Celebration Company, a program of the Alexander Jewish Family Service, has begun construction of a second location for adults with disabilities.

Through community collaboration, Celebration Company West will be located on the JCC West Campus, 1120 Dairy Ashford Rd. Groundbreaking took place April 10.

Celebration Company is a supportive and transitional entrepreneurial employment program for adults with disabilities. Celebration Company Central is located on the Alexander JFS campus, 4131 S. Braeswood Blvd.

The new, second facility is accessible to adults with disabilities and their families living on the west side. Not only will more people benefit from this location, but current participant-employees living on the west side will have an easier commute and greater involvement, overall improving their quality of life.

The new facility opens more space at Celebration Company Central that has a waiting list of people who would like to become a part of the company. The new facility increases the scope of service to people with disabilities throughout Greater Houston.

In addition, there will be additional space to have transition-aged youth programs, allowing youth with disabilities to have their first work experiences during school breaks and the summer.

Celebration Company West renovations are made possible with a lead gift from the Harvey R. Houck Jr. and Patricia W. Houck Foundation and support from the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation.

Construction includes making all the spaces accessible for wheelchair users and others who have disabilities. Opportunities to support the kitchen’s renovation remain available.

Celebration Company West is sharing space with the Ellen Boniuk Early Childhood School at the JCC. Jamie Paul Weiner, LCSW, manager of Disability Services and Houston Alexander Institute for Inclusion, and Rene Kariel, director of the Ellen Boniuk Early Childhood School, are planning inclusive and collaborative programs.

Collaborations will include internships for Celebration Company West employees at the early childhood school, help with school-wide programming for holidays and preparing healthy kosher snacks from Celebration Company West’s kitchen for children in the early childhood school.

Celebration Company West will have an activity room where employees can create their art – photography, glass fusing and candle-rolling. In addition, there is a multipurpose room/breakroom that will be a place for employees to work on life and social skills. There also will be a retail pick-up area for people purchasing art products. New staff will be hired for Celebration Company West. Weiner will continue overseeing the West and Central locations at Alexander JFS on South Braeswood Boulevard as manager of Disability Services.

The goal is to have the second location up and running by fall.

‍The Alexander Jewish Family Service (alexanderjfs.org) is a partner agency of the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston and a beneficiary of United Way of Greater Houston.