PRIDE Gives Adults With Special Needs Independence, Opportunities

Paramus has become home to the first PRIDE center in Bergen County, a training facility which helps young people with special needs gain independence and responsibility. 

Clients and their family members along with a number of local, county and state officials joined the PRIDE team at Thursday's grand opening celebration at the new center 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 workforce, Dot Libman, director of PRIDE, said. 

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

Officials 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.

Bergen County Freeholder Joan Voss, an advocate for people with special needs— her own son has Asperger's Syndrome — said the PRIDE center will be a key resource in supporting youngsters once they leave public school. 

“Once children are 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,”  Voss said. 

Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno spoke of how helpful facilities like PRIDE really are for parents. 

"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 Assistant Director Adam Dratch, who runs the program long with director Neil Watson.

An abundance of activities are offered, which not only help the clients get the 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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