Still Connected: An Eden II Programs Update
A Letter From Our Executive Director,
Dr. Joanne Gerenser
When the Governor announced, quite expectantly, that schools serving children with IEPs could open for the summer and provide face to face instruction, we were all taken by surprise. That said, it had been a day we had hoped would come, so we could provide direct services that so many of our children and their families were in such need of receiving. We had begun the process of developing our re-opening plans weeks before the Governor made his announcement so we would be ready with boots on the ground as soon as we could. The program directors participated in many trainings and work groups to begin the monumental task of re-opening safely in the absence of any formal guidance from the NY State Education Department. They spent time working with facilities to modify the buildings by creating work spaces in the classes that would allow social distancing. Markings were put down on the floors to help the students navigate the environment differently, in this new world we are in right now. New materials had to be developed so that each child would have their own individual set of materials. Protocols for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), handwashing, social distancing, identifying symptoms, disinfecting, and so on had to be developed and staff needed to be trained in all of these protocols.

Our program directors and their staff once again rose to the occasion. Our schools officially re-opened this week. After surveying our families to determine who was ready for direct instruction, we then broke that group into two groups. The first group is receiving face to face instruction for the first three weeks while the other group receives virtual instruction. These groups will be switched for the second 3-week session. While it has only been a couple of days, things have gone quite well. The smiles on the faces of both our students and their instructors was worth all of the hard work to get this going. 

We were only given the go ahead to open our preschool a couple of days ago, so we are in the process of making preparations. We are carefully monitoring the infection rate numbers in NY as they are the most critical variable in safe school re-opening. We continue to be below 2% and certainly hope we stay there, or go even lower.

We are seeing how things go now and believe that this will help us determine the best strategy for opening up more come September. We have not determined yet what the best model will be, but will be working closely with all of our families and the program leadership, while at the same time, keeping up with the important data indicators and ever-changing guidelines for safely managing COVID-19. 

In addition to our educational programs, we also received guidance documents about re-opening of our adult day programs. We are working through these and hope to be able to bring our adults back to program as soon as we can.  

We hope you have a safe and healthy summer and look forward to a productive summer school for the students at Eden II and Genesis Programs.
Seasons For A Reason's Etsy Shop Is Open!
We are thrilled to announce our Etsy shop is back! Check out some of our new products available for purchase! The mission of Seasons for a Reason is to employ people with autism. Offering high quality crafts, and a range of promotional items, Seasons for a Reason is devoted to providing vocational training opportunities to participants with autism.
Say "Thank You" With a Frontline Lawn Sign!
Proudly display your gratitude for all hard-working essential frontline workers!

Price: $20 each

Lawn signs MUST be pre-purchased with a credit card.
No cash or checks accepted at this time.

Arrangement for pickups MUST be confirmed with Development after purchasing.

For any questions please contact Kara Lamendola at  klamendola@eden2.org  or Maureen Higgins at  mhiggins@eden2.org .
Amazon Wishlist-Thank You For Your Continued Support!
We are thankful to everyone who has purchased items from our residential wishlist to help keep the participants in our group homes engaged and entertained while they practice social distancing.
Aaron
Andrea (Jimmy's sister)
Bryna 
Michelle & Daniel (Friends of Rosengarten)
Steven Anderson
Phyllis Attianese 
Julie Azuma
Lauren Baker-Anderson
Denise Bianchi & Family
Nick Block 
Rochelle Basovitch
Diana Caputo
Keith Chambery
Jennifer Chabus
 Jamie Coen-Scholfield
Sarah Collins 
Dawn & Ken Doherty
Fran Enia 
Stephen Fine
Barbara & Phil Gavosto
Stephen Gavosto
Sandy Gagstetter
Melissa Gavinelli
Deborah Goldschmidt
Adriana Grimaldi
Eileen Hopkins
Sue & Andy Jacobs
The Jensen Family
Deanna Jones
Cindy Kaplan
Judith Kaplan
Ruth Kestenbaum
Irene & Marty Kofman
Charles Kramer 
Matt Lamendola
Jennifer Leyendecker
Angela Natale
Kelly Nevins McCabe
Nina Novie
The Paulsen Family 
Sherie Pennino
Denise Perciballi
Lenore Puleo 
Susan Ribaudo
Mindy Rosengarten
Yigal Rosengarten
Stephanie Russo
Christian Salinas
Lisa Sclafani Sorrento
Lisa Seraté
William Stanley
Valerie Tucci
Joe & Claudine Votto 
Olena Zaretska
Zuppardi Family

Thank you to everyone who has donated to our front line campaign!

If you do not see your name listed please contact info@eden2.org. We apologize in advance for any missing names.
Michael Ackerman 
Pamela Adamo
Nancy Ambery 
Lisa Anderson
Mercy Anjorin
Erin Archibald 
Jamie Arnold 
Julie Azuma 
Patti Barker
Lucy Beirne
Elisa Belcastro 
Maidelle Benamy
Marc Benanti
Marissa Bennett
Robert Berkowitz
Sharon Berkowitz 
Denise Bianchi 
Richard Boehm 
Matthew Brander 
Stephen Brewi
Terry Burn 
PS Burns 
Ross Burwasser
James Caldarella 
Lisa Caldarera 
Susan Canny 
Chrisie Canny 
Marissa Capizzi
Acela Carlin 
Sue Carter 
Jason Casano
Michael Cassas
Stephanie Cassas
Anthony Castiglione 
Irene Cavanagh 
Robert Cavanagh 
Donna Ceman 
Maureen Chalos 
Keith Chambery 
Georgia Christoforou
Rick Chou 
Frank Cicero 
Chris Citarrella
Jeanette Collins 
Sarah Collins 
Maria Contino
Michael Contino 
Jill Cornell
Sharlene Corrigan 
Rob Croccito 
James Cronin 
Dan Cunningham 
Julie Debernardo 
Geoff Debery 
Lorelai Dee
Paula Delfino 
Michael DeMaio 
Anna DeMeo 
Joanne D'Esposito 
Maria DiGiacomo
Marietta Dimina 
Ronnie Dineen 
Darren Diprima 
Dominic DiPrisco
Christine DiTomasso 
David Dobell 
Jan Downey 
Beti Duli-Tale 
Shirley Dunn
Andy Dunscombe 
Stephanie Dussel
Samia El Moslimany
Matt Emmer 
Carly Emmer 
Lauren Epifanio 
Nancy Everett
JoAnn Farrell
Corinne Farrell
Marlene Feinberg 
Barbara Ferrante 
Pier Fetz 
Marisa Filupeit 
Lorenz Fish 
Cynthia Fisher 
Eileen Fitzpatrick
Rob Fodera
Angela Fuschetto 
Malki Gartenberg 
Gerald Gartner 
Geri Garvin 
Karen Gates 
Melissa Gavinelli 
Toni Gennuso 
Joanne Gerenser
Michael Giangregorio
Nick Gilbo 
Laurie Giordano 
Joanne Giuliano
Ariel Glaubach 
David Glick 
Barry Goldberg 
Lori Gray 
AnnMarie Grieco
Adriana Grimaldi 
Janet Grosser 
Moe Hageko 
Lauren Hakim 
LouAnne Haley
Faye Hamid 
Grace Han
Gail Hansche 
Melissa Hess
Maureen Higgins 
Patricia Hincken 
Hannah Hoch 
Denise Holzka 
JoAnn Hope 
Eileen Hopkins 
Jackie Huey 
Patty Hutton
Hope Iliceto 
Thomas Iliceto 
Dyane Irvine
AnnMarie Itgen 
Lyudmila Ivanova 
Linell Iversen 
Donald Johnson
Alexander Jones
DeAnna Jones 
Michael Joseph 
Susan Kaplan
Michael Kaplan
Loretta Kennedy 
Barbara Kenny
Solomon Kinard 
Steve Kirschbaum
Jessica Klein 
Rosemarie Klingele 
Maryann Korn
Charles Kramer 
Mark Krinsky 
Eugene Krupatkin
Janet Lamantia 
Kara Lamendola 
Marcia Langaigne
Stefanie Lavelle
Pat Leahy
Jessica Leather 
Sandy Levine
Jackie Libretti
Alison Lipshin
Kristine Lombardo 
Vivian Lynch 
Laura Maguire 
Christopher Maher 
Alfred Mahoney 
Elena Maldonado 
Patty Marceante 
Nancy Marchese 
Paula Marocchi
Valerie Martin 
Ann McDermott
Mary McDonald 
Joanne McDougall 
Janet McGill 
Meaghan McGoldrick 
Beth McLoughlin 
Kevin McShane 
Nicole Memoli 
Dan Miran 
Linda Mitchell
Janet Moley 
Julie Morawek 
Barbara Morello 
Maria Mucciarone 
Richard Murdison 
Mutual of America
Angale Natale 
Paula Neenan
Ashley Nicole 
Cathy Nicoletti 
William Nolan 
Nina Novie 
Despina Novie
Chris Nuzzi 
Debra Ochs 
Marge O'Neil 
Rita Ormsby 
Olivia O'Rourke 
Toni Ann Pabon 
Bernardo Pace 
Lisa Padla
Bonnie Patala
Larry Paterno
Ken Paulsen 
Christopher Pekoff
Sherrie Penino
Lisa Perani-Anderson
Nancy Phillips 
Sandina Popper
Christine Porizio 
Richard Portello 
Brenda Principe
Ellen Proszak
Frank Pugliese 
Denise Purcell
Daniel Rauch 
Shanx Ravisankar 
Brooklyn Re
RoseMarie Reel 
Susan Ribaudo 
Anjail Rice
Joseph Rinaldi 
Sulma Rivera 
Celia Roche
David Roll 
Yvonne Roman 
Mindy Rosengarten
Joshua Rosengarten 
Katie Rotan
Susan Rotsztajn 
Mary Rowan
Sharyn Ruggiero 
Donald Russo
Breeda Ryan 
Carolyn Sagnelli
Leonard Scandaglia
Ada Schechtman 
Wendy Schmidt 
Robyn Schneider 
Bonnie Schneider 
Anne Seifried 
Lisa Seraté
Joanne Sgambati 
Katherine Sgarlato 
Victoria Shurott 
Michele Sileo 
Kimberly Smith 
Sophie Sophororos 
Lisa Sorrento 
Anna Spadafora 
Denise Sperduto
Tamio Spiegel 
Jaime Sposito 
Maria Stabinsky 
Kathleen Stanley
Marianne Stanley 
Rosemarie Stavola 
Irene Stefas 
Harvey Stein
Wendy Stynes 
Christina Swiderski 
Terry Tarangelo 
Eve Taranto
Veronica Taura 
Nicole Tibaldi
Michelle Tittel
Sheila Tjon
Valerie Tucci 
Gretchen Turner 
Shannon Viggio 
Teresa Visconti 
Ben von Doussa 
Keith Ward 
Denise Wiatre
Linda Williams 
Alexis Yarmolowitz 
Hunter relaxing with his pup, Zannah.
Tina and her brother Andrew with Teya the toad!
Our Development Associate, Kara, with Theo the kitten!
Donate Supplies or Funds Today!
Our residential staff are working around the clock to take care of our participants, and are doing an amazing job! We currently have supplies for all of our locations that need them, but with a surge in demand, we are being proactive and looking to increase our current supply. If you or someone you know have any of the following items available to donate, please contact info@eden2.org to arrange a dropoff.

Powder free exam gloves
Medical isolation gowns
Chemical splash goggles
Hand sanitizer
Hand sanitizer wipes
Surface sanitizer wipes
Disinfectant spray
N95 face masks

Thank you to those who have generously donated PPE for our staff:

Borough President James Oddo
Senator  Andrew J. Lanza
Assemblyman Michael Cusick
Assemblywoman  Nicole Malliotakis
Assemblyman  Mike Reilly
Assemblyman Charles D. Fall
Councilman Steven Matteo
Councilman  Joe Borelli
Councilwoman  Debi Rose
District Attorney Mike McMahon
-
Steven Anderson
Clara Azadegan
Lauren Baker-Anderson
Anthony Castiglione
Amy Hume Bellisano on behalf of The Woodbridge Center
Denise Bianchi
Brooklyn Home Foundation
Debbie Burwasser
Joe Caldarera
Stephanie Cassas
Sabrina Rose Dallas
Denise Eget
Dr. Ryan Galligan
Hatteras
Audrey Hassuer & other
Metuchen residents
Dr. Jane Howard
Magnacare
Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis
Shelley Chi Mawhinney, Metuchen
Randy McArthur
Joe McCormack
Making Waves Foundation
Medtrak Rx
Nassau/Suffolk Autism Society of America
Sue Reek
Rab's Country Lanes
Rescuing Families, Inc.
Sulma Rivera
Staten Island Elected Officials
Staten Island Glove & Safety
Elizabeth Thomas
Westpoint Home
Oscar Valera, Metuchen
Amazon Smile is a free and easy way to help support Eden II. Simply select Eden II as the charity of your choice, and Amazon will donate a percentage of every purchase made back to Eden II when you shop through Amazon Smile. Click here to select Eden II.