Puzzle Pieces opened its doors in September 2012 after Executive Director Amanda Owen left her job as a full-time special education teacher. Owen, whose brother has a rare chromosomal disorder, took a leap of faith in opening Puzzle Pieces when she felt as though her brother and her students did not have a community center to socialize with peers and learn skills for lifelong success. After receiving nearly $250,000 from fundraisers, donations and grants, Owen and six other staff members opened the nonprofit, immediately serving 32 families.
Over the next decade, services expanded from social and community programming to vocational training, residential living facilities, ABA services and supported employment. With a growing client base and a diminishing amount of space in its original facility, Puzzle Pieces moved from its Frederica Street location to its current home, a 27,000-square-foot campus at 2401 New Hartford Road. With more space, we now serve more than 400 clients in 2022 and have added more support professionals to its team. The additional space also allowed for the launch of the Owen Autism Center, the area’s only resource for targeted autism programming.
OUR MISSION
To provide a safe environment for individuals with intellectual disabilities and promote independence, life skills, community access and involvement, social interaction, communication skills, self-worth, and trusting relationships between clients, staff, and families.
OUR VISION
At Puzzle Pieces, we are dedicated to bringing visibility to disabilities through education and awareness to our community.
We are on mission to build a more inclusive community, where individuals with disabilities feel empowered and have an equal chance at employment.
We provide clients with a person-centered approach to programming and care, meeting their individualized goals and building the skills they need to become productive citizens.
We strive to provide the highest quality of services with a client choice approach, reinforcing the individual’s value and self worth.
Over the next decade, services expanded from social and community programming to vocational training, residential living facilities, ABA services and supported employment. With a growing client base and a diminishing amount of space in its original facility, Puzzle Pieces moved from its Frederica Street location to its current home, a 27,000-square-foot campus at 2401 New Hartford Road. With more space, we now serve more than 400 clients in 2022 and have added more support professionals to its team. The additional space also allowed for the launch of the Owen Autism Center, the area’s only resource for targeted autism programming.
OUR MISSION
To provide a safe environment for individuals with intellectual disabilities and promote independence, life skills, community access and involvement, social interaction, communication skills, self-worth, and trusting relationships between clients, staff, and families.
OUR VISION
At Puzzle Pieces, we are dedicated to bringing visibility to disabilities through education and awareness to our community.
We are on mission to build a more inclusive community, where individuals with disabilities feel empowered and have an equal chance at employment.
We provide clients with a person-centered approach to programming and care, meeting their individualized goals and building the skills they need to become productive citizens.
We strive to provide the highest quality of services with a client choice approach, reinforcing the individual’s value and self worth.