PRIDE Gives Adults With Special Needs Independence, Opportunities

Paramus has become home to the first PRIDE facility in Bergen County, a training facility which works with young people who have special needs helping them to gain independence and responsibility leading them to a future with opportunities.

Clients and their family members along with a number of local, county and state officials joined the PRIDE team in the Thursday morning grand opening celebration at the new center located on Sette Road.

PRIDE, which stands for Promoting Responsibility Independence Decision-Making Employability, was born out of a need for a transitional program to help those with special needs advance from their schooling into the employment world.

“Parents had said we want a place where our kids could continue to grow and learn,” said Dot Libman, director of PRIDE, who explained how the program was born out of the Early Childhood Learning Center which has been teaching special needs children for decades.

They listened and the first PRIDE center was created in Chatham in Morris County opening in 2008.

“This is living proof that dreams can come true,” says Bruce Littinger, executive director, of the newest facility. Littinger is credited with getting PRIDE efforts off the ground.

“This speaks volumes about how people with disabilities should always be respected and treated wonderfully,” said Littinger.

“Once children age out of the school system at 21, there were very few resources so I am so happy that things are starting to blossom and we are getting more and more services for the young people after they age out of our public school system,”  said Joan Voss, Bergen County Freeholder who is an advocate for people with special needs as her own son as Asperger’s Syndrome.

Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno spoke of how important facilities like PRIDE really are “it’s not only [Important] to the clients, that’s obvious, but to the parents who know they have a safe, welcoming and open place that will give opportunities to their sons and daughters.” 

PRIDE Bergen currently has 18 members in the program and will have about 30 in the fall, said Adam Dratch, assistant director who runs the program long with director Neil Watson.

An abundance of activities are offered which not only help the clients get skills they need to help them become more independent but it is also intellectually stimulating as well, explained Littinger.  The facility offers classes in include telephone skills, money management, food and nutrition, dance, dramatics, social skills, volunteering and independent living skills.

“PRIDE is all about being independent, making our own decisions and having responsibilities,” said Mary Manago, a young woman who attends PRIDE Bergen. “Cause of all this I am an adult, I feel like an adult and I am able to take responsibility.”

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