The Nassau Association for the Help of Retarded Children (AHRC) on Tuesday celebrated the opening of a storefront vocational hubsite in Massapequa, marking a step forward in the non-profit agency's efforts to integrate program participants into their local communities.

The hubsite, located at 22 Broadway, is a part of AHRC's Lifestyles Program, a division of the nonprofit agency's Vocational Training Services. It was established in February as part of AHRC's efforts to move participants from a regional vocational training center in Plainview into their home towns, and follows the establishment of similar centers in Farmingdale and Glen Cove. Two more of its kind are set to open soon in Great Neck and Bellmore.

The participants, young adults with mental retardation and developmental disabilities who live in and around Massapequa, will attend the center five days a week, and it will serve as their base. Monday through Friday, they will travel from their homes to it, and then to various activities within the community. These activities include volunteer work with nonprofit organizations, such as nursing homes, hospitals and soup kitchens, and food shopping for the home-bound elderly, as well as local paid employment.

"Here locally, the community has been very receptive," said Lauren Turkington, Lifestyles Program administrator for AHRC. "It feels like home."

In addition to fostering community involvement, the hubsite aims to teach participants independence, according to Randi Sachs, director of public relations for AHRC. "This is our goal: to teach them as much independence as possible - because society is not always so kind to people with disabilities, so we want to make everyone as self-sufficient as they can be," she said.

Among the local public officials who expressed support for the hubsite at the grand opening was Nassau County Executive Thomas Gulotta. "It's a win-win for everyone," he said. "It provides an opportunity for those under the auspices of AHRC to be productive in the community and to realize their potential, while at the same time helping those in need through their volunteer work in the community."

The program's participants and their families also displayed much optimism about the hubsite.

"Most of the jobs are rewarding and challenging," said Jeanmarie Rogers of North Massapequa, a participant who, in addition to doing volunteer work, works part-time at a local supermarket. "We have that chance to help other people besides ourselves."

Ellen Inglese, mother of a participant commented, "I think this is a marvelous idea...It's been a wonderful experience." She added, "This is a major step forward."