Chapel Haven sends out a quarterly e-newsletter. Click HERE to read the winter 2011 edition of Chapel Haven’s e-newsletter.
When Tom Ames stood up to provide the musical interlude at the June 11 graduation for ASAT, he chose to sing “Wild World,” by Cat Stevens.
At first, Tom sang alone but within moments, the enthusiastic crowd of more than 100 family and friends began singing along.
It was one of many uplifting moments, capped by the poignant words of Jacob Shore, one of the 9 graduates. Jacob brought many to tears and received thundering applause as he talked about how he has come to terms with his diagnosis. Jacob is pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Southern Connecticut State University.
“Over the course of two years, and really throughout my life, I’ve wondered about what I would be like if I didn’t have Aspergers, and I would be able to go to school, college, and work, as a neurotypical kind of person, it wasn’t always wondering too, it was a deep desire, and I desperately wanted to be normal, and be rid of this handicap, and all the different not good effects that came with it, more than once, it may have gotten me in trouble, and caused me to be embarrassed. I just wanted to be cured of this thing that had kept me from being a normal person, that I thought held me back from what I, and maybe a lot of other people wanted from me, I just thought it would make me feel liberated, and able to make people happy and proud with me, if I did things better or right to them, if I didn’t have my disability. But now, I know the truth, I know now that maybe we can’t change who we are, or what we’re born with, but we can live with it, embrace it, and make our lives, and the lives of everyone else, just a little better, and I know that people are pleased and proud of me, no matter what I do, and most important of all, I know who I am, and how I expect to live and be treated as, and even if I do change my mind about something, especially if like it, I’ll still be who I am inside. I am Jacob Adam Shore! And 
nothing’s gonna change that.” Continue reading
Eleven students showcased their unique personalities and shared highlights of the past two years on June 18 when they became the third graduating class of Chapel Haven West.
Chapel Haven West's 2011 graduating class
“We are gathered here today to celebrate the end of one phase of life’s journey and the beginning of another,” said Robert D. Nurin, Director of Education at Chapel Haven, Inc. who made the trip west to Tucson for the ceremony.
“Life is a journey,” he continued. “A course that you set and determine by the decisions you make each and every day. Eleanor Roosevelt once said ‘the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams’. So as you step out to meet the challenges of the future, your minds prepared and your skills honed by the experiences you have had at Chapel Haven West, I urge you to set your direction with a positive “can-do” attitude and a strong spirit.”
Among student speakers was graduate Josh Friend
The graduating students – Michael Augerson, Gary Blomquist, Chris Brown, Sara Christensen, Joshua Friend, Mike Hurson, Sydney Kramer, Aaron Monihan, Jonathan Shuman, and Stephanie Tse – took the stage to say a few words about their Chapel Haven experiences. The speeches were filled with a combination of humor, candor, and heartfelt thanks that drew both laughter and sentiment from family, friends, and CHW staff. Continue reading
There were tears and joy on Friday, June 24, 2011, when 16 students graduated from REACH.
Matt Tietjen, supervisor of REACH, summed up the poignant ceremony this way: “There is something in this room today that wasn’t here two years ago. It is visible in your faces today and even in the way that you carried yourself as you walked into this room just now. That thing is confidence. Confidence in yourselves – confidence that you have the skills to succeed as you prepare to take another major step in life. ”
“From mobility and cooking to new jobs and friendships, You have all accomplished so much in the past two years that it would take us all afternoon to cover it. So instead I will just thank you. You came to Chapel Haven with the determination needed to get yourselves to this point, and we are grateful to have been partners with each of you along the way. You can now take with you the self-confidence needed to be successful in the next step. I also want to thank the parents and family members here today. Your hope for your son’s and daughter’s futures and your trust in Chapel Haven has allowed us to work with the best students an educator could hope for. And, Finally, I want to thank the REACH staff. It is entirely because of this amazing team of dedicated and talented people, who’s cars you will see in the parking lot well after their shifts are supposed to have ended – it is because of them that Chapel Haven is able to keep the promises we make to our students and their families.” Continue reading
Chapel Haven students and community members had works of art on display at the Mitchell Library branch at 37 Harrison Street in Westville through the month of July.
The exhibit stemmed from collaboration between Chapel Haven and the education department of the Yale Center for British Art that began in January 2010. Tina Menchetti, Chapel Haven’s art teacher, facilitated weekly student visits to the museum for a three month course on visiting art museums led by Jennifer Kowitt, Postgraduate Research Associate in the Education Department, and Docent Cindy Cross. Students gained experience describing art, often creating their own works in response to the Center’s collections. 
An additional class held on the Chapel Haven campus with Kowitt and Cross, entitled “Expressive Painting”, allowed students to paint while inspired by the senses. Music, touch, movement, smells and visual studies of other art works all contributed to the creation of these very expressive pieces. Ceramic pieces are also created by the students in Chapel Haven’s own clay studio where they paint, glaze and fire each molded piece.
A closing reception took place July 28, 2011, 4-6 p.m.
Chapel Haven was founded in 1972 and provides a lifelong program of individualized support services for adults with cognitive and social disabilities, enabling them to live independent and productive lives.
Mitchell Library is open on Mondays, noon to 8 p.m., Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursday, 10 to 6 p.m.
The Asperger Syndrome Adult Transition (ASAT) Extended Day program announces an Extended Day program . This innovative program is designed for individuals who are working, who are enrolled in transitional vocational programs through their school districts, or who are otherwise available for learning in the afternoon or evenings. The program will run Monday thru Thursday from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. Regularly scheduled activities will include:
For more information, please call the Office of Admissions at (203) 397-1714, ext. 148 or an email inquiry to admissions@chapelhaven.org.
Three individuals from Chapel Haven have been hired to work at the new Stop & Shop supermarket on Whalley Avenue in the Dwight neighborhood of New Haven.
Seth L. and Shane S., both second-year students in the REACH program, have obtained part-time jobs and Andrew Lorentz, a second-year student in the ASAT program has been hired full-time. Congratulations to all 3!
Matt Tietjen, supervisor of the REACH program, was instrumental in helping the three individuals get hired. The students filled out job applications with the help of Chapel Haven and sent them in, and then attended a hiring fair at the new Stop & Shop. Little did they know that they would have a lot of company when they went to the jobs fair.
“There were hundreds of people lined up outside of the store,” Matt noted. “The students signed in and then we just came back here” with an assumption that it would be tough to get a job based on the massive turnout. But Matt noted, “Seth got a call and went down the next day for an interview and got the job” and the other job offers followed.
“We later learned that there were 2,600 applicants vying for 140 positions,” Matt said.
Matt credits Ann Demchak, a manager at Stop & Shop, for her willingness to hire Chapel Haven clients. “Ann is so committed to making it work for our students. I was impressed that they have 140 new employees and she still is able to look at our students and find something that will fit for them.”
Stop & Shop has a tradition of hiring Chapel Haven clients. Currently, a number of Chapel Haven community members work at the Stop & Shop in the Amity section of New Haven and have maintained an enviable work record.
Helping students become job-ready is part of both the REACH and ASAT programs, especially an emphasis through work internships on learning the soft skills necessary for employment success. “The students all learn so many skills in the residence as part of the program. They’ve filled in the last piece of the puzzle by getting jobs. They can now be independent,” Matt noted.
CARF International has awarded Chapel Haven with a three-year re-accreditation and many accolades along the way.
After a comprehensive, three-day visit facilitated by Sherry Robitaille, director of quality assurance at Chapel Haven, we were delighted to receive word that CARF has once again agreed to accredit Chapel Haven for a period of three years. The latest accreditation is the fourth consecutive three-year accreditation that the international accrediting body has awarded to Chapel Haven and we were found to be in compliance with 96% of CARF’s rigorous standards, our best outcome yet.
CARF said it most eloquently with this comment: “A philosophy of excellence pervades the organization and is clearly spearheaded from the top down. Persons served are treated with respect and dignity. Their wishes and choices are considered extremely important and it is clear that the staff members are committed to ensuring that action is taken whenever possible.”
In a detailed report, CARF summarized its findings. Click here to read the details: Here are some excerpts:
The CARF accreditation represents the highest level of accreditation that can be awarded to an organization and shows the organization’s substantial conformance to the CARF standards. An organization receiving a Three-Year Accreditation has put itself through a rigorous peer review process and has demonstrated to a team of surveyors during an on-site visit that its programs and services are of the highest quality, measurable, and accountable.
COMMUNITY MEMBER CELEBRATES 30 YEARS AT BROKERAGE
NEW HAVEN - When Laura Mintz landed a job at a major brokerage firm 30 years ago, she never expected to have such a lasting career or to rise from Gal Friday to running the mailroom.
But that was the Laura of 1980 who arrived at Chapel Haven in 1979, enrolled in the two-year REACH transitional program focused on independent living skills.
Students in Chapel Haven’s ASAT program were treated to a guided tour of the Yale Center for British Art on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2010.
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Chapel Haven joins with the Fiddle Foundation to undertake research aimed at improving health outcomes for adults on the spectrum. Click Here for more information.
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