Page 32 - 12th Annual Long Island Imagine Awards Program

Social Impact

Anne DeGruttola, Director of Administrative Services Charles Evdos, Chief Executive Officer
Bethany House Rise Life Services
625 DeMott Avenue, Baldwin, NY 11510 901 E. Main Street, Suite 508, Riverhead, NY 11901
(516) 868-6866 | www.bhny.org (631) 727-6220 | www.riselifeservices.org
We make life better with a community of services to empower people of all abilities to Rise to their
The average person spends 365 hours a month at home. Imagine... what it’s like not to have one. full potential! We believe that all individuals have the right, to the extent of their ability, to live in
the community and enjoy the benefits and amenities of living in society. Rise Life Services’ guiding
Founded in 1978, Bethany House supports women, and women with children, on Long Island principles are based on our core values of inclusion and diversity quality, dignity, inclusion, and
who are experiencing homelessness. Bethany House is the place where neighbors come together respect. Following these core values, Rise is committed to fighting social injustices and inequalities
to support neighbors. It is because of these empowering partnerships that we have been able to which are often faced by our community members. We provide housing, to give individuals a
empower the women, and women with children, who come to us in their time of need. more independent lifestyle and help them gain confidence in living with their peers. In addition,
we also have an array of supportive programs to advance their skills, like our Day program which
Bethany House is built on a foundation of community support to provide a continuum of care, from brings individuals into the community for sporting events, volunteer opportunities and activities.
uncertainty to stability. Through our partnerships, we provide the women in our programs with Our individuals also assist with our Community Food Pantry, which feeds over 300 families weekly
trauma informed services, in-house and community-based health services, and case management and is a pivotal piece of our community. A goal of ours is to enhance our food pantry by gaining a
focused on securing educational and employment growth opportunities and a path to permanent mobile food pantry to assist more communities who are experiencing food insecurities. In addition,
housing and self-sufficiency. We strive for our guests and their children to experience a sense of we have a Suicide prevention program, a mental health clinic, and a cultural center, located in
self-worth and belonging in response to their experience with our dedicated staff and volunteers.
Huntington. Our ultimate goal is to assist the community with mental health services, and our
food pantry, while giving those with disabilities the confidence to live a more independent lifestyle.
We are honored to be a finalist for the Social Impact Award. Bethany House strives to set a
standard of care for those who seek support on Long Island and is proud to have that standard
recognized.

Suzette Gordon, President & CEO Christine Ponzio, Executive Director
SCO Family of Services Winters Center for Autism
1415 Kellum Place, Suite 140, Garden City NY 11530 92 Mahan Street, West Babylon, NY 11704
(516) 671-1253 | www.sco.org (631) 635-1169 | www.winterscenterforautism.com
SCO Family of Services delivers vital human services to children, families, adults, and the
community to provide them with the necessary tools to achieve success. For over 125 years, Winters Center for Autism, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit affiliated with the Winters Family Foundation,
SCO has been providing community-based support to fortify families and help them reach their was established in 2020 after years of thoughtful planning and development. Joe and Michele
highest potential. Our programs include Early Childhood and Education, Family Permanency, Winters, native Long Islanders, have been strong advocates for high-quality services for people
Community Health and Wellness, Housing, Residential Treatment/Youth Justice, and Services for with autism since their son Sean’s diagnosis in 1996. They have long believed that employment
People with Developmental Disabilities. SCO’s evidence-based practices interrupt the cycles that provides people with a sense of fulfillment and purpose. Today, autism affects 1 in 36 children in
prevent every child, individual, and family from having what they need. the United States.
SCO’s Madonna Heights campus in Dix Hills is more than a treatment facility. In short: it is a The Center is a dynamic partnership of dedicated people working together to enhance the lives
health and wellness sanctuary. Madonna Heights is expressly designed to meet the needs of women of adults with autism through job creation, training and placement to address the excessive
and girls who have undergone trauma or hardship and are in need of holistic support. Our services unemployment rate among people with autism. Although there are many programs that provide
address substance abuse, medical needs, and mental health challenges and include: excellent services for children and teens, there is a huge gap in the number of services and
• Madonna Height School – a residential and day school that helps adolescent girls triumph over trauma opportunities for adults with autism.
• Morning Star – a residential recovery program that provides a safe, structured sober environment for The Winters Center for Autism is committed to enhancing the quality of life for adults with autism
women and moms through job creation, training and placement while helping businesses to develop and implement
• SCO Clinic – an outpatient substance use treatment clinic to fight back against the epidemic of opioid/ programs to employ people with autism.
substance use and addiction on LI
• Family Service Clinic – a mental health clinic that provides critical supports to strengthen LI families The Winters Center for Autism identifies skills and talents of our participants and matches them
with businesses and organizations open to creating jobs for capable and trained employees, creating
• Care Management - a curated care experience, helps clients navigate appropriate medical, behavioral a kinder and more inclusive Long Island community. The Center also provides fitness, recreation
health, and substance use care and supports and social programs to assist participants in achieving their goals.
At Madonna Heights, we know that hope brings change.
We would like to thank Cerini & Associates, LLP for nominating us for the social impact award.
We would also like to thank everyone at the Long Island Imagine Awards.
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