The transfer of the WCA Home in Fredonia to Aspire of WNY has been finalized. Both organizations have announced that the historic property at 134 Temple Street was officially closed on August 20th and transferred to Aspire as a generous gift. The building, which has been closed since early 2023, will now serve as a vibrant Northern Chautauqua Community Hub for Aspire of WNY and will allow the agency to consolidate its current Northern Chautauqua operations and significantly expand its continuum of care. The official name of the location will become "Aspire of WNY at the WCA," with WCA now standing for "We Connect All."
WCA Home Board President Lori Poniatowski says, "Entrusting this historic building to Aspire of WNY guarantees that our century-long mission of care will not just continue, but truly thrive for generations. When we met the team at Aspire of WNY, it was clear to me, and the board of directors at the WCA, that they were the right ones to carry on an important mission in this home. Seeing the doors open again, with human services being provided to support the health and wellness of people in our community, means everything to us."
Aspire of WNY CEO Carrie Spence says, "This space allows us to enhance community-based services for the people we support. Having a homebase in northern Chautauqua County gives families in this community the opportunity to see their children receive support beyond what we could have hoped."
Aspire of WNY plans to operate various community based programs from their catalogue, including iXpress art, Supported Volunteering & Lifestyle Enrichment (SVLE), Day Hab without Walls, Respite, Community B.R.I.D.G.E.S (connecting people with real life skills for independence in the community), Vocational Services, ADAPT Fashions (retail style training with opportunities for professional garments), workforce training, administrative support, and much more.
To celebrate this new chapter, the public is warmly invited to Aspire of WNY at the WCA's Open House on Wednesday, October 7th from 5:00-7:00 PM to tour the facility, meet the team, and learn about upcoming programs.
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