$5M state grant will help fund repairs at group homes run by Port Jefferson Station nonprofit

A Port Jefferson Station nonprofit that operates group homes and day programs for developmentally disabled adults has received a $5 million state grant to refurbish and make repairs at more than two dozen of its facilities.

Maryhaven Center of Hope officials told Newsday that construction began in September to fix and replace roofs, kitchens, windows and other amenities at 26 houses and skills-training programs in Suffolk County. Construction is expected to be completed in three years.

“Some of our homes are probably upwards of 50 years [old], so you’re looking at your typical upgrades, whether it’s roofing [or] siding,” executive director Charles Vanek told Newsday. “In the case of roofs, there’s the potential of leaks because they’ve outlived their life span.”

Maryhaven officials said the state Dormitory Authority grant will pay for improvements to bathrooms, workshops, basements and heating systems at apartments, group residences and day program facilities.

The organization, founded in 1929, serves adults with cerebral palsy, autism, Down syndrome and other conditions. In addition to providing housing with support staff, Maryhaven offers occupational training and programs to teach daily life skills, officials said.

Justin Henry, a spokesman for Gov. Kathy Hochul, said the grant would help boost “Maryhaven’s remarkable work to house, train and support New Yorkers with special needs. Our office remains committed to ensuring that all New Yorkers have the resources they need to thrive, and we are proud to support this important service provider as it deepens its roots in the Port Jefferson community.”  

Walter Stockton, chief executive of Kinexion, a Manorville management firm that operates Maryhaven and six other service organizations, said the grant enables Maryhaven to take money earmarked for structural improvements and shift it to services for clients.

Maryhaven, which joined Kinexion earlier this year, has a $56 million annual budget. Funding comes primarily from Medicaid payments and foundation grants, Vanek said. 

Maryhaven’s facilities include 29 homes, 10 day programs that teach daily living skills as well as specialized training in the performing and culinary arts, and the Integrated Business Center in Yaphank, where disabled and nondisabled people work alongside one another to learn vocational skills. 

Each home, located in residential neighborhoods, is occupied by four to 10 residents, Vanek said, adding that their special needs, such as using wheelchairs, cause more damage than in a standard house.

Floors, walls and other household features that might normally last a decade wear out in less than five years in group homes, he said.

“A project like this will enable us to expand the living space, which is a huge advantage to our folks,” Vanek said.

By Carl MacGowan

carl.macgowan@newsday.comCarlMacGowan

Carl MacGowan is a Long Island native who covers Brookhaven Town after having previously covered Smithtown, Suffolk County courts and numerous spot news and feature stories over his 20-plus year career at Newsday.