(Brooklyn, NY)—HeartShare Human Services of New York opened a residence for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Canarsie, Brooklyn, on June 25, 2014 that will be home to six men.

The residence will house four men on one floor and two men on another. Each resident will have his own bedroom. The men are grouped based on their service needs. While one group will require 24/7 care from Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), the other group is more independent and will be provided with individualized services as needed.

The group home will better meet the needs of the men, most of whom are relocating from other HeartShare residences. “We are happy that HeartShare is able to move individuals along the continuum to a more independent, intimate setting, where they can be more active participants in their community,” said Linda Tempel, HeartShare’s Executive Director for Developmental Disabilities Services, “We are honored to continue developing residences for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”

The residence opened in response to the planned closure of the Brooklyn Developmental Center. “We want people diagnosed with disabilities to live in a place where they can achieve a normal rhythm of life in the community,” stated Ms. Tempel. Four individuals from the Brooklyn Developmental Center will fill the vacancies resulting from this move, and one individual is moving directly to the new residence.

To ensure that each part of their day is tailored to their individualized needs, the six residents will participate in different HeartShare Day Programs, including the Brooklyn Day Habilitation Program, Francis Aiello Day Habilitation Program and Eileen and William Lavin Day Habilitation Program. Between a positive home environment and daily participation in HeartShare Day Programs, the individuals will be provided with the support to help them lead meaningful lives in their community.

In June 2014, HeartShare opened a residence serving six men with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Four of the men, Ryan, Bryant, Eric and Andrew, are pictured with HeartShare residence staff in front of their home in Canarsie, Brooklyn.

Ryan, one of the residents at the new HeartShare group home in Canarsie, Brooklyn, unpacked quickly on moving day, looking forward to enjoying his new home and the company of his housemates, as well as participating in the community.

HeartShare currently provides a total 36 supervised group homes and 42 supportive apartments in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. For more information, visit heartshare.org.