North East Westchester Special Recreation, Inc.
North East Westchester Special Recreation, 63 Bradhurst Ave, Hawthorne, NY 10532
About
North East Westchester Special Recreation, Inc. offers activities such as bowling, volleyball, basketball, floor hockey, softball, track and field, aquatics, swimming, gym activities, and fitness. Participants also take part in crafts, outdoor crafts, art, games, outdoor games, hobbies, horticulture, music, structured music, dancing, movement, and gym. The program includes cooking activities, education, leisure activities, community trips, day trips, field trips, concerts, travel, and vacation activities.
• Ages: 4–18 years old
• Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:30AM–4:30PM; six weeks of summer camp for ages 4–21.
North East Westchester Special Recreation, Inc. was incorporated in 1981 and serves over 500 community members. It is a community-based therapeutic recreation program for children, teens, and adults with developmental disabilities residing in Westchester County, New York, and offers services for individuals who cannot participate in existing programs offered by Westchester-based municipal recreation programs. Programs offer a variety of year-round recreational activities designed with the specific support needed for participant success, and individuals are grouped by age and ability at either a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio in Saturday Clubhouse. Weekends Away provides a highly structured and closely supervised opportunity for participants to gain independence from their families and enjoy new situations, and the Frost Valley Vacation Program offers adults the opportunity to spend five days in the Catskills. Adults attend weekly concerts to interact with local residents and enjoy a variety of entertainment.
The mission of North East Westchester Special Recreation, Inc. is to provide community-based therapeutic recreation programs that enhance the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social functioning of children, teens, and adults with developmental disabilities, and to provide confidence-building experiences that foster and cultivate meaningful relationships. The agency is a non-profit 501 (C)(3) organization operating under the auspices of the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities as a certified respite provider. North East is the second largest agency of its kind in the State of New York and has gained local and state-wide attention for the quality and novelty of its programs and services.
The leadership team includes Ellie Arnemann (Executive Director); Nancy Bellini, CTRS (Program Director); Joe Bellini (Program Coordinator/Summer Camp Director); Jocelyn Aquino (Recreation Therapist); Jessie Espinet, CTRS (Senior Recreation Therapist); and Jennifer Debiec (Office Manager). The agency is led by a Board of Directors comprised of the Recreation Superintendents from twelve participating communities located in the north east portion of Westchester County, New York. Nancy Bellini is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, and Jessie Espinet earned her Certification in Therapeutic Recreation.
Parent and caregiver feedback includes comments that staff took time to get to know a child and treated him “like a regular kid,” and that a camper’s confidence improved after being in the camp. Families describe staff as loving, kind, caring, enthusiastic, engaging, professional, nurturing, and “like a second family,” and note that participants look forward to trips, socializing with friends, and spending time with counselors. Several parents report that their sons made lifelong friends, were comfortable with staff, enjoyed camp experiences, and shared many camp experiences at home, and one parent stated that without North East, their son would not be as happy a person as he is.
Last updated February 8, 2026.
• Ages: 4–18 years old
• Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:30AM–4:30PM; six weeks of summer camp for ages 4–21.
North East Westchester Special Recreation, Inc. was incorporated in 1981 and serves over 500 community members. It is a community-based therapeutic recreation program for children, teens, and adults with developmental disabilities residing in Westchester County, New York, and offers services for individuals who cannot participate in existing programs offered by Westchester-based municipal recreation programs. Programs offer a variety of year-round recreational activities designed with the specific support needed for participant success, and individuals are grouped by age and ability at either a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio in Saturday Clubhouse. Weekends Away provides a highly structured and closely supervised opportunity for participants to gain independence from their families and enjoy new situations, and the Frost Valley Vacation Program offers adults the opportunity to spend five days in the Catskills. Adults attend weekly concerts to interact with local residents and enjoy a variety of entertainment.
The mission of North East Westchester Special Recreation, Inc. is to provide community-based therapeutic recreation programs that enhance the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social functioning of children, teens, and adults with developmental disabilities, and to provide confidence-building experiences that foster and cultivate meaningful relationships. The agency is a non-profit 501 (C)(3) organization operating under the auspices of the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities as a certified respite provider. North East is the second largest agency of its kind in the State of New York and has gained local and state-wide attention for the quality and novelty of its programs and services.
The leadership team includes Ellie Arnemann (Executive Director); Nancy Bellini, CTRS (Program Director); Joe Bellini (Program Coordinator/Summer Camp Director); Jocelyn Aquino (Recreation Therapist); Jessie Espinet, CTRS (Senior Recreation Therapist); and Jennifer Debiec (Office Manager). The agency is led by a Board of Directors comprised of the Recreation Superintendents from twelve participating communities located in the north east portion of Westchester County, New York. Nancy Bellini is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, and Jessie Espinet earned her Certification in Therapeutic Recreation.
Parent and caregiver feedback includes comments that staff took time to get to know a child and treated him “like a regular kid,” and that a camper’s confidence improved after being in the camp. Families describe staff as loving, kind, caring, enthusiastic, engaging, professional, nurturing, and “like a second family,” and note that participants look forward to trips, socializing with friends, and spending time with counselors. Several parents report that their sons made lifelong friends, were comfortable with staff, enjoyed camp experiences, and shared many camp experiences at home, and one parent stated that without North East, their son would not be as happy a person as he is.
Last updated February 8, 2026.
Is this your business? There is no cost, but you will be asked to sign up or log in.