Kulanu acquires new building

Announcement made at special ed school's annual community fair

Staff Report Issue of May 22, 2009 / 28 Iyar 5769 At their annual fair in Cedarhurst Park on Sunday, Kulanu announced that it had finalized plans to purchase a building from the St. Joachim Parish of Cedarhurst at 620 Central Ave. Due to the foreclosure of their main office earlier this year, and an unprecedented surge in enrollment for next year, the organization was in need of several new classrooms, which they have now secured through their recent acquisition. “Kulanu will provide an expansive range of services that will benefit all of the commnity’s children,” explained Mark Honigsfeld, Chairman of the board of Kulanu. “Our community has long been missing a community-wide recreation facility to host inclusive, meaningful and fun activities after school and on weekends.” The new Kulanu Center for Special Services will serve hundreds of local children with special needs, combining ducational, therapeutic, recreational and social services in one location. The campus will host a variety of programs, including vocational training workshops for teens and young adults. The center will also house Kulanu’s post-high school Gesher program. Directly off the lobby will be Kukanu’s Keren Eliana Parent Advocacy and Resource Center (PARC), designed to support parents of newly diagnosed children. One parent expressed her gratitude toward the organization and their activities. “During a Friday night dinner I was filled with awe and pride as my 16-year-old son and his two friends told countless stories about their Kulanu classmates,” said Janet Grosser of Woodmere. “Their experiences were told with kindness, humor, compassion and a keen understanding of their capabilities. We have to thank HAFTR and Kulanu for giving our children an invaluable lesson in empathy and an opportunity to be giving and caring young adults. With the new building right in town, there is a permanent, safe and accessible location for children to gather and share experiences.” Costs to complete the building project are estimated at $6 million. Over $3 million has been pledged so far. For more information and sponsorship opportunities, contact Mindy Kofman Rosengarten, Kulanu’s Director of Development at (516) 569-3083 or mindy[at]kulanukids.org.