New Autism Center Coming To West Babylon

WEST BABYLON, NY — A new center for autism will opening soon in West Babylon. The Winters Center for Autism held a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday to mark the start of construction of the facility on 92 Mahan Street. The non-profit helps adults with autism find and train for jobs in addition to assisting Long Island businesses to develop and implement programs to employ adults with autism.

The new state-of-the-art campus spans across two buildings for a combined 21,000 square feet of instructional space. The vocational and life skills teaching facility will provide adults with autism job training skills needed to succeed in the workplace. The campus will also offer indoor and outdoor spaces for health and wellness activities, including a sensory garden, greenhouse and the local eatery, Brigid’s Cafe

"The brand-new Winters Center for Autism will help Long Island’s caring employers to create, develop, and implement job training programs for adults on the autism spectrum. The lives of these individuals will benefit through the self-confidence that comes from a job well-done," Governor Andrew Cuomo wrote in a statement.

Additional job services will include career planning, interview preparation, exploration of volunteer and educational opportunities and assistance for employers to develop an employment programs for people with autism.

According to Chris Ponzio, executive director of the center, the unemployment rate for people with autism is over 90 percent, despite the fact that many people with autism want to work and share their talents.

"What I would say is that there is a job for every person. We are going to find the right fit for the right person at the right company," Joe Winters, president and founder of Winters Center for Autism. "We will keep that relationship going and you will see that over a period of time people are going to flourish and the company will better for it."

All photos courtesy of The Winters Center for Autism