This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Lighting the Way Receives $342K Grant for Special Needs Transport Vehicles

STAR Services/Lighting the Way is happy to announce they are the recipients of a grant award for $342,600 from the state of Connecticut. The funds were used to purchase 14 vehicles needed to transport people with developmental disabilities. The vans will enable STAR to transport individuals to their jobs, homes and medical appointments and were purchased from Honda of Westport.

STAR/Lighting the Way serves approximately 700 individuals with special needs from birth through senior years in Wilton, Westport, Weston, Norwalk and surrounding towns. 

Certified teachers and therapists provide early intervention services for infants and children, including therapeutic, educational and social services. STAR provides families with support in order to assist their children with their responsibilities within the family. Formal programs and professional services are offered. STAR also helps seniors with developmental disabilities to build their interpersonal relationship skills participate more fully in community life.

Find out what's happening in Wiltonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 

Katie Banzhaf, executive director of STAR, said in a statement: “We are extremely pleased with this much-needed grant which provides us with the ability to meet the needs of our people better than ever before in terms of safety, reliability and efficiency, and also to ensure that adults with developmental disabilities remain safe, active and fully engaged members of our community. Transportation is a critical element to providing rich opportunities for people with disabilities in our towns.”

Find out what's happening in Wiltonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

About STAR/Lighting the Way

STAR is a not–for-profit organization serving individuals of all ages who have developmental disabilities, as well as providing support services to their families.  We create opportunities for individuals to live full lives with independence, freedom of choice and personal growth by providing support, services and advocacy. We inform and encourage the community to recognize and appreciate the value of all individuals. Our goal is the inclusion of all individuals with disabilities in their community.

STAR provided services to over 500 infants, children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families with approximately 74% of these in the low/moderate income level.  They primarily reside in Fairfield County, with our Respite Services offered throughout Connecticut. These individuals range from birth to over 80 years of age and all have some form of developmental delay.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?