to graduate, Upper School students move out into the community to “sample” jobs in child care, retail, maintenance, office administrative support and more. The Chatham community and surrounding towns have embraced the students, offering job-sampling sites, since the school opened 30 years ago in a former public school building. The goal is to prepare students for independent living and for a smooth transition from school to adulthood!