Cerebral Palsy of Westchester Receives Grant Secured by NYS Senator Shelley B. Mayer to Create a Training Center

RYE BROOK, NY – Cerebral Palsy of Westchester (CPW) and Senator Shelley B. Mayer announced today that CPW has been awarded $150,000 in state funding, secured by Senator Mayer, to construct The BRIDGE Training Center. 

CPW will use the funding to make modifications and renovations to an existing 1,500 square-foot house on its campus in Rye Brook. Once renovated, the building will house a new program: The BRIDGE Training Center. The Center will offer work-based learning and life skills to CPW’s high school and adult clients. The BRIDGE Training Center will offer CPW ways to expand training partnerships with current community partners, bring in new partners, and will provide opportunities for individuals in the local area not currently served by CPW but who could benefit from a vocational and life-skills training center such as this. 

The Training Center program aims to serve hundreds of individuals who, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), are among the most marginalized in the world – teens and young adults with disabilities. With societal and other barriers, these young people face numerous challenges in transitioning to adulthood and learning to live independently. 

Senator Shelley Mayer said, “I am proud to secure $150,000 in state funding to construct The BRIDGE Training Center for Cerebral Palsy of Westchester. This training center will provide tremendous support and resources to Cerebral Palsy of Westchester’s high school and adult clients, helping them face the challenges in transitioning to living independently. I thank Linda Kuck, the Executive Director of CPW and her team for their commitment to ensuring teens and young adults with disabilities have opportunities and the resources they need to thrive.” 

Linda Kuck, CPW’s Executive Director, said, “This project addresses some of the most dire needs of our community. It has been a dream to convert this home into this life skills / vocational training center, which will enable us to meet these needs in an innovative way. The BRIDGE Training Center will remove barriers to independent living and full inclusion in society through individualized “real-world” life-skills and vocational training. In addition to having a high impact on beneficiaries' lives, it will enable us to offer a whole new level of service and offers possibilities for our participants to work and give back to the local Rye Brook community.”

Now in its 74th year, Cerebral Palsy of Westchester’s mission is to advance the independence, productivity, and full citizenship of people living with developmental disabilities including autism, neurological impairments, intellectual disabilities, epilepsy, and cerebral palsy. Through a comprehensive network of educational programs, day services, residential sites, therapeutic services, employment training, recreation programs and advocacy, the agency helps thousands of children and adults in Westchester live more productive and satisfying lives. The organization’s motto is:

Realizing Tomorrow’s Potential...Today! For more, visit cpwestchester.org.

Senator Mayer and Cerebral Palsy of Westchester were also joined by Assemblyman Steve Otis, County Legislator Nancy Barr, Rye Town Supervisor Gary Zuckerman, and Rye Brook Mayor Jason Klein.

Click here to watch the press conference.