Project Grant 23A60CP000073

APPLICANT NAME: NASSAU SUFFOLK AUTISM SOCIETY OF AMERICA (NSASA)PROJECT TITLE: VOCATIONAL SKILLS AND HEALTHY LIVINGFUNDING REQUESTED: 200,000REQUESTED PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: 24 MONTHSPROJECT LOCATIONS: OUTBACK (MERRICK AND COMMACK NY), LUV MICHAEL (SOUTH HAMPTON NY), POPEARTH (HUNTINGTON NY), AHRC (FREEPORT NY)PROJECT PURPOSETHE OVERALL GOAL OF THE VOCATIONAL SKILLS AND HEALTHY LIVING PROGRAM IS TO ALLOW PARTICIPANTS TO BE INSTRUCTED IN REAL WORKING ENVIRONMENTS (COMMERCIAL KITCHENS, RESTAURANTS, AND WORKSPACES) AND TO ACQUIRE BASIC VOCATIONAL SKILLS IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: HYGIENE, MAINTENANCE, OPERATIONS, CLEANLINESS, BASIC KITCHEN SAFETY, BASIC COOKING SKILLS, BASIC MEAL PREP AND CLEAN UP AND IF APPLICABLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PASS THE SUFFOLK COUNTY FOOD HANDLERS COURSE. GOALSGENERAL HYGIENE REQUIREMENT FOR COMMERCIAL KITCHEN AND RESTAURANT SPACESDAILY MAINTENANCE TASKSDAILY CLEANING TASKSDAILY SET UP TASKSDAILY OPERATIONS TASKSGENERAL HYGIENE IN KITCHEN ENVIRONMENTUSE OF KITCHEN EQUIPMENTUSE OF KITCHEN UTENSILSLEARN SIMPLE HEALTHY RECIPESLEARN BASIC COOKING AND MEAL PREPARATION SKILLSCOLLABORATING WITH PEERS AND SUPPORT STAFF TO ACCOMPLISH A TASKSMODEL INSTRUCTOR TO COMPLETE TASKSLEARN PACKAGING OF FOOD ITEMSLEARN ABOUT FOOD SAFETY AND FOOD PREPARATIONACTIVITIESTHE PROJECT WILL TAKE PLACE ACROSS 24 MONTHS WITH PARTICIPANTS RANGING IN AGES FROM 16-25 YEARS OF AGE. THE PARTICIPANTS SELECTED WILL GO THROUGH A SCREENING PROCESS TO ENSURE THEY ARE A PROPER FIT FOR THE PROGRAM AND CAN COMPLETE THE TASKS REQUIRED IN THE VARIOUS LOCATIONS AND CAN ATTEND THE FULL LENGTH ON THE PROGRAM. THIS IS IMPORTANT TO TRACKING OUTCOMES. PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WILL ATTEND A WEEKLY SESSION AT ONE OF THE PROGRAM SITES AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON GOALS THAT WILL ASSIST THEM IN VOCATIONAL SKILL BUILDING. ACTIVITIES WILL VARY SLIGHTLY FROM SITE TO SITE. HOWEVER, EACH LOCATION WILL UTILIZE ALL THE LISTED GOALS. A SAMPLE LIST OF ACTIVITIES IS THE FOLLOWING: GENERAL HYGIENE IN WORKSPACE ENVIRONMENTSFOLLOWING ONE AND TWO STEP INSTRUCTIONSLEARNING BASIC MAINTENANCE TASKS IN THE ENVIRONMENTLEARNING BASIC KITCHEN SKILLS IN THE ENVIRONMENTLEANING BASIC FOOD PREPARATION SKILLS IN THE ENVIRONMENTLEARNING BASIC FOOD HANDLING SKILLS IN THE ENVIRONMENTLEARNING BASIC COOKING SKILLS IN THE ENVIRONMENTLEARNING HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES EXCEPTED OUTCOMESWE WILL MONITOR WEEKLY PROGRESS USING THE WORK PLAN AND THE FEEDBACK FROM THE INSTRUCTORS. THERE ARE TWO POSSIBLE OUTCOME OPTIONS FOR THE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS BASED ON THEIR INDIVIDUAL LEVELS OF ABILITY. OPTION A WILL BE A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM. OPTION B IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT FOR THE SUFFOLK COUNTY FOOD HANDLERS CERTIFICATE. INTENDED BENEFICIARIESPROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WILL BENEFIT FROM THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACQUIRE SKILLS THAT WILL ASSIST THEM AS THEY TRANSITION TO POSSIBLE WORK VOCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS. THE SKILLS ACQUIRED DURING THIS PROGRAM WILL ALSO ALLOW PARTICIPANTS TO BETTER SUPPORT THEMSELVES IN A HOME BASED RESIDENTIAL ENVIRONMENT AS WELL AS IT WILL GIVE THEM SKILLS THAT WILL TRANSLATE ACROSS VARIOUS ENVIRONMENTS. IT WILL GIVE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS THE CHANCE TO LEARN SKILLS IN A COMMUNITY-BASED SETTING.