Center For Adults With Special Needs Opening In Parsippany

PARSIPPANY, NJ — A new facility for adults with special needs is opening in Parsippany this week, thanks to the Education, Careers & Lifelong Community (ECLC) for Children and Adults with Special Needs.

Parsippany will host the grand opening of ECLC of New Jersey's new PRIDE Center on Thursday at 11 a.m. The ribbon cutting is scheduled for 40 Baldwin Road in Parsippany and will also mark April as Autism Awareness Month.

Parsippany Mayor Pulkit Desai, Council President Judy Hernandez, and a representative from Gov. Mikie Sherrill's office will be attending. Board members, ECLC senior leadership, and other supporters are also expected at the event.

ECLC of New Jersey is a nonprofit founded in 1970. According to the organization, it serves more than 900 individuals with autism, Down syndrome, and other special needs.

The nonprofit operates schools in Chatham Borough and Ho-Ho-Kus for students ages 5 to 21, along with PRIDE Centers in Florham Park, Saddle Brook, and now Parsippany. It also offers supported-employment services throughout the region.

Many people with special needs age out of programs provided by schools or other nonprofits when they turn 18, or sometimes 21. Facilities like the Pride Center are meant to keep those people in a position where they can continue to learn and grow.

The new Parsippany PRIDE Center is described by the organization as a program for school graduates and other adults with special needs. The center is intended to provide a nurturing setting where participants can continue growing and learning throughout their lifetime.

The full-time program will focus on daily living and social skills, and provide opportunities for community participation.