Spiritually Lifting Those Who Need It Most
HASC Residence Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
On what felt like a summer day in the middle of February, HASC Centers welcomed friends, family, supporters, and community leaders to the ribbon cutting ceremony of its new supportive residence in Brooklyn. Located in the beautiful neighborhood of East 14th Street, this three floor, two apartment with three bedrooms each now serves as the home for six young men in their early to mid-twenties as they master independence and community involvement.
With HASC Center dedicated to providing people with special needs the necessary empowerment tools to live as independently as possible, this new residence, along with many others, offers support to the extent that is necessary. It enables each individual to attain their desired outcomes and sustain a quality of life that is productive and meaningful. As described by a current staff member, “Our residents that were living in a supervised residence were ready to take the next step up. From everyday life skills to social interaction, we needed to respond to their demand for more independence, while still providing structure and support when necessary. For most of these six men, this is a step that they are proud to say they’ve taken.”
Appointed both tastefully and respectfully, this new residence is everything a 20-something living in Brooklyn could dream of. Each individual resident’s room was decorated uniquely to their taste, with no two rooms the same.
As guests of the event were taken through the house by the residents, it was undeniable that this home was one in which they felt proud to live in. From the original artwork displayed on the walls of resident Laiby Lichtenstein, to the handshakes being shared between housemates as they greeted each other’s families, it was clear that HASC Center and their dedicated staff had truly done it again.
Rabbi Dr. Chaim Wakslak, clinical director of HASC Center, welcomed everyone and introduced the Honorable Chaim Deutsch City Councilman for District 48 in whose district the new residence is located. The Councilman welcomed the new residence and its occupants by saying that not only is the home beautiful, but so are those who live in it.
The next speaker, the Honorable Eric L. Adams, Brooklyn Borough President, captivated the audience with his understanding and appreciation of the need to provide people with special needs the opportunity for growth and independence. He articulated with great clarity and conviction that Brooklyn was uniquely suited to be the location of the newly opened home because the very fabric of the Borough of Brooklyn reflects diversity, tolerance, and acceptance for all of the inhabitants. His concluding remarks consisted of words of congratulations and encouragement to the staff and administration of HASC Center.
Mrs. Ruth Lichtenstein, mother of resident Laiby and publisher of Hamodia, shared a parental response. She relayed that since moving into his new home, Laiby reluctantly visits his parents’ house for Shabbos. On one such occasion, at the conclusion of Shabbos, he turned to his parents and said “Goodbye, I am going home.” With laughter, Laiby’s parents recognized that he had truly found his own home in the 14th street HASC residence.HASC
Prior to the conclusion of the program and ribbon cutting ceremony, Dovid Rothstein, one of the young men living in the residence, recited an original poem for all in attendance, titled “Home for Us.” Dovid truly captured the spirit, essence, and mission of his home, the newest HASC residence.