About
Project CHILDD is a community-based outreach program for children and teens with developmental disabilities that includes creative art therapy, music, yoga, interactive storytelling, therapeutic art and movement activities, creative art projects, exercise, and parties. Children and teens are given the chance to socialize and to use art to express themselves creatively, with professional art instruction supporting therapeutic expression and building self-esteem. A dedicated group of teen volunteers act as mentors, providing guidance and friendship during these activities.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: Classes are held on select weekend dates from September 2025 through May 2026, with an art show in June 2026
• Price: “In our own town and free to boot!”
The Pelham Art Center classes are held 2pm–4:00pm on September 21, 2025; October 5, 2025; November 23, 2025; a December Holiday Party (date to be announced); January 4, 2026; February 1, 2026; March 15, 2026; and April 12, 2026. The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore classes are held 12pm–2pm on October 18, 2025; November 8, 2025; December 6, 2025; January 10, 2026; February 7, 2026; March 7, 2026; April 11, 2026; and May 2, 2026, with an art show on June 7, 2026. Families of the children receive “a gift of time” designed to give them a brief respite from caregiving.
The program is managed by a registered professional nurse, a social worker, and community volunteers, and includes a teen mentoring program where youth learn firsthand how to help their community and see the child beyond the special need. Project CHILDD provides teen mentors with an opportunity to volunteer, to increase their social sensitivity, and to make new, differently-abled friends. Project Community is Pelham’s only volunteer organization spearheaded by healthcare professionals, and since 1985 it has been providing youth with the “knowledge to navigate” the situations that every teen encounters.
One parent describes that her autistic daughter has participated for many years and has experienced new friends, loving care by nurses, creative art projects, exercise, “yummy treats,” parties, smiles and laughs, and meaningful relationships with neurotypical teen mentors, and that for the parents this has meant peace of mind and “2 and 1/2 hour periods” to spend uninterrupted time with each other and their neurotypical son, “free to boot.” A teen mentor explains that Project CHILDD is the activity that holds the most personal value to him, and that he guides developmentally disabled and autistic children through therapeutic art and movement activities and has formed connections with them over four years. To attend, families need to fill out a PROJECT CHILDD Registration and Emergency/Medical Form.
Last updated April 17, 2026.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: Classes are held on select weekend dates from September 2025 through May 2026, with an art show in June 2026
• Price: “In our own town and free to boot!”
The Pelham Art Center classes are held 2pm–4:00pm on September 21, 2025; October 5, 2025; November 23, 2025; a December Holiday Party (date to be announced); January 4, 2026; February 1, 2026; March 15, 2026; and April 12, 2026. The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore classes are held 12pm–2pm on October 18, 2025; November 8, 2025; December 6, 2025; January 10, 2026; February 7, 2026; March 7, 2026; April 11, 2026; and May 2, 2026, with an art show on June 7, 2026. Families of the children receive “a gift of time” designed to give them a brief respite from caregiving.
The program is managed by a registered professional nurse, a social worker, and community volunteers, and includes a teen mentoring program where youth learn firsthand how to help their community and see the child beyond the special need. Project CHILDD provides teen mentors with an opportunity to volunteer, to increase their social sensitivity, and to make new, differently-abled friends. Project Community is Pelham’s only volunteer organization spearheaded by healthcare professionals, and since 1985 it has been providing youth with the “knowledge to navigate” the situations that every teen encounters.
One parent describes that her autistic daughter has participated for many years and has experienced new friends, loving care by nurses, creative art projects, exercise, “yummy treats,” parties, smiles and laughs, and meaningful relationships with neurotypical teen mentors, and that for the parents this has meant peace of mind and “2 and 1/2 hour periods” to spend uninterrupted time with each other and their neurotypical son, “free to boot.” A teen mentor explains that Project CHILDD is the activity that holds the most personal value to him, and that he guides developmentally disabled and autistic children through therapeutic art and movement activities and has formed connections with them over four years. To attend, families need to fill out a PROJECT CHILDD Registration and Emergency/Medical Form.
Last updated April 17, 2026.
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