A Better World for Developmentally Disabled Children

Ms. Brown is the parent of a severely developmentally disabled child in Brooklyn.

Her child faces a number of serious barriers in life, including difficulty progressing in a traditional educational setting and limited employment options as an adult. Negotiating friendships or performing basic tasks may also be challenging. And those are only the obvious consequences of a developmental disability. More subtle hurdles to overcome may include lack of confidence, low self-esteem, depression, or introversion.

Ms. Brown needed a resource that would help connect her child to supportive services in their community.

NPower NY created a website for Mercy Home, a nonprofit organization dedicated to assuring the quality of life for persons with developmental disabilities through the recognition of each person's inherent dignity and absolute right to a life filled with learning and love. Before the introduction of the website, people heard about Mercy Home from pamphlets or word of mouth. But Sister Caroline Tweedy, Assistant Executive Director, and others at Mercy Home knew there was an opportunity to more effectively reach people who needed their services. She asked NPower NY to create a dynamic website that would enable people to search for information and help.

Today, Mercy Home's website provides a way for developmentally disabled people and their loved ones to learn about the resources available to help them lead a happy, healthy life. Now, Ms. Brown and other parents of developmentally disabled children can place their children in a supportive living residence, register them for recreational outings that offer opportunities to develop friendships, and access health services geared specifically toward people with these disabilities. "With the new website," said Sister Caroline, "we are able to reach the special people who need our services more quickly and effectively and we can help someone with a developmental disability reach their full potential."