Oakhurst at Kingwood residents with developmental disabilities have someone at their side. New Caney New Horizons is there to help with a simple goal: to help make people with developmental disabilities more self-sufficient.

"They have dreams and goals just like you and me and we want to help them achieve it," said Sherry Lemley, executive director and guest speaker at the Rotary Club of Humble Intercontinental regarding their clients.

Beginning in 1992 with involvement in the Special Olympics, New Caney New Horizons saw residents with developmental disabilities weren't applying their skills they've learns. New Horizons decided to take action. In 1995 the organization began employing people with disabilities within a retail shop, thanks to a certificate from the Department of Labor.

"When they go through vocational training and graduate from high school, their future is to go home and do nothing," Lemley said. "This was not acceptable to the parents for their children to learn the skills and not be able to apply them, so we broadened our program to include vocational training and employment."

The organization has put people to work in the Lonestar Gallery shredding documents, house and grounds-keeping, packaging and labeling items, and more. Their vocational program even teaches them how to cook, read, money management, and other skills to help them on their way to independency. In addition to learning, they also take patrons on fun activities like dancing, parties, movies and more to keep spirits high.

"We have parents or volunteers that take them (patrons) out on the recreational activities and they (patrons) just absolutely love doing it," Lemley said. "For water skiing, we go to Texas Adaptive Aquatics and even those who have severe developmental disabilities are able to participate."

New Caney New Horizons is located at 22564 Community Dr in New Caney. For more information on the organization please call 281-354-7667.

Image courtesy of Kingwood The Observer

Source: Kingwood The Observer