Students With Disabilities Help Launch Clothing Donation Program In Bohemia

BOHEMIA, NY — A group of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities took center stage Monday as they helped launch a new community partnership designed to support their own school.

At the People’s Arc of Suffolk Educare Center, about a dozen students formed a “fire brigade”-style line, passing bags of donated clothing from a nearby van to a newly installed donation bin operated in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island. The effort marked the official kickoff of a program that will generate ongoing funding for the school.

Teachers assisted students as the donations made their way down the line, culminating with leaders from both organizations placing the items into the bin.

“Any chance we get to show our kids can be part of the community and improve the community is a wonderful opportunity for us,” said John McGuigan, CEO of People’s Arc of Suffolk. “They’re out here smiling, laughing, clapping, all getting involved, helping. It’s a beautiful thing to see.”

The People’s Arc of Suffolk Educare Center serves students with intellectual and developmental disabilities through individualized academic and therapeutic programming. The school integrates education with life skills development, behavioral supports, and services such as speech, occupational, and physical therapy to promote independence and social growth.

The clothing bin will collect gently used clothing and textiles, with proceeds directly benefiting the Educare Center. Funding will go toward enhancing the school’s sensory room, a specialized space designed to support students’ learning, emotional regulation, and comfort.

Mark Cox, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island, said the organization works with dozens of nonprofits across the region to turn donated goods into financial support.

“We partner with 30 nonprofits across Long Island, which collect gently used clothing and put them in our bins,” Cox said. “We turn that clothing into financial support that directly serves their programs.”