Company Profile

Company Overview

For nearly forty years, Cheshire Home has served as a special care nursing facility for young adults with physical disabilities. Founded in 1981 by Dr. Margaret Symonds, Medical Director of Children’s Specialized Hospital in Mountainside, New Jersey, Cheshire provides a distinctive alternative to life in geriatric nursing homes. Patients are primarily in their twenties and thirties and have suffered paralyzing spinal cord injuries that left them with quadriplegia or paraplegia after a catastrophic accident. Today, Cheshire defines the landscape of service to young people with life-long disabilities, focusing on helping them rebuild their lives as they work through significant physical and emotional challenges, creating community and finding meaningful connection.

Our special care nursing facility and group homes in Parsippany and Florham Park are home to 49 residents, primarily from Morris, Union, Essex, and Hudson Counties. Cheshire is proud to be associated by mission to a world-wide network of several hundred Cheshire programs, all operating independently, and dedicated to serving individuals with disabilities. The network was established by Sir Leonard Cheshire, a highly decorated British RAF pilot during World War II.

Cheshire is distinguished by its humanistic approach; compassion and long tenure of its caregivers, administrators, and board; and expertise in medical, rehabilitative, educational, psychosocial, and recreational care. Residents typically arrive at Cheshire just a short time after their accident, and Cheshire is dedicated to empowering each resident to attain the highest level of self-sufficiency possible, while coping with the trauma of spinal cord injury. Today, Cheshire has achieved one of the highest success rates of any comparable facility, with 80% of its residents advancing to independent, semi-independent living, or a successful transition back to their families. On average, residents rehabilitate at Cheshire Home for 2.5 years and are able to transition with newly acquired academic and professional skills thanks to the Cheshire community. Visit us at www.cheshirehome.org and meet some of our residents at Cheshire Has Talent - YouTube.

Cheshire has an annual budget of approximately $9 million, 80% of which is supported by the federal government (primarily Medicaid). The expectation for this role is to grow the individual giving program to $500,000. To sustain and advance Cheshire’s unique mission, particularly during these challenging economic times, the Board of Trustees and Executive Director have been working closely with The Development Consulting Group (TDCG) to diversify and enhance the fundraising program.