Salon Fundraiser Supports Center for Adults with Special Needs

Indulge in a haircut, blowout, manicure or another personal pampering service at the Trendz Salon in Florham Park, and you will feel extra special because your beauty treatment also will support ECLC of New Jersey’s P.R.I.D.E. program 
fund-raising campaign! Trendz Salon at 186 Columbia Turnpike is offering a 10 percent discount on all services that day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and donating 30 percent of sales to the P.R.I.D.E. campaign. ECLC is trying to raise $450,000 to renovate and expand the P.R.I.D.E. Center in Florham Park, where adults with Down syndrome, autism and other developmental disabilities, learn to cook, read in book club, create arts and crafts, stretch in yoga class, earn a paycheck and accomplish much more.

Salon owner, Raul Grippaldi, came up with the fund-raising idea after hearing about P.R.I.D.E.through one of his stylists, Darissa Guerrero, whose sister, Lauren, is a director at P.R.I.D.E. “I hear it’s a wonderful program, and we just want to help the young people at P.R.I.D.E. as much as we can,” he said. In addition to the discounted services, clients can snack on light refreshments and enter a chance to win a door prize. Through the generous support of friends, corporations and foundations, ECLC is well on its way toward reaching its $450,000 goal. This ambitious improvement project will transform the P.R.I.D.E. Center in Florham Park, including adding 10,000 square feet of space; expanding the space used for in-house, contracted work; and creating eight skill development rooms, a teaching kitchen and a model apartment. In addition, funds will be used to purchase several 10-passenger vans to transport clients into the community for daily activities, such as book club, fitness and volunteering. The Morris P.R.I.D.E. Center opened six years ago and has grown rapidly. It enrolls more than 100 adult clients, employing 35 staff, utilizing nine vans for transportation and includes evening and work components as well as a second center in Paramus.