Abilities!

News

Setting Higher Standards For At Risk Youth!

December 2005

Albertson, NY, December 2005 — Bank of America, typically known for setting ‘Higher Standards’ within the banking industry is now helping to set higher standards for at-risk high school students with disabilities. Bank of America recently provided a $10,000 grant to Abilities, Inc. in support of their PROSPER (People Reaching for Opportunities to Succeed Personally, Educationally and Realistically) Tools for Success program.

Pictured (L. to R.) Walter Dillingham, Jr., Director, Institutional Investment and Magda Hayden, Senior Vice President, Client Management for Bank of America presenting a $10,000 check to Susan Gordon Ryan, Vice President, Development and David Okorn, Vice President, Corporate Relations for the PROSPER program, which serves at-risk youth.

The Tools for Success program currently works with at-risk youth from Freeport and Uniondale high schools that have physical, learning and/or emotional disabilities. In addition to one or several of these disabilities, most of these students are also dealing with a multitude of other social issues that often include gang involvement, living in foster homes, absentee parents, teenage pregnancy, economically disadvantaged, to name a few.

“The PROSPER Program offers a viable vocational alternative to students who have not been successful on the traditional high school track offered through the public school system. The PROSPER program offers these students opportunities to obtain the skills necessary to get and keep a job or go on to post-secondary education” states Francine Tishman, President and COO, Abilities, Inc.

PROSPER instructors provide much needed one-on-one instruction and act as a positive role model for this student population and the results are admirable. This remarkable program has had a profound impact on hundreds of young lives. An astonishing 88% of the students enrolled in the Tools for Success program graduate from high school. Of these students 55% have become gainfully employed; 38% have continued their education through college studies; 3% have entered the military; 2% have gone to vocational school; and only 2% are unemployed.

Mission

Abilities! is a non-profit agency that is dedicated to empowering people with disabilities to be active, independent, and self-sufficient participants in our society. Through education, training, research, leadership, and example, Abilities! seeks to provide the highest quality services and to influence national attitudes, policies, and legislation in ways that will lead to the greatest benefits for the people we serve.

Abilities, Inc. (an affiliate of Abilities!)

For almost 50 years, Abilities, Inc. has trained people with disabilities in the skills needed to perform at industry standards to meet current workforce demands. Abilities, Inc. evaluates, trains and serves over 6,000 individuals and places approximately 1,500 into competitive jobs each year. Its track record is unsurpassed in the excellence of our training programs and the success of our participants in finding jobs.

Abilities, Inc. staff works with individuals to develop and focus on their unique abilities that can be applied to the career of their choice. Courses are designed to increase the independence and marketability of individuals with disabilities. While addressing different skills development, all of the courses are designed to increase the number of individuals with disabilities who secure competitive employment.

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