Testimonials
Read what our families are saying about us.
"The STEP staff have taught, nurtured, challenged and encouraged our daughter within a safe environment of trust, love and acceptance."
“Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”.
The founding principles of our country.
All of us strive to find or create an environment in which we can thrive & live happily.
For those with developmental disabilities the options are limited.
However, when found, the impact can be transformative..
This has been the case for our daughter.
Beginning at the age of 23 , Dave, Lauri and the STEP staff have taught , nurtured, challenged and encouraged our daughter within a safe environment of trust, love and acceptance.
STEP is not just a program.
It is a community that fosters individual growth, inclusion and participation while respecting each individual’s independence.
Our daughter would not have the life she enjoys now were it not for the Giant Step program.
She loves her life.
We, and she, have STEP to thank for that.
We are happy to speak with any family members who would like to hear more, directly from another parent.
Karen and Alan Metzger
"This amazing program and extraordinary staff have allowed my son to grow in ways that I never dreamed possible."
My son has been part of the Giant Step program since 2011. It’s hard to put in to words what being a member of Giant Steps has done for both my son and my entire family. Probably the most significant thing is that it has given my son a meaningful life of his own. He lives in his own apartment, has wonderful friends and is living as an independent, confident young man. He also has a social life and participates in wonderful and varied activities all year long. And as independent as the program allows my son to be, he also has all the staff support he needs which gives myself and my family peace of mind. This amazing program and extraordinary staff has allowed my son to grow in ways that I never dreamed possible. Giant Steps truly embodies independent living and socialization to the highest degree.
Ellen Ginsberg
"They have always been there for our family to strengthen the safety net when needed."
The Giant Step program has been a critical part of our family’s support system for our daughter for the past ten years. The program exists to provide as much, or as little, support as required to keep its members independent and active in the community. They have always been there for our family to strengthen the safety net when needed. Without such a program, independence would not have been possible for our daughter.
The community of Devonshire provides so many familiar and friendly faces of current and former program members so that whenever our daughter steps outside, she is truly home. She is always eager to return to her community to be with her friends, with whom she would not have had the opportunity to bond without the Giant Step Program. With friends, all is possible.
Thank you Giant Step, for all you do.
Alicia and Scott
"Enrolling our daughter in Giant Steps has been the best decision that we ever made."
Giant Step is a wonderful supportive and nurturing program for special needs adults. Our daughter has flourished in this independent living program. Enrolling our daughter in Giant Steps has been the best decision that we ever made. We are delighted by our daughter’s progress and maturity in this open community environment in a suburban setting. The community containing Giant Step is very accepting, integrating and welcoming to the special needs adults. Our daughter lives independently in her own apartment. She has a variety of social interactive opportunities and has reliable transportation. She is employed yet has the time to participate in numerous social activities with her many friends. Most importantly, She is HAPPY.
Thank you Giant Steps for establishing a home and providing so many opportunities so that our daughter can grow as a productive and happy member of society.
Jack and Doreen Goldberg
"As parents, we now know that our son will be able to pursue the life that he desires."
“Giant Step Services has provided our son with just the right amount of support to enable him to be successful living independently. Since moving into his own apartment and starting Giant Step, he has gained valuable work experience and become much more confident socially. As parents, we now know that our son will be able to pursue the life that he desires while having the invaluable safety net that Giant Step provides.”
Nancy Seiden
"Giant Step has given our sons a sense of community and belonging."
My two sons have been with Giant Step for almost 4 years and I can honestly say we could not be happier with the program. Both my sons are thriving, and are more confident, self-reliant, capable and independent today than anyone could have predicted 4 years ago. Much of the credit for the transformation goes to Giant Step and its thoughtful, responsive and proactive staff. The program is really geared towards helping foster independence, and the staff, individually and collectively are fantastic at gauging the participants’ individual challenges and need, and providing as much or as little support as necessary along the way.
The vocational program, Adelphi classes, life skills coaching, social skills counseling, and weekend trips and activities offer plenty of opportunities to grow, learn, interact with peers and develop life and social skills. Moreover, Giant Step has given our sons a sense of community and belonging. As happy as our sons are to come home to visit over holidays and breaks, they are equally happy to go back home to Giant Step, and to us this is priceless. We feel very fortunate to have our sons in the program and cannot recommend it highly enough.
Vickie Segal
"For the first time in his life he was living away from his parents; he was shopping, cooking, cleaning, and getting to meetings every day."
Giant Step has provided my son with the support and community that has allowed him to transition into adult life. It was truly a “giant step” for my son to transition from being a high school student living at home to living in an apartment. For the first time in his life he was living away from his parents; he was shopping, cooking, cleaning, and getting to meetings every day. Without the expertise, commitment and support of the Giant Step staff my son’s transition would not have been possible.
When we were looking for a program in the Tri-State area only Giant Step fully met our needs. In fact, it seemed that if our son were to attend another program he would later be transitioning to future participation in Giant Step.
During his time at Giant Step my son has transitioned from volunteer work and participating in Step 1 to now working in a challenging and fulfilling work environment. He drives home for visits and has enjoyed group trips to Alaska and the Caribbean- next up is Venice and Greece!
Tom Knox, M.D.
"Most importantly, he formed close and meaningful friendships with other members of the Giant Step community."
My nephew has spent the last 8 years at Giant Step. Other than summer camp, it was his first experience living on his own. With the nurturing, encouraging support of the Giant Step staff, he learned the most important skills of independent living; including the responsibility of holding a job. Most importantly, he formed close and meaningful friendships with other members of the Giant Step community. Bolstered by these relationships with staff and peers, and family, he was able to recover from the trauma of losing his mother to cancer 3 years ago, having already lost his father and stepfather.
Hungry for a new experience, he is currently on an 8 month program in Israel where he is thriving! I credit Giant Step with giving him the foundation to fully embrace this challenge, and trust he will complete this program ready to take another giant step!
Ellen Abrams
