"When I took my son to be enrolled in school, I was told: We have no classes for such children", recalls Mrs. Olga DeFelippo, GEC's Founding President. "We were advised to put our children away in institutions." The Bay Ridge parents were determined to find a better way. Out of that determination grew The Guild for Exceptional Children, Inc., organized under the laws of New York State as a non-profit, non-sectarian, voluntary agency. GEC has since become a leading provider of direct and indirect services for developmentally delayed or disabled persons, from infancy through old age, and their families.
To help each individual reach his or her maximum potential; and to help families cope with the responsibility of caring for a disabled family member at home. To achieve this goal, a dedicated, well qualified and caring staff provide clinical, therapeutic, educational, social, residential, recreational and support services designed to stimulate the development of the whole person, fostering self-esteem and pride in accomplishment.