ACDS

06/18/2026

Some of our residents enjoyed a fun evening of Bingo on the Beach!

It was a great way to enjoy the summer weather & try something new. We love creating opportunities for fun, connection, and new experiences, while exploring our community.

06/15/2026

ACDS has availability for infants and toddlers in our wonderful daycare! Contract MaryLynn Dinu for more information, to schedule a tour or to enroll!

06/15/2026

Yesterday marked the last day of our 5Plus Saturday Recreation Program for the season.

Throughout the year friendships were strengthened, new activities were explored, and countless memories were made. Participants arrived each Saturday with smiles on their faces and left each afternoon smiling just as brightly.

A special thank you to our incredible staff, whose dedication, compassion, and enthusiasm made each week better than the last. Their commitment helped create a welcoming, supportive, and fun environment for everyone involved.

While this season has come to an end, it’s not goodbye… it’s see you in the fall!

06/09/2026

Deepest thanks to Chris and Kim Ruecker for advocating for ACDS to be the beneficiary of the Thomas Gamble STCC Golf Outing. We were grateful to be in such wonderful company and appreciative of the incredible generosity of all of the golfers, sponsors and dinner attendees.

06/08/2026

ACDS is proud to be a member organization of the Global Down Syndrome Foundation. We share their belief that accurate, current medical information is critical for expecting and new families. People with Down syndrome deserve to be understood through facts and lived experience. ACDS supports access to current, trusted information for families and healthcare providers.

We stand in support of our loving, joyful, inclusive, accomplished community and encourage all of our self advocates and their families to continue to share their light with our world, which needs it so badly.

The Global Down Syndrome Foundation, the National Down Syndrome Congress, and the National Down Syndrome Society have teamed up to publish the third edition of the groundbreaking Prenatal & Newborn Down Syndrome Information Pamphlet, available in English, Spanish and Icelandic. The third edition

06/08/2026

What a perfect way to wrap up the 5Plus Sunday season!

Our group spent their last outing of the season at Adventureland enjoying the beautiful weather & exciting rides. They had lunch with their friends and there were many smiles along the way. It is always a fun-filled day when this group is together.

Thank you to everyone who joined us this season, we can’t wait to see you again in the fall!

06/06/2026

Please join us in wishing Andrew, a resident of our Freeport home, a very happy 42nd birthday!

Andrew celebrated with a fun evening out with his housemates and staff, enjoying arcade games, bowling, laughter, and special time together.

Happy Birthday from all of us at ACDS!

06/02/2026

Soccer Shots registration is open for Fall 2026! Click on the Soccer Shots link below to reserve your space!

Resource Viewer

06/02/2026

After many weeks of 60th anniversay posts we have had an exciting development - a self-submission. We are delighted to highlight Stephanie Zapata and to share, in her own words, her wonderful journey with ACDS!!

My name is Stephanie, and I became a part of the ACDS family in 2011. First, I started at the ACDS Day Hab in Plainview and then in 2015, I moved into my group home in Wantagh. Now, I attend the ACDS Merrick Day Hab!

My house is really comfortable. I have my own bedroom and enjoy spending my downtime watching Netflix and Disney plus, playing video games, making singing videos for my YouTube channel, texting my friends, and watching scary movies. I live with 5 other people, and we have become our own little family. We always eat dinner together, celebrate each other’s birthdays, and have annual holiday parties. We all help around the house and are responsible for setting the table, unloading and loading the dishwasher, taking out the trash, and helping grocery shop. The staff that work at my house are very helpful too. They keep me safe, help me cook meals, drive me to appointments, and are always there to talk to. I also participate in a lot of ACDS activities such as cooking club, Zumba, and craft nights. ACDS has given me the opportunity to participate in special olympics sports, my favorite is floor hockey and basketball and I attend Summer Adventure each year.

My day is full of possibilities at my Merrick day hab. We’re a big part of the community and do lots of activities each week. We make dog biscuits for local shelters, and participate in Cans for Cancer. We also work on life skills & I'm getting more independent as I work on my goals. My favorite days are when we do on site cooking. We plan our meals, shop for the ingredients, and prepare our lunch with staff support. When I’m not at Day Hab, I work at a local restaurant. I’m responsible for food prep, cleaning tasks, and greeting customers. My favorite responsibility is prepping bacon for the next morning.

Overall, I am grateful to call ACDS my home. The opportunities I’ve been given, the friends I’ve made, and the people who support me are irreplaceable. Thank you to my family at ACDS!

06/02/2026

Scarsdale had a blast with some furry friends from Animal Interactions!