Chapel Haven Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Earth science and basketball classes. Volunteering in the community. And independent living for residents with developmental disabilities. 

Mother-son duo Monica and Andy Schlessinger singled out those as just a few of the many highlights of the Chapel Haven Schleifer Center (CHSC) — which celebrated its 50th anniversary in Westville.

The day-long Saturday celebration consisted of tours of the campus buildings, a marketplace for families to mingle with campus resources, an outdoor photo booth area, lawn games, a Zumba fitness demo with the CHSC adults, a catered dinner from Anthony’s Ocean View, and a ​“Night of Noise” talent show and award ceremony for CHSC’s 30- and 40-year independent living residents. 

CHSC president Michael Storz described the 50th anniversary as a ​“half century of excellence in the field of disability.” 

Andy Schlessinger has lived in Chapel Haven’s residential housing for the past 13 years after graduating from the REACH (Residential Education at Chapel Haven) two-year program. He currently lives on the Schleifer Adult Independent Living (SAIL) campus, which is the newest part of Chapel Haven’s phase one expansion that opened in the spring of 2020.

His mother, Monica, who lives in Stamford, has been relying on Chapel Haven to provide her son with independence, support, and community for over a decade, and she’s never been let down, she said. 

Andy is employed and volunteers much of his time in the community at places like the senior living facility Tower One/Tower East. (Click here to read a story about an award Andy received for his volunteering.) 

Andy also takes enrichment classes daily, his current favorites including earth science and basketball. 

“It’s here that my son can live as independent a life as he can,” Monica said. 

For seven to nine months during the start of the pandemic, Andy could not travel to Stamford to visit his family out of safety precautions, and also had to pivot to taking his daily classes on Zoom. 

“The amazing service he got during the pandemic that just made it so he was safe and happy on his own was something I would have never imagined for us years ago,” Monica said. 

Now Andy is back to taking the bus or train to Stamford to visit his family or to get around town. Taking transportation safely and frequently are life skills Andy learned while at Chapel Haven over the years. 

Later in the day during Chapel Haven’s 50-year anniversary celebration on Saturday, nine CHSC adults received recognition awards for reaching 30- and 40-year ​“milestones of independence” at CHSC. Those adults included: Kim Lamanna, Ellen Rosenbaum, John Malick, Andrew Auerbach, Lori Krass, Rick Savard, Paul Siegel, Steve Kanter, and Laura Mintz. 

Shelley Hartz (pictured above) joined the Saturday celebration with her son Daniel, who has been at CHSC since 2003. Daniel came to CHSC at 19 years old. 

“He has a life here,” Shelley said.

Over the years Shelley has watched her son get a job at the campus cafe, make friends, and find an apartment, thanks to CHSC’s help. 

When bringing Daniel to CHSC, Shelley said she had a dream to provide him with a college-like experience where he could be independent. 

Despite being nervous about Daniel moving from the suburbs to an urban area like New Haven, she said, she knew CHSC was the place to be because ​“there aren’t hidden agendas” and the center is transparent. 

“Parenthood is not without fears and risk,” she said. ​“They gave my son a life and gave me and my husband a life too.” 

Since the day Daniel moved into CHSC and still today, he calls Shelley every night at 9:01 p.m. Not much for his own benefit anymore, but rather to help provide ease to his mother.

“There’s nothing better I could ask for for Daniel. He’s a part of the community and not gated in,” she said. ​“That’s equity and inclusion.” 

CHSC Vice President of Admissions and Marketing Catherine Sullivan-DeCarlo said Saturday’s celebration was also to provide CHSC families with the chance to reconnect after the long pause of in-person programming and to see the new campus buildings that opened amidst the pandemic. 

The 50-year CHSC journey has developed into a center that works with about 250 adults. Of the total number, 150 adults are a part of the Supported Living Program (SLP) and live off-campus independently throughout New Haven. 

The campus’ residential programs include REACH, SAIL, and the Asperger Syndrome Adult Transition Program (ASAT). The center is putting together a plan to expand the ASAT building for its phase 2 rebuilding project. 

In 2020, when the SAIL building opened with 42 beds, Sullivan-DeCarlo said the residential spots were filled immediately and currently have a waitlist. 

“That has showed us that there’s a demand for this lifelong model we have here,” she said. 

Renderings of the phase 2 plan on the three-acre campus were on display Saturday for families to look forward to in the future. The plan includes additional housing, a cafe, and a greenhouse. 

CHSC board chair Peggy Baker announced Saturday that a board-directed $1 million gift will be put towards the phase 2 plan and kick off the staff investment fund. The investment fund will be used to maintain and hire the best qualified team, Sullivan-DeCarlo said. 

CHSC will next host a capital campaign to fund the $53 million building that will revitalize the Westville landscape, Sullivan-DeCarlo said. 

“We are very excited and grateful to this community for their support as we head into our next 50 years,” Sullivan-DeCarlo said. 

“Chapel Haven Schleifer Center has big plans for the future. Starting with a staff investment fund that not only attracts new talent but increases benefits for new and existing employees and culminating in a multi-year campus expansion that will include a state-of-the-art 93,000 square foot mixed use flagship building,” Storz said. ​“The new facility will house more than 50 residents, retail space, a cafe, classrooms, and research suites.” 

The expansion of the campus’ residential space will add to the current 30 REACH beds and 15 ASAT beds. 

In addition to the hundreds that joined together for the Saturday celebration, some CHSC adults also participated in the Special Olympics Connecticut soccer, tennis, and swimming competitions at Fairfield University on Saturday. 

Watch the happy birthday singing commence below.