Copyright Staten Island Advance
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — “You’re not alone.” That’s the mantra that three Staten Island parents want to convey to all special education families through a new support group. The three moms, Ginamarie Vomero, Joanne Parker, and April Riccardelli, all met several years ago when their children attended P373R at PS 6, Tottenville. The trio stayed in touch, even though their children — all aged 11-13 years old — attend different schools now. But it wasn’t until earlier this year that they decided to band together to create the Special Needs Support Group Stronger Together, in hopes to help other parents of special needs children navigate the difficulties they may face. “I think we just realized we want to help people,” said Vomero, of Eltingville. “We want to guide them. We don’t want them to feel alone. We wanted them to have a place to go where there was no judgement, which is so important for our community.” Riccardelli, of Huguenot, explained that, since the pandemic, there aren’t many in-person meetings, so having that support — and having it in-person — helps families connect. “I have people come and say to us, ‘It feels so good to know that it’s not just me’,” said Parker, who lives in Bay Terrace. The first meeting was held in April this year. Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Eltingville. No registration is required, and the meetings are open to all parents navigating the challenges of raising a child with special needs. “We are just special needs everyday, special need moms, and we felt that it was necessary for other families to not feel alone. So we searched around for a location that could provide us with a space, and we just took it from there,” said Parker. Since then, the group has grown to more than 50 parents. The monthly meetings aim to provide a safe space for parents to share experiences, while also inviting speakers like lawyers and health professionals to talk about guardianship and Medicaid. Those speakers provide an icebreaker for families to ask questions and share perspectives and allow for open discussion. And there’s plenty of venting, laughing, crying, and hugging. “A lot of people, including us, we struggle with going places with our children, like you feel like, ‘Oh my God, you got to be on top of them. What are they going to say? Who’s going to look at you funny?’ And our event was so nice because nobody felt that way … Everybody understands what you’re going through. Nobody cares and nobody’s looking at you funny,” said Parker. Parents of kids of all ages are able to attend the meetings, from as young as pre-K, to kids in high school, and even adults with special needs. Parker explained that the system is difficult to navigate. Having these meetings allows parents to get advice and learn from others’ experiences. The meetings are open to all parents of special needs children. The group also plans other outings and events outside of regular monthly meetings, such as a “winter wonderland” scheduled later this year. You can join its Facebook group, Special Needs Support Group Stronger Together, for more information and updates. “It just makes me, personally, feel just so good to know that I can help other people,” said Vomero. “It’s helped me too with my daughter, because I’ve met people that — my daughter has anxiety — and I’ve met people that are in similar situations, and that’s really helped in certain ways. I just feel very good about the group. I look forward to it, and it’s just a great place."
