An important part of Beyond 21’s Room to Grow expansion is officially underway, with specialized equipment now purchased for the organization’s new STEM Explorers Lab and expanded Sensory Room.
The new spaces are being created to give adults with developmental disabilities more opportunities to learn, explore, regulate and build confidence in environments designed around their individual needs.
The Harry E. Foster Charitable Foundation has been an important partner in helping bring these spaces to life, providing $20,000 toward the purchase of equipment for the two rooms.
“Seeing the equipment ordered makes this project feel very real,” said Amy Malyon, Executive Director of Beyond 21. “These were spaces we had imagined for a long time, and support from the Harry E. Foster Charitable Foundation has been instrumental in helping us move from plans on paper to something our participants will soon be able to use every day.”
Equipment purchased for the new STEM Explorers Lab includes microscopes, anatomy resources, interactive technology, projection equipment, flexible tables and seating, among other hands-on learning tools.
The expanded Sensory Room will include interactive bubble tubes, fibre-optic lighting, sensory panels, an interactive floor projection system, mirrors, mats, specialized seating and other tools designed to support sensory regulation.
The investment comes at an important time for Beyond 21. The organization now serves more than 90 adults with developmental disabilities, while approximately 50 more people are waiting for an opportunity to join the program.
The Room to Grow expansion will create capacity for approximately 30 additional participants and provide dedicated spaces for programming that has outgrown Beyond 21’s existing facility.
“What is exciting about these new spaces is that they will allow us to respond to participants in very different ways,” said Tish Humphries, Founder and Board Chair of Beyond 21. “One person may be discovering something new through science and technology, while another may need a quiet sensory space to reset. We are creating room for both.”
Construction is continuing, with the new equipment to be installed as the expanded spaces are completed.
Beyond 21 is grateful to the Harry E. Foster Charitable Foundation for helping make this next stage of growth possible and for continuing to invest in adults with developmental disabilities and their families.
About The Hub for Beyond 21 Foundation
The Hub for Beyond 21 Foundation provides affordable day programming for adults with developmental disabilities in Cornwall, SD&G, Akwesasne and surrounding communities. Through life skills, creative arts, recreation, STEM, community engagement, vocational opportunities and more, Beyond 21 helps participants build independence, confidence, friendships and a sense of belonging.