With the first day of school fast approaching, more than 100 supporters of ECLC of New Jersey hit the links at the Farmstead Golf & Country Club to help fund afterschool and weekend programs, much-needed capital improvements and more for the children and adults with special needs served by this Chatham-based nonprofit.
The golf outing is a longstanding tradition, started 19 years ago by a group of ECLC fathers to purchase new basketball jerseys. As ECLC has grown, so has the golf outing. Today, it is a significant fund-raising event that supports all of ECLC’s entities -- from the special-needs schools in Chatham and Ho-Ho-Kus to ECLC's adult day and evening P.R.I.D.E. programs and its supported employment agency, Community Personnel Services (CPS).
The event brings together many ECLC "friends," including parents of current students, alumni parents, along with staff, graduates and other supporters. View a gallery of photos on ECLC's Facebook page.
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What is ECLC?
ECLC is a Chatham-based, nonprofit that offers a caring community -- from schooling to employment and day programs -- for people with special needs, including autism, Down syndrome and severe learning disabilities.
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The community begins at ECLC's special-needs schools in Chatham and Ho-Ho-Kus, which educate more than 300 students, ages 5-21, who have been placed by their hometown districts for schooling.
After graduation, ECLC provides different paths, depending on the capabilities and interests of the now adult client. There is a supported employment agency, CPS, that links candidates for working with appropriate jobs in their community.
An alternative path to take is joining the P.R.I.D.E. day/evening programs, located in Chatham and Paramus. P.R.I.D.E. is a dynamic, self-directed program in which clients choose their schedule of activities. They build a foundation for future success by practicing daily living skills, such as food prep and cooking, music appreciation and money skills and leisure activities, including karaoke and yoga. They volunteer in the community and work through the P.R.I.D.E.CO micro-business, completing shredding and packaging contracted jobs for local businesses in a dedicated work space outfitted with commercial equipment.
ECLC Foundation
The ECLC Foundation supplements capital expenses and new program initiatives, afterschool, weekend, respite (sleepover) and alumni enrichment programs. Learn how you help support ECLC.
