Binghamton Home Article .pdf – 07/28/2014

Community Options New York, Incorporated is the Greater Binghamton Chamber Business of the Week.

The non-profit located on State Street in Binghamton supports about 400 individuals with developmental disabilities or traumatic brain injuries across 11 counties in the region.

The day program offers cooking and computer classes plus music therapy sessions.

Community Options also transports clients to various volunteer opportunities in our area to help prepare them for the working world.

“It’s helping our individuals to gain experience to become part of the community and to learn different goals that they might be working on. Some of them might be socialization, some of them might be gaining independence with working. They’re not quite at that level yet, but that’s what they’re working on gaining,” said executive director Amanda Rick.

Community Options also provides professional clothing for its clients to wear on job interviews through a program with Men’s Wearhouse.

The organization is planning to begin two additional employment programs as well as entering the arena of transitional supportive housing for people with developmental disabilities.

And, each year, it raises money through the Cupid’s Chase 5K taking place on or near Valentine’s Day.