History
A cornerstone in communities across the Warren-Washington-Saratoga county region, Community, Work and Independence, Inc., has transformed the lives of individuals with disabilities and other barriers for more than 50 years. Through the provision of quality and innovative services, CWI, a not-for-profit community rehabilitation provider, has offered a myriad of services to meet the needs of the medically frail, developmentally disabled, mentally ill, economically disadvantaged, brain injured, learning disabled and other individuals in need since 1963.
CWI supports individuals striving to reach their potential to be productive and included members of their local community. We do this in part by offering basic services to individuals we serve including: transportation, clinical and dental services and housing. This then builds a foundation which allows individuals to springboard toward a higher level of independence. Independence may equate to CWI helping individuals find and sustain employment, become involved with volunteer opportunities, partake in recreational opportunities, learn independent living skills, and promote self-advocacy, to name a few.
CWI began as Community Workshop, Inc., serving a humble contingent of six community individuals in a sheltered employment setting in the early 1960’s. Fifty years later, CWI has a new name, Community, Work and Independence, Inc., and now assists approximately 1,200 individuals each month at more than 30 locations across the region. In addition to the now 60 individuals working in our sheltered employment program, over the past five years alone we have assisted clients with 868 job placements, provided residential services to nearly 40 individuals, connected 117 individuals with day programming services, transported 450 passengers each day to and from various facilities and supported 408 young adults transitioning from high school to the adult world.